Aristotle: Happiness is the ultimate goal at which all humans aim.
Anne Frank: We all live with the objective of being happy: our lives are all different and yet the same.
David Hume: (British philosopher): The great end of all human industry is the attainment of happiness. For this were arts invented, sciences cultivated, laws ordained, and societies modelled."
Tal Shachar: Wealth, fame, admiration and all other goals are subordinate and secondary to happiness; whether are desires are material or social, they are means towards one end: happiness.
(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר: אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.
(1) Ben Zoma said:Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: “From all who taught me have I gained understanding” (Psalms 119:99). Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination, as it is said: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2) “You shall be happy” in this world, “and you shall prosper” in the world to come. Who is he that is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings as it is said: “For I honor those that honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored” (I Samuel 2:30).
come into His presence with shouts of joy.
מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר לְהַרְחִיק הָעַצְבוּת וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחֹרָה בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ.
You thank Him in mind and word, and if your joy leads you so far as to sing and dance, it becomes worship and a bond of union between you and the Divine Influence. Our Torah does not consider these matters optional; it lays down decisive injunctions concerning them…
תנו רבנן אין עומדין להתפלל לא מתוך עצבות ולא מתוך עצלות ולא מתוך שחוק ולא מתוך שיחה ולא מתוך קלות ראש ולא מתוך דברים בטלים אלא מתוך שמחה של מצוה.
One who learns with joy can learn more in one hour than what he can learn in many hours when he is sad. Also, the Torah is the plaything of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and one must be joyous about such a great thing.
(ב) ב. מֵחֲמַת שִׂמְחָה נִפְתָּח הַלֵּב.
(כא) כא. עַל יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה תְּפִיסַת הַמּחַ נִתְגַּדֵּל.
The Baal Shem Tov:
The ability to be joyous, by discerning the good and joyous within every experience, is considered by chassidim as a biblical command!
Rebbe Nachman Says (153):
G-d refuses to send messages to a sad person. G-d is ready to let you know what to do, but if you walk around with a long face, G-d is not interested in talking to you.
But if you are filled with joy, G-d lets you know what to do.”
Rebbe Nachman Says (90):
Every light needs a vessel.
God’s great light in order to shine into us needs a vessel.
The name of that vessel is joy. There is no other vessel.
You can only overcome the challenges of life, when you are happy.
You can’t live without Simcha. You can exist, but you can’t live.
You can’t serve Hashem without Simcha.
You need to grab on to joy like your life depended on it.
(ב) והנה מה שהורונו חכמינו זכרונם לברכה הוא, שהאדם לא נברא אלא להתענג על ה' ולהנות מזיו שכינתו שזהו התענוג האמיתי והעידון הגדול מכל העידונים שיכולים להמצא. ומקום העידון הזה באמת הוא העולם הבא, כי הוא הנברא בהכנה המצטרכת לדבר הזה.
(2) Behold, what our sages, of blessed memory, have taught us is that man was created solely to delight in G-d and to derive pleasure in the radiance of the Shechina (divine presence). For this is the true delight and the greatest pleasure that can possibly exist. The place of this pleasure is, in truth, in Olam Haba (the World to Come). For it was created expressly for this purpose.