Don't Worry. Be Happy.

[onionsoupmix]

 There are so many elements of Judaism that are designed to make us happier people. All of davening is supposed to teach us gratitude and bitachon.  Every bracha is supposed to teach appreciation for what we have. So many holidays are dedicated to remembering the good things that God has done for us and continues to do for us. There is even a

Comments

[anonymous]

I used to be religious and the stress was tremendous. I am much happier now. Not to be worried about every little thing like did I use my fleshik knife in the hummus and now won't be able to eat hummus with my breakfast. All of these rules kept irritating me all the time

[hamaskil]

100% agree. Just imagine you don't have to worry about working late on Friday and finding an excuse to ask your boss to leave early every week. Imagine not been afraid to get stuck on a busy highway 18 minutes before Shabbes. Imagine what happens when you forgot to turn off light in the refrigerator. Imagine, has veshalom, fire on Shabbes !

Imagine not having to pay $$$ to greedy jewish school which has more ways to squeeze money from you than the IRS. Imagine not having to search for "kosher" falafel when hundreds of cheaper and higher quality restaurants are available in a few steps. Imagine been able to forget bdikos and ksomim and the joy of getting a questionable kesem at the night of tviloh...

[onionsoupmix]

I had lots of crazy mivkah stories, but never a kesem on tevilah night. That's bad.

[hamaskil]

There is enough of them on imamoron :) Especially when it happens several times in a row.

[hamaskil]

In order to feel yourself really happy, follow these steps:

1) Bring a live goat into your home.
2) Keep it in your kitchen, feed it, remove the leftovers etc.
3) Do it for 7 days.
4) Remove the goat.
5) Check how do you feel ? :) I guarantee it will cure you of any depression or anxiety.

[onionsoupmix]

I love that story!

Sounds familiar. ב‘ ’ה

[24816]

By any chance are you related to antimatter (не к ночи будь помянут)?

Sounds familiar. ב‘ ’ה

[hamaskil]

By any chance are you related to a certain lady ( не к ночи будь помянута ) from a certain city in a certain state which recently had its sales tax increased to 6.25% ?

[onionsoupmix]

Do you wish you believed now? Do you miss that help?
Sometimes I also feel this way.

[hamaskil]

Religion is the opium of the people. Some say it feels actually not that bad ;-)

[sethg_prime]

I will admit to being an arch-misnagid. I don't say brachos because it makes me happy; I say brachos because Hashem commanded me to follow Chazal's commandments to say brachos.

If I found myself struggling with anxiety or depression, unless the feelings were specifically connected to my Jewish ritual life, I would seek a therapist rather than a rabbi. Partly this is because I assume that davening won't do much for my neurotransmitter levels, and partly it's because I haven't built up a relationship with any rabbi far enough that I would feel comfortable discussing really sticky emotional issues.

Davening probably would stress me out due to the time investment, if it weren't for the fact that I daven at home and do little more than the shma` and amidah.

[onionsoupmix]

So on Rosh Hashanah and all those holidays for which we praise God for endless hours on endless pages saying the same things, over and over again, what reason do you do it for? Also b/c chazal said so?

[sethg_prime]

Well, if I could fulfill chazal's commandments and get a nice spiritual and/or emotional lift, that would be even better. Some day I hope I'll be able to do that.

Shalmo

[anonymous]

This post more or less confirms my so-called "ad hominem" description of you lol