Hello and welcome to “Battle Thursday’s,” the day in which we gain the tools to fight our Yetzer Hara (evil inclination). Since today is Rosh Chodesh Adar, and we must increase our joy, today I will give you a formula for happiness.
The Orchos Tzadikim (ch 9) states the following formula for happiness: “If a person obtains all that he desires and nothing causing him sadness befalls him, he will constantly be happy. His face will shine, he will be physically healthy, and be slow to show the signs of old age.”
When we first read this passage it would seem to describe an unreachable utopian state, but if we look closely we can have an insight on how to obtain happiness. Number one: we must refrain from desiring what is beyond our reach. The simpler your desires, the greater the chance to achieve them. Anything extra you obtain beyond these demands will give you enormous happiness, so you have nothing to loose and much to gain by lowering your demands and expectations.
This doesn’t mean that in life you shouldn’t give all you’ve got and be the best you, what it means is that the desires are not out of control.
Number two: do not allow day to day occurrences to bring you down. The Yetzer Hara is very shrewd in getting into our heads and making daily nuances into catastrophes. Keep perspective, what won’t matter in the future is not worth suffering for.
Some excerpts from “Gateway to Happiness” by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin *highly recommended book *
#roshchodesh #adar #joy
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