Welcome to Embrace Shabbat.
In his sefer Yafei LaLev, Rav Chaim Palagi cites a set of pesukim from Parshat Beha'alotcha (Bamidbar 10:9-10):
וְכִֽי־תָבֹ֨אוּ מִלְחָמָ֜ה בְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם עַל־הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹ֑ת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶֽם
When you will be at war in your land against the enemy, you shall blow short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before Hashem, your G-d, and saved from your enemies.
This is one instance when the shofar is blown. The Torah continues:
וּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֥ם וּֽבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֮ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חׇדְשֵׁיכֶם֒* וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת … וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃-
And on the days of your happiness- your holidays and Rosh Chodesh- you shall blow on your trumpets…and they shall be a reminder of you before Hashem. I am your G-d.
The Abudraham teaches that Shabbat is also called yemei simcha. The Rabbis argue whether a person should eat meat on Shabbat, as on a holiday. The Abudraham holds that Shabbat is a day of simcha, and as such, a person should eat meat!
Further, the Shulchan Aruch teaches that both men and women must have a lit candle in their homes on Shabbat. The Rosh explains that where there is light, there is happiness, as it says, ליהודים הייתה אורה ושמחה, for the Jewish people there was light and happiness. The purpose of having candles lit in our homes is to foster a feeling of happiness on Shabbat, a time of simcha.
He explains further that the simcha of Shabbat is what brings the Jewish people freedom and clarity. This is why Shabbat is connected to the passuk about being saved from the war against our enemies; on the yom simcha, Shabbat, we will be saved from our enemies and merit freedom because of our happiness. This can refer to physical enemies, but also any negative forces. There is nothing to be afraid of when a person taps into the power of happiness on Shabbat.
Similarly, when Rosh Hashana falls out on Shabbat, the Shofar is not blown. Shabbat serves as the “Shofar.” וביום שמחתכם- it has the same power to help the Jewish people overcome their enemies.
By appreciating Shabbat, a person comes to feel a deep sense of happiness. That simcha itself is a way of respecting Shabbat! By refraining from sharing any sadness or worry, and by celebrating through eating, drinking, and wearing special clothing, a person shows that Shabbat is special to them! It is the day where we testify to G-d’s Oneness as the Creator. We testify that G-d is the One that gave us the Torah and will eventually bring Mashiach. It is a great day for the Jewish people, and we show it by expressing our happiness.
This can only be accomplished when a person contemplates the meaning of the day. A person must actively think about and appreciate that Shabbat is a time to be happy, and then we will merit true simcha on Shabbat.
Have a Shabbat Shalom.