A person thinks – when I have enough pleasures or possessions I will be happy. Is that the right formula? Apparently not. We see the wealthy with yachts, cars and travel – they seem happy – but scratch a little deeper and you will find many are not.

There must be a formula. Hash-m – just like a human parent – wants his children to be happy.

The Secret Formula

The formula above is partially correct. We have to add something to this equation – the soul. People think only of the body. But we are composed of a body and a soul. Just like the body has pleasures – the soul also has pleasures it seeks. In reality, we are more a soul than a body. Our essence is our soul.

So if our bodily pleasures and attitudes are in sync with our soul pleasures – we will be happy. If they are not in sync with our soul pleasures it will make the soul sad – and thus following bodily pleasures (that are against the soul’s pleasures) may have the reverse effect on happiness and the emotional state of a person than not doing so.

So what is the real equation for happiness – following pleasures and attitudes that give the soul pleasure will make you happy. People who hate are not happy. People who steal are not happy. People who do good deeds that correspond to what Hash-m wrote in the Torah – give a person happiness. This includes mitzvahs, such as lighting Shabbat candles, keeping kosher, saying food blessings, reciting morning blessings, the Shema Yisrael, praying to Hashem, performing good deeds, learning Torah, helping others, and advancing the cause of authentic Torah Judaism.

That is the secret – that our deeds and attitudes have to correspond to what it says in the Torah for us to be happy. I say this not from just Torah sources (which was given to Moshe by G-d before millions of witnesses on Mount Sinai) but from experience. I have followed both types of pleasures – those that are in sync with the soul’s pleasures and unfortunately those that are not. I learned from the school of knocks.

So want to know if your attitude is in sync with Torah – go ask your local Orthodox rabbi. Jews follow the 613 commandments – as stated in the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law by rabbi Yosef Caro) and non-Jews follow the Seven Noahide laws from the Torah. Start learning about them and you are taking a step in the right direction to becoming a happier person.