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In the entire Torah, the word simcha is repeated (in different variations) the most times in our parsha, Re’ei – seven in all. The Midrash Sifri says that all these references to the word simcha are referring to a Korban Shelamim.
All the Korbanot are listed in Sefer Vayikra, beginning with the Olah (Burnt Offering) and ending with the Shelamim (Peace Offering). The Netziv of Volozhin says that it may appear that the Olah is of a higher status since it is called Kodesh Kodashim while the Shelamim is called Kodashim Kalim (“Light” Holies), but this is not the case. The purpose of both the Olah and the Shelamim is to restore peace. The Olah restores peace between man and G-d, while the Shelamim restores peace between fellow men.
When Moshe Rabbeinu was about to break the luchot when he descended from Har Sinai to find Am Yisrael worshipping the golden calf, the 70 elders asked him “Why break both of the luchot?” The sin was between man and G-d, so only break the first tablet, with the mitzvot between man and G-d and leave the second tablet with the mitzvot between man and man intact!” Moshe responded “This is impossible because the two sets of mitzvot are intricately connected and one cannot exist without the other.”
The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 9:8) says the fact that the Shelamim is listed last, alludes to its importance. Onkelos, when translating all the other Korbanot gives the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew word, but with Shelamim, Onkelos translates it as “Kudshaya” (Holy).
Unlike all the other types of Korbanot that are offered to atone for a sin, the Shelamim is offered purely out of love for Hashem.
Even though the Mishna (Avot 2:1) says that we do not know the value of the different mitzvot, king Chizkiya said that making peace is greater than any of the other mitzvot. Regarding all the other mitzvot, one is obliged to perform it only if the opportunity arises. For example, the mitzvah of Shiluach HaKen is only performed if you happen upon a bird’s nest. The Torah does not obligate you to actively go out in search of a bird’s nest to perform this mitzvah. However, with the mitzvah of making peace, it is not sufficient to wait for the mitzvah to fall into your lap, you must actively go out looking for an opportunity to perform it, you must pursue peace.
Peace is so important that one of G-d’s names is Shalom. G-d is even willing to have His name erased to preserve peace (Korban Sotah).
The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 9:9) brings the story of R’ Meir who used to give a shiur every Friday night. There was one pious woman who sat and listened to the shiur until the end and when she returned home to her husband, it was so late the Shabbat candles had already gone out. Her angry husband asked where she had been and she told him (based on his subsequent response, the husband was obviously not such a great tzaddik – if he was, he would have also been at the shiur together with his wife). The angry husband vowed to his wife “There will be no shalom bayit in this house until you go and spit in the face of R’ Meir!” Obviously, the wife was not willing to dare spit in R’ Meir’s face. Three weeks went by and her neighbors noticed that the situation had not improved, so they offered to accompany her to R’ Meir to seek his counsel.
As they approached, R’ Meir already understood with Ruach HaKodesh what the situation was. He addressed the women “I have just come from my doctor who told me I have an eye infection and that the only cure is for someone to spit in my eye. Do any of you know of this therapy and can one of you help spit in my eye and cure the infection?” Her neighbors said to her “What luck! This is a perfect opportunity, go spit in his eye and restore shalom bayit with your husband!” The wife was still afraid to spit in R’ Meir’s eye and said she was not familiar with the procedure he required. R’ Meir placated her and said “Don’t worry, spit in my face seven times, at least one will go where it is supposed to!” She did. R’ Meir then said to her “Go home and tell your husband that he only asked you to spit once, but that you spat in my face seven times!”
Afterward R’ Meir’s students asked him “Is it fitting to demean the Torah in this way that you asked a strange woman to spit in your face? Couldn’t you have asked one of us, your students, to do it instead?” R’ Meir answered them “Would you deny me this great mitzvah (of making shalom)?”
Hashem ends all the important brachot with shalom. Kri’at Shema in Arvit ends with “Pores Sukkat Shalom.” The Amidah ends with “Oseh Shalom Bimromav.” Birkat Kohanim ends with “Shalom.” We learn this principle from the list of Korbanot in Vayikra, where it ends with the Korban Shelamim.
What does simcha have to do with peace? Only through peace can one achieve true joy, and vice-versa. The two are symbiotic. We learn this principle from the Lechem Hapanim (Meir Panim, chap. 14), Peace exists between the twelve loaves (the Twelve Tribes) on the Shulchan because they are all smiling at each other (the shape of the Lechem HaPanim is a smiling mouth). Similarly, since there is peace, it results in even more joy, in a self-reinforcing loop.
Parshat HaShavua Trivia Question: There are two Kosher signs for fish (scales and fins). How many signs are there for Kosher birds?
Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: Which mitzvot is the word “Eikev” referring to? Rashi (ibid.) says it is those seemingly “insignificant” mitzvot that nobody pays much attention to. For example, Mayim Acharonim – washing hands before saying Birkat HaMazon. Chazal teach us that we do not know the value of each mitzvah and should observe them with the same fervor.