Life is a dream

It is brought down in the Talmud that the interpretation of a dream determines the reality of the dream.  If it is interpreted for good, it will be good.  Rabbi Label Lam says that our lives are life a dream.  If we interpret them for good, they will be good, and if we look at our lives in a negative way, that is the way they will be.

from this Shiur on Torah Anytime:


http://www.torahanytime.com/scripts/media.php?file=media/Rabbi/Label_Lam/2012-01-01/Reaching_Happiness_NOW/Rabbi__Label_Lam__Reaching_Happiness_NOW__2012-01-01.wmv

The secret of happiness-from Rabbi Kirzner

Rabbi Label Lam says that he once heard Rabbi Kirzner say that the secret of happiness is  "expect nothing".    There is an oa saying, "An expectation is a planned resentment".  Rabbi Lam explains that while this might sound negative, it is really very positive.  It is saying that every little thing in your life should make you happy.

from:

http://www.torahanytime.com/scripts/media.php?file=media/Rabbi/Label_Lam/2012-01-01/Reaching_Happiness_NOW/Rabbi__Label_Lam__Reaching_Happiness_NOW__2012-01-01.wmv

“I wish I hadn’t cried so much!” said Alice . . . “I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears!”

Self Pity gets us no where. Simcha is a middah and not a response to an event.

SERVE Hashem with Joy

Rabbi Wachsman points out that we often forget the first part of the Pasuk, to serve Hashem. The true source of joy is in truly serving Hashem properly, and this brings joy.  Many people think that they can sit back waiting for events to bring them joy, but this is a mistake.  When we proactively look for ways to serve Hashem properly, this will bring us joy.

from a Shiur by Rabbi Wachsman on the Chazak line, in the section for Adar.

Struggle For Simcha

When we feel that we’re missing something, we often feel sad. A Jew’s soul naturally thirsts for spirituality. Filling this void with material things only creates a false sense of happiness. We need to ask ourselves, “How much do I enjoy Torah and mitzvot and developing a connection with Hashem?” If we don’t feel a bond with our Creator, then there is no desire to create beauty and joy in the relationship. We need to work on bringing Hashem into our personal lives and infusing our avoda with passion and enthusiasm.  When we have an awareness of where we come from, our achievements and goals, and where we are ultimately headed, then we can begin to understand the purpose of life.

Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles

For a real pick me up listen to:

"HaSimcha Tamid BaLev" - Erez Levanon, HY"D

http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/2007/12/hasimcha-tamid-balev-erez-levanon-hyd.html

This CD suddenly showed up on my mp3, I forgot how much I love this song.  It never fails to make me feel better.  Follow this link, it will let you play the song.

for  more about him go to:
http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/breslev/baal_shem_tov_and_students/a_holy_spark_of_rebbe_nachman.aspx?id=8202&language=english

The Pursuit of Happiness from Rabbi Zev Leff.

In Florida they have dog races where they have dogs running around a track chasing a fake rabbit.  This rabbit is electric and it always runs enough ahead of them to keep them going, but they never catch it because if they did they would realize that it is not a real rabbit, and they never run again.

We are like those dogs, chasing a fake rabbit.  We spend our lives chasing after fake goals and we are never happy.

Real happiness comes from closeness to Hashem.

from a Shiur on Aish.com by Rabbi Zev Leff

Rabbi Leib Kelemen on Sukkas

Sukkas is the next window of opportunity coming up.  The specific mizvah of Sukkas is happiness.  What makes peoplee happy? What is the definition of Simcha?  Simcha is a sign that the person is healthy and everything is functioning properly.  If my body, mind and soul is healthy, I am happy.  What causes simcha is acquisitions. The amount of Simcha you attain from an acquisition depends on how long that acquisition will last,  Spiritual acquisitions last for ever.  But it is hard to see those things.  A person who tries to achieve happiness by buying things is like a princess who marries a peasant and he brings her gifts that are meaningful to him but they are meaningless to to the princess.  Even though it is a mitzva to buy a gift for Yom Tov, the only truly lasting happiness comes from spiritual acquisitions.  Every external gift will eventually be taken away and cause pain, but spiritual gifts last.
You can only internalize Torah when you are truly happy.  When you are happy you are able to internalize Torah and turn it into midos.  In order to grow properly from a Yom Tov, it is necessary to be happy on Yom Tov. Bad things come to us because we are not happy, so we are not able to grow spiritually.  Happiness is a spiritual state of receptiveness of Hashem's goodness.
When you are looking for a Rav, look for someone who is always B'Simcha.

When Hashem is giving us blessing we have to show that we are happy with what he gives us so that he will want to give us more.

from the Shiur:
Sukkos: The Secret of Happiness # KL 546
by Kelemen, Rabbi Leib

Don't infect others with your bad mood.

When you go out in public with a cold you would never dream of coughing and spreading your germs all over.  Your face can cause more damage then your germs.  When you go around in a bad mood with a miserable face, you are spreading that bad mood and infecting others.

from a Shiur on Torah Anytime:

Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis: Teshuvah - Guaranteed Happiness

What is the connection between Bikurim and Simcha?

 When we do things routinely, without any feeling, we do not feel any joy.  Bikurim is clarity, it means that we see something and focus on it.  When a person focuses on what he is doing he has clarity and that brings simcha. 

