Findind happiness during these difficult times My Yom Kippur sermon

Nowadays we have a lot of worries, some economic, some physical, and some spiritual. On top of that we worry about Israel, and the threat of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in our midst.

I believe despite all our worries we can still find happiness. I read somewhere we should try to make someone happy each day of our lives, even if it means leaving him alone.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is quoted as saying: “I read where a wife plans to divorce her husband as soon as she can find a way to do so without making him happy.”

Is there anybody in this world during these difficult times who is truly happy?

There was a Peanuts cartoon years ago in which Lucy asked Charlie Brown if he had ever known anybody was really happy. Before she could finish her sentence; however, Snoopy came dancing on tiptoe into the frame, his nose high in the air. He danced and bounced his way across two frames of the cartoon strip.

Finally the last frame, Lucy finished her sentence, “Have you ever known anybody who was really happy and still in his right mind?”

Do you know anybody who is truly happy?

We certainly know many unhappy people. In the United States 133 people commit suicide every day and another 6000 attempt it. That means about 2.2 million people every year are unhappy enough to put an end to the very existence. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young and young adults ages 15-34. Adults aged 75 and older face (thank God I’m only 74 ½ years old) some of the highest suicide rates of any age group in the United States.

Why is happiness so elusive?

Our Bible has plenty to teach us on the subject of happiness. We shall read from the book of Kohelet on Shemini Atzeret this year. According to our tradition King Solomon who wrote it learned a valuable lesson while seeking happiness.

At first, he sought happiness in material possessions as he states: “I multiplied my possessions, I built myself houses and vineyards. I laid out gardens and groves, in which I planted every kind of fruit trees.”

Nevertheless, he ended up no happier than before. He realized that all this was “הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ: -futile under the sun and the pursuit of the wind; there was no real value under the sun.” (2:11) Kohelet learned that happiness doesn’t consist in the pursuit of material things.

Happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you own. Money in the bank doesn’t guarantee happiness. If it did, all the characters in soap operas should be the happiest people in the world.

A noted theologian says the reason why so many people never find happiness is because they don’t know where to look for it. Too many people make the mistake of seeking one more material thing, one more pay raise, one more promotion, one more problem solved, one more handicap overcome. “If I had only that,” they would say “I would be happy. Too late they learned that happiness doesn’t come from the outside but from within.

We should also know that happiness isn't synonymous with the avoidance of pain.

Most of us do everything in our power to go through life avoiding any situation that’s potentially uncomfortable or unpleasant. Many wives won’t stand up to an overbearing and even abusive husband because they don’t want to rock the boat. Many people fail in business because they can’t pick up the phone and straighten out a bad situation. Many people don’t come to shul for fear of appearing foolish or incompetent.

Yet, we’re still not happy for happiness is neither found in the pursuit of pleasure nor in the avoidance of pain.

Nu, so where is happiness found? First of all happiness is found in purposeful living.

George Burns expounded this aspect of happiness in his book Dr. George Burns Rx for Happiness. “If you were to go around asking people what will make them happier, you’d get answers like a new car, a bigger house, a raise in pay, winning the lottery, a face lift, more kids, less kids, a new restaurant to go to-probably not one in 100 was a chance to help people. And yet that may bring the most happiness of all.

“I don’t know Dr. Jonas Salk, but after what he’s done for us with his polio vaccine, if he isn’t happy he should have that brilliant head of his examined. Of course, not everybody can do what he did.

“But the point is, it doesn’t have to be anything that extraordinary. It can be working for a worthy cause, performing some needed service, or just doing something that helps another person.”

“The sense of uselessness,” said Thomas Huxley, “is the severest shock which our system can sustain.” Conversely, when we have a great purpose to live for, a purpose that is high and noble, our whole being is enhanced. Success can corrupt, usefulness can only exult. Happiness is given ourselves to a higher and noble purpose.

Secondly, George Burns also teaches us to find happiness by being people oriented. You won’t find happiness sitting alone in your house. Move out of your comfort zone and join our community by coming to shul for our services, learning opportunities, or social opportunities. Or volunteer at a hospital or any other great tzedakah opportunity. Or join any social group like a bridge club.

In the last place, happiness is to be found in a right relationship with God. In his later years, King Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord.”

Many years ago a little boy was given a priceless procession, his zayde’s gold pocket watch. How he treasured it. But one day while playing at his father’s ice plant, he lost the watch amid all the ice and sawdust. He searched and searched but no watch. Then suddenly he realized what to do. He stopped scurrying around and became very still. In the silence, he heard the watch ticking.

Just like that zedyde, God has given each one of us a priceless gift of joy by observing the mitzvot found in our Torah. We easily lose our joy in the scurrying around in our lives. Yet we can always find it when we pause and pay attention as the Torah says in last week’s Torah portion, “כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ-but the word of God is very close unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may observe it.” (Dt. 30:14) 

We who are in the synagogue on this Yom Kippur have much to be happy for.

Menachem Mendel the Vitebsker taught:

1.  Rejoice that you have an opportunity to sing unto God.

2.  Rejoice that you are a Jew.

3.  Rejoice that you’re able to pray, to study, and to perform God’s will.

4.  Rejoice before the endlessness of God, the highest saint and the lowest commoner are equal.

5.  Be content with your achievements in affairs of the spirit as well as your early status.

6.  Don’t doubt yourself, but enjoy the light of God.This year 5787 you’ll be able to find happiness by giving yourself over to a high and noble purpose, by being people oriented, and having a right relationship with the Holy One Blessed be He.