#1 Torah Speaker Rabbi Yissoschar Frand shlita (yes, if he had a tv show it’d be titled Everyone Loves Yissoschar) paid a visit tonight to a standing room only crowd at the West Side Kollel. His topic: Happiness. Here are the abridged takeways for those of you who couldn’t bang this one out:
- “Happiness” (simcha) should NOT be defined as ”Fun” or “Pleasure”. “Happiness” is NOT defined as the state of “bliss”
- Maharal #1: real Happiness is doing anything that touches your soul
- Rambam: Pesach seder is just a Simchat Stomach if you don’t make it an act that touches your soul (e.g., inviting othere less fortunate to your table)
Marahal #2: true Happiness is having a true sense of Shlaymus (completeness) (Jerry Maguire Style)
Rabbi Frand’s suggestions for happiness:
- Connecting yourself to Hashem in any way
- Concentrate on what you have – don’t take anything for granted – and be grateful
- Grateful people are happy people
- Ungrateful people are unhappy people
- High Expectations lead one to be ungrateful which leads to unhappiness
Declaration of Independence this Pesach really should be: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of shlaymus” – feeling of completeness, which leads to gratefulness for everything – which leads to happiness.