Without focus a person becomes an empty shell.  He goes through life doing the motion but feeling nothing.  This is a life of tragedy.

We have to give birth to every action that we do, not just let it happen.  This will bring us to live a life of simcha.

from a Shiur by Rabbi Efraim Wachsman, Reflections of Elul

A powerful tool for developing simcha

Saying a Bracha with Kavanah is a powerful tool for developing simcha.  The key to happiness is being happy with what we have.  Many people translate "Samaech B'heilko" as being satisfied with what we have, but that is not the correct translation.  The correct translation is Happy with what we have. If we want to be "rich" we have to be happy with what we have, and the key to that is gratitude.  When we have real kavanah when we say a Bracha we are increasing our gratitude and building up our Simcha.

from a Shiur by Rabbi Pliskin

A little story of Hashgacha Pratis goes with this Devar Torah.  I bought a tape that was supposed to be by Rebbetzin Kalmonovitz, but it was actually a Shiur by Rabbi Pliskin on Simcha.  Hashem really wanted me to hear that tape so he arranged for it to be mislabeled.  I hope that you benefit from it as well.

Real freedom

Real freedom is knowing that Hashem can make me happy with what ever I have.

from the Shiur:
Shelanu: Discovering Your Personal Freedom # BY 678 B
by Berkovits, Rabbi Yitzchak

This is such an amazing Shiur I really recomend it.
http://www.aishaudio.com/search/results.php

Be Happy

Being Happy Doesn't Mean Everything is Perfect
It means you've decided to look BEYOND the imperfections.

This saying from a greeting card summarizes what I have been learning lately so well that I had to post it.

Thinking that will bring you to Simcha.

Simcha is a middah (character trait) that can be developed, it is not a response to events in our life. Fun is not simcha, pleasure is not simcha. Simcha is serenity, it is an attitude towards the outside that comes from trust in Hashem.

If you believe that only Hashem is in charge you will not be afraid of other things. You will know that everything comes from Hashem and other people and things are just agents of Hashem.  Even if you close a door by making a wrong decision, Hashem can open another door and help you go where you want to go.

This way of thinking will bring you to Simcha.


from the  Naaleh Shiur:
Joyful Trust

Teacher: Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller Class: Bitachon: Meaning of Trust

A Definition of Happiness-Rabbi Brody -2

From a Shiur by Rabbi Lazer Brody

"Happiness is knowing my nothingness."

This ties back to the Shiur by Rabbi Berkovitz that the less we need the closer we come to Hashem. The more that we know that we are nothing- and we need nothing-the more that we will come closer to Hashem.

Ahavas Hashem-Enjoying Life Rabbi Berkovitz-3

From the Shiur Living Your Life with Kedusha by Rav Berkowitz on Aish Audio

In order to serve Hashem you have to be happy. The mitzvah of Ahavas Hashem is to develop a love of life, who made it and why. Service of Hashem is enjoying the world he made in a proper way. If when things go wrong you are down, that is interfering with your ahavas Hashem. It is only through working on our middos to the point of getting rid of our addictions that we can really enjoy life, and truly do the mitzvah of ahavas Hashem.

More from "The Thinking Jew's Guide to Life-Happiness" by Rabbi Akiva Tatz

From a Shiur by Rabbi Akiva Tatz, "The Thinking Jew's Guide to Life-Happiness"
from Simple to Remember-

If a person has put a lot of time and energy into working out and has really built himself up physically, he will feel tremendous pride and satifaction with his acomplishments. If you would see him in the gym sweating and struggling, you would feel sorry for him, but he would be feeling happy and acomplished.

Life is about the journey and not the destination. We have to find satisfaction in our struggle and in our acomplishments or we will never get anywhere.

"The Thinking Jew's Guide to Life-Happiness" by Rabbi Akiva Tatz

From a Shiur by Rabbi Akiva Tatz, "The Thinking Jew's Guide to Life-Happiness"

from Simple to Remember- a must listen to shiur!

If you go through any list of the 613 mitzvahs you will not find the mitzvah of being happy.

Why does Rebbe Nachman say that it is a great mitzvah to be happy ALWAYS?

How can you be happy during mourning? How can you be happy with all of the problems in today's world?

For most people in Western Culture their goal in life is happiness.

For Jews happiness is a means to an end.

Happiness is the experience of the soul to be doing what it should be doing. When you are doing what you are supposed to be doing - you will be happy. The inner experience of the soul when it achieves its goal is true happiness. Growth always takes place against resistance.

Real sadness is not knowing what road you should be on. If you are walking along the right road and your neshamah knows it is the right road you will be happy.

Evdu Et Hashme B'Simcha means Serve Hashem with Happiness.

What is happiness?

From "For Today" Dec 1

All that is required to feel that here and now is happiness is a simple frugal heart. Nikos kazantzakis

Who is rich, he that is happy with what he has. Pirke Avos

Depression means climbing into bed with a bar of chocolate

From a Shiur by Rebbetzin Heller

Depression means climbing into bed with a bar of chocolate.

Bitterness is like drinking some tea that someone put in salt instead of sugar, you would spit it out.

When you face problems that bother you, use the tool of bitterness and not the tool of chocolate(I mean depression).