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"Mitzvah gedola le'heyos be'simcha..." many of us have heard this. I am wondering if there is an actual mitzvah to be be'simcha? (I am looking for sourced comments and not just idea's). I know that simcha is not counted as a mitzvah by the Rishonim, but I think the question still stands. I have heard that the Chasam Sofer (in parshas VaYechi) says that it is a mitzvah deoraysah and explains why the Rishonim don't count it, but I couldn't find it.

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according to asimplejew.blogspot.com/2007/08/… : Likutey Moharan II, Lessons #23 and 24 are lessons in which Rebbe Nachman focuses squarely on the avodah of simcha. (Lesson #24 is actually the source of “Mitzvah gedolah l’hiyot b’simcha tamid.”) – Menachem Aug 26 '12 at 2:43
I searched "מצוה גדולה להיות בשמחה" on Bar-Ilan and found nothing other than Likutei Moharan – b a Aug 26 '12 at 4:16
@ba to the best of my knowledge that particular statement is a chidush of Rebbe Nachman zy'a. – yoel Aug 26 '12 at 5:24
@msh210 Based on your comments judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/13284/… it seems the answer is that simcha is not a mitzva. – Double AA♦ Aug 29 '12 at 22:35
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The teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the topic of Simcha are collected in a sefer called "Simcha Ubitachon B'Hashem" published by Heichel Menachem. The entire first chapter (some 60 pages) deals with the obligation of being happy.

One source that the Rebbe often mentioned: The Rambam writes (Hilchos Lulav Perek Ches, Halocha Tes Vov, English translation from chabad.org):

"The happiness with which a person should rejoice in the fulfillment of the mitzvot and the love of God who commanded them is a great service. Whoever holds himself back from this rejoicing is worthy of retribution, as states: "...because you did not serve God, your Lord, with happiness and a glad heart."

The Rambam also rules (Hilchos Deos Perek Gimmel Halocha Beis, English translation from chabad.org):

"A person should direct his heart and the totality of his behavior to one goal, becoming aware of God, blessed be He. The [way] he rests, rises, and speaks should all be directed to this end." That is, every action a person performs must be for the sake of Hashem.

The Rebbe comments that in order to act in accordance to both rulings one is obligated to be happy constantly.

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up vote 4 down vote

Commentaries on Likutey Moharan (I think it's Parparos Lechochma but I'm not sure, as I'm looking in the English edition - b'n I'll try and look it up) bring the following sources for an actual mitzva of simcha:

Moshe Rabbenu chastised the Jewish people for not serving G-d with simcha.

David Hamelech says "serve G-d with simcha", which Rabbenu Bachya connects to the previous verse in Dvarim.

Apart from this, Rebbe Nachman cites Yad Ramah on Sanhedrin 17b that there is an obligation to be happy in "Guard your self and guard your soul diligently...", as depression leads to poor health and sin, chas veshalom.

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'Serving God with happiness' is different than 'being happy'. – Double AA♦ Aug 26 '12 at 4:32
To add to what @DoubleAA said, the Mishnah Brurah in siman 1 specifically differentiates between being sad in a normal day and being happy when doing a mitzvah. Also, the author of Torah Temimah in Gishmei Brachah to the beginning of Eichah gives an amazing interpretation of the pasuk in Devarim that is completely different; see there – b a Aug 26 '12 at 4:44
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Am I understanding you guys to be saying that there is a time when one should not be serving G-d? – yoel Aug 26 '12 at 5:24
@yoel See Mishnah Brurah 1:10. He refers to Torah and tefilah. Obviously, it is impossible to do that all the time (you need to eat, for example). The eating should be for the service of G-d (as the Chayei Adam writes at the beginning of his book), but the obligation to be sad is still involved – b a Aug 26 '12 at 5:38
@yoel No, but you can be quite sure that there are times when we aren't anyway. Also 'being happy while serving God' is not the same as 'serving God with happiness'. – Double AA♦ Aug 26 '12 at 6:09
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up vote 1 down vote

This post differentiates between being happy in general and serving God in happiness. The latter of which seems to be your question. His conclusion (tl;dr) is:

As it appears to me, the Jewish attitude to simcha (happiness) is nuanced. Proper simcha, though not a mitzva, can be desirable / praiseworthy. Other simcha is undesirable, even forbidden. One should beware of overly exalting simcha and making / proclaiming 'simcha' a major thrust of one's Judaism. Let us not forget the classic Rabbinic dictum "Kol hamosif goreia" (whoever adds, actually subtracts). If Hashem did not make something a mitzvah, it is presumed to have been for good reason and we are forbidden to put it in that category.

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