NCSY YK: Happiness

(8) I am ever mindful of the LORD’s presence; He is at my right hand; I shall never be shaken.(9) So my heart rejoices, my whole being exults, and my body rests secure.

(11) You will teach me the path of life.
In Your presence is perfect joy;
delights are ever in Your right hand.

On the topic of proper preparation for prayer, the Sages taught: One may neither stand to pray from an atmosphere of sorrow nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of conversation, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of purposeless matters. Rather, one should approach prayer from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva.

(1) A psalm for praise. Raise a shout for the LORD, all the earth;(2) worship the LORD in gladness; come into His presence with shouts of joy.

(8) The teaching of the LORD is perfect, renewing life; the decrees of the LORD are enduring, making the simple wise;(9) The precepts of the LORD are just, rejoicing the heart; the instruction of the LORD is lucid, making the eyes light up.

(15) Happy the people who have it so;
happy the people whose God is the LORD.

(1) Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of sinners, or joined the company of the insolent;(2) rather, the teaching of the LORD is his delight, and he studies that teaching day and night.

(1) [The author] is coming to explain the conditions on account of which a person will be a "Happy Person." There is a difference between a "Happy Person" and a "Successful Person": "Success" applies to worldly matters, [enjoyed] in life in this World; "Happiness" is in spiritual matters, [enjoyed] in the World to Come... The "Happiness of Man" is the fulfillment of refined character and spiritual qualities which can only be found achieved by man. The Psalmist explains that Man's happiness depends primarily on his being careful not to sin.

(11) You shall rejoice before your God ה׳ with your son and daughter, your male and female slave, the [family of the] Levite in your communities, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your midst, at the place where your God ה׳ will choose to establish the divine name.

(1) לוי גר יתום ואלמנה THE LEVITE THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, THE WIDOW — these four are Mine, corresponding to four that are yours, viz., בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך THY SON, THY DAUGHTER, THY MAN-SERVANT AND THY MAID-SERVANT; if you gladden Mine, I will gladden yours (Midrash Tanchuma, Re'eh 18).

In the meantime, two brothers came to the marketplace. Elijah said to Rabbi Beroka: These two also have a share in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Beroka went over to the men and said to them: What is your occupation? They said to him: We are jesters, and we cheer up the depressed. Alternatively, when we see two people who have a quarrel between them, we strive to make peace. It is said that for this behavior one enjoys the profits of his actions in this world, and yet his reward is not diminished in the World-to-Come.

(5) They who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy.(6) Though he goes along weeping, carrying the seed-bag, he shall come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.

(5) O you faithful of the LORD, sing to Him,
and praise His holy name.(6) For He is angry but a moment,
and when He is pleased there is life.
One may lie down weeping at nightfall;^-b
but at dawn there are shouts of joy.

(1) It is a great mitzvah to always be happy, and to make every effort to determinedly keep depression and gloom at bay.

(1)2. The rule is that a person has to be very determined and put all his strength into being nothing but happy at all times. For human nature is to draw itself to gloom and depression on account of life’s vicissitudes and misfortunes. And every human being is filled with suffering. Therefore, a person has to exercise great effort in forcing himself to be happy at all times, and to bring himself to joy in any way he can—even with silliness.
(2) And though contrition, too, is very good, nevertheless, that is only for a brief period. It is right to set aside for oneself some time in the day for feeling remorse and speaking one’s piece in the presence of the Blessed One, as is brought in our works. But the entire [rest] of the day one needs to be happy. For contrition more easily leads to depression, than erring through joy, God forbid, leads to some sort of frivolity, God forbid. For this is the more likely: that contrition will lead to gloom.
(3) One should therefore always be happy, and only at the designated time have a broken heart.

(1) Hallelujah. Happy is the man who fears the LORD, who is ardently devoted to His commandments.

(5) You shall love your God ה׳ with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

(1) ואהבת, you will then enjoy doing things which are pleasing to Him when you understand that there is nothing in this world which is more worth doing.