Yet, in the description as it appears in the Torah, there is no mention of joy, only fear.

And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so, they stood from afar.

They said to Moshe, "You speak with us, and we will hear, but let God not speak with us lest we die."

But Moshe said to the people, "Fear not, for God has come in order to exalt you, and in order that His awe shall be upon your faces, so that you shall not sin."(Shemos 20 15)

Where is the joy?

The Talmud teaches that one who brings joy to a groom, promoting the five voices associated with marriage —“The קול ששון — voice of joy and קול שמחה —the voice of gladness, the קול חתן — voice of the groom וקול כלה — and the voice of the bride, וקול — and the וקול — voice of those who say: Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His mercy lasts forever, will be rewarded the privilege to acquire the Torah, which was given with five voices, as it is stated: “And it was on the third day, when it was morning, there were— קולות sounds [pl.], and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the קול — voice of the shofar… And when the קול — voice of the shofar grew louder and louder, Moshe spoke, and G-d answered him by a קול — voice”. (Shemos 19:16, 19) (ברכות ו:)

What connection is there between making a groom happy and meriting to acquire the Torah?

At Mount Sinai, the Torah describes how, Moshe brought forth the people from the camp toward G-d. Rashi explains that this verse depicts the Divine Presence and the Children of Israel as a Chosson and Kallah, a bridegroom coming toward his bride to greet her. (רש"י שמות יט יז בשם המכילתא)

Rav Samson ben Zadok, the devoted disciple of the famed 13th century rabbinic figure and Tosafist, Rav Meir of Rottenberg, (the Maharam), in his seminal work, Tashbatz, records in the name of his famed teacher that many of the traditions associated with the marriage ceremony are patterned on the marriage between G-d and His nation at Mount Sinai. The etching of G-d’s words onto the Two Tablets is reminiscent of the Kesuba, the marriage contract. The ten men required to attend the blessings under the canopy correspond to the Ten Commandments. The candles remind us of the lightning and fire that was present during the revelation at Sinai. The very expression a groom says to his bride: הרי את מקודשת לי (בטבעת זו) כדת משה וישראל — Behold you are consecrated unto me (with this ring) in accordance with the law of Moshe and [the People of] Israel, accentuates this parallel between the union of every Jewish couple and our nation’s ‘marriage’ to G-d at Mount Sinai. (תשב"ץ אות תסד-תסה)

We recite under the Chuppah a blessing that G-d 'shall gladden the beloved companions כשמחך יצירך — as You gladdened Your creature in the Garden of Eden from aforetime.'

Although we allude to the great joy of the first marriage in history, yet, here too in the verse there is no mention of joy.

Clearly there is a correlation between the revelation at Mount Sinai and a Jewish wedding. They both somehow epitomize joy.

The Arizal points out how embedded in the verse ישמחו השמים — Glad will be the earth, ותגל הארץ — and rejoice will the earth, is the word בצלמו — in His image — the last letters of these four words. The first letters of these same words spell out י-ה-ו-ה — the Name of G-d.

Joy stems from a world totally in sync with G-d's will. The heavens provide rain while the earth gives forth its bounty, when Man lives up to his role of being formed in His image — emulating G-d's traits in every fiber of his being.

When the Snake infiltrated into the relationship between Adam and Chava, violating her, the Talmud terms it as his infusing her with זוהמא — filth. This represents polluting the purity of her soul which would manifest itself in her descendants' struggles to clarify their souls. It was only after enduring the 'iron furnace' of enslavement in Egypt and finally reaching Mount Sinai to receive the Torah thatפסקה זוהמתן— they rid themselves of the scum, restoring their souls to its former state of purity as in Gan Eden.

There are three traits inherent in the descendants of the patriarchs.

We are רחמנים — compassionate — the trait of the caring father and sensitive husband, Yaakov. We are ביישנים — naturally reticent — the quality of the introverted Yitzchok. We are גומלי חסדים — bestowers of kindness — the attribute of the benevolent Avraham.

The very first encounter on Mount Sinai, is when G-d appears to Moshe in a low-lying 'Burning Bush', representing G-d's empathy expressing "With him am I in distress", and reflected in the loyal and compassionate shepherd of his people, Moshe.

When the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai the Torah states in the singular, ויחן העם — And 'he' — the nation encamped, indicating their all being כאיש אחד בלב אחד — As one man of one heart, exhibiting remarkable patience and kindness to one another.

The awe they all experienced at the fiery and thundering revelation, G-d assures them is merely a reiteration of their inherited reticence, a quality that reveals thoughtful and contemplated reaction, as their great ancestor revealed in his quiet acquiescence at the Akeidah and in all his calm responses to all the challenges he faced that would have prodded others to anger and resentment.

His awe shall be upon your faces, so that you shall not sin.

This radiance on their faces, the Talmud informs, is the quality of 'בושה' — hesitance, representing an awareness that our role in life is to never allow impulse to define us, but rather our ability to choose contemplatively, filtering out our personal interests, only acting out of duty to fulfill 'His' will, not ours.

Joy develops from living with a defined purpose. Happiness is the product of being healthily connected to others, absent of jealousy, being secure in one's own identity. Satisfaction with life develops when one realizes I am here to help others, and not reliant on others, only on G-d's beneficence.

These are godly qualities that reflect off our 'faces', as we proudly bear the image of G-d etched upon us.

These qualities are what creates a healthy and happy marriage. It is reminiscent of the ebullience of Adam and Chava being placed so purposely in Gan Eden — pure joy.

It repeated itself once again when we stood with absolute clarity in the awe-inspired presence of G-d, that thrilled us with privilege to serve as his emissaries.

הדברים שמחים כנתינתם מסיני — the matter is as joyous as during the giving of the Torah!       

באהבה,

צבי יהודה טייכמאן