Suffering is not the Torah Way

Torah Reading: Be'halot'cha

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Rabbi Simcha Zissel of Kelm (19th century Europe) wrote: "Some people mistakenly think that to follow the path of the Torah one must reject everything worldly. They are under the misconception that one must live a life of suffering and deprivation, and be submissive to others. This is not the Torah's path which is referred to as "a tree of life" (Proverbs 3:18). The verse (Proverbs 3:17) tells us: "Her ways are ways of pleasantness." The Torah's path is a path of joy, as it says (Proverbs 15:15): "The person with a good heart (Torah ideals) has a continual feast."

If someone is living what appears to be a Torah way of life and is not experiencing a path of joy, there is something wrong with that person's attitude.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone in the world would live a life of joy? Remember: By increasing your personal level of joy today, the total level of joy in the world will be increased!

(see Chochmah Umussar, vol.2, p.190; cited in Gateway to Happiness, p.24)

See more Daily Lifts on the topic of Pleasure

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About the Author

Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin is a noted psychologist and prolific author of 24 books, including Guard Your Tongue, Gateway to Happiness, Gateway to Self Knowledge, Love Your Neighbor, Growth Through Torah, The Power of Words, Consulting the Wise, and the recent Life is Now. Rabbi Pliskin lives in Jerusalem, and is the director of Aish HaTorah's Counseling Center and a senior lecturer at Aish's Essentials program and the Executive Learning Center. He was ordained at the Telshe Yeshiva in Ohio and holds a degree in Counseling Psychology.