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The Mishna (Taanis 4,8) tells us that Yom Kippur is a Yom Simcha; it's one of the happiest days of the year.  Why?  The Gemara there (Daf 30) offers two reasons.  One, it is Yom Matan Torah; Yom Kippur is the day on which Moshe brought down the Second Luchos, the Luchos which Am Yisrael received and retained.  Moshe was on Har Sinai for three sets of 40 days. The third one began on Rosh Chodesh Elul and lasted until Yom Kippur.  At that point, Hashem forgave Am Yisrael completely and gave Moshe the Second Luchos to bring down to Am Yisrael.  So we are happy that we finally received the Torah, the Luchos. 

The Gemara gives a second reason as well.  Yom Kippur is a day of Simcha because it is a day of Slicha and Mechila, a day that we are forgiven for our Aveiros in front of Hashem.  What exactly is the nature of this Simcha of forgiveness from Aveiros on Yom Kippur?

Rav Soloveitchik zt”l once developed the following idea[i].  We find something striking in the Chumash regarding Simcha. Whenever the Torah mentions a chiyuv of Simcha, one finds the phrase ‘Lifnei Hashem’ either just before or just afterwards.  Eight times in the Chumash we find Simcha mentioned in juxtaposition to ’Lifnei Hashem’[ii].  The Rav explained that the Torah here is teaching us a basic yesod in Jewish Hashkafah. True Simcha in Yahadus means feeling that one is in the presence of Hashem or actually being in the presence of Hashem.  Being close to Hashem generates Simcha, while being far from Hashem brings Aveilus.         

The Rav pointed out that the Navi[iii] tells us that Aveiros act as separations between us and Hashem. A person filled with Aveiros can not achieve this authentic, complete Simcha.  Therefore, on Yom Kippur when we achieve forgiveness for our Aveiros with the proper Teshuvah and Tefillah, we are then able to achieve Simcha.  This is the nature of the Simcha on Yom Kippur, the Simcha of being Lifnei Hashem[iv]. 

All of us should be Zocheh this Yom Kippur to achieve this closeness to Hashem and experience the ultimate Simcha of Yom Kippur.

[i]See Shiurim l’Zecher Abba Mori z”l Vol. 1 pp.64-68, and Nefesh Harav pp. 314-315.
[ii]See Vayikra 23,40 and Devarim 12,7; 12,12; 12,18; 14,26; 16,11; 26,11; 27,7. (Devarim 16,14 seems to be an exception to this pattern.)
[iii]Isiah 59,2
[iv]The Rav further pointed out that after Cheit Ha'egel  (Shmos 33,4) and after Chet Hameraglim (Bamidbar 14,39) the Torah uses the term "Vayisabalu", and they were in mourning, in reference to Am Yisrael.  Why does the Torah use that particular wording?  The Rav explained that Aveilus refers to a time when someone has lost something special, someone dear to him.  Am Yisrael was in Aveilus after these Chataim over the loss of this closeness to Hashem, this "Lifnei Hashem".  This reflects the idea that Simcha in Yahadus means "Lifnei Hashem" and the opposite of Simcha, Aveilus, reflects being far from Hashem, having lost that closeness.