Today is the birthday and Yahrzeit of Asher Ben Yaakov. Asher (אשר) is spelled for an Aleph. The root of this word means Happiness. Aleph and Ayin can be interchanged. Aleph represents higher spirituality in the upper worlds whereas Ayin is usually representative of the lower world.
When Adam Rishon sinned he fell from spiritual to physical. His shining countenance of light (אור) changed into skin (עור), and that is when Adam and Chava realized that they were naked.
Asher lived in the territory where olive oil was produced for the Beit haMikdash. That is also why he is identified by the olive tree. Gold-rich oil represents wealth and prosperity (עושר).
When we wish someone well we usually wish that Hashem will bless them with Osher v'Osher (אושר ועושר).
There is a lesson to be learned here. Asher, who represents joy, was also blessed with wealth and prosperity. We know that the Shchina cannot dwell where there is sadness and depression. We also know that proper prophecy (not that which some people claim today to have), only came to those who were in deep spiritual joy. This is the reason why Yonah received prophecy. He received it during Sukkot's water libation ceremony. The sages teach us that you have not seen or experienced joy in your life if you have not seen the water libation festivities at the Beit haMikdash during Sukkot. That is also why we call it 'Zman simchateinu", the time of our joy.
Asher (אשר) joy always precedes Osher (עושר), wealth and prosperity. When we truly seek that inner and deep spiritual joy, that is when we see the shefa (abundant provisional flow from heaven) flow into our lives - drawing from the higher spiritual realms into our manifest reality.
Shvat brings already a shift in energy. Growth and Transformation. The trees are getting ready to bear the next season's fruit. From Tu b'shvat (15 Shvat), which is the New Year for trees, to Purim (15 Adar) we see this energy taking us to the time when our joy increases. Then the next month (on the 15th of Nissan), we see Am Israel delivered, leaving Egypt with great riches.
It's time that we seriously start working on our joy. Not looking outside to an ever-deteriorating world, but inside and upwards, where constant goodness and truth abide and abound.
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