Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Daf Yomi - Taanis 22 - HAPPINESS BREEDS HAPPINESS

The Gemora concludes the story with Rav Broka and Eliyahu HaNavi that while they were talking, two brothers passed by. "They also," Eliyahu HaNavi whispered to Rav Broka, "are worthy of the world to come."

"What do you do?" Rav Broka asked them.

"We are happy, and we make others happy," they answered. "If we see someone sad, we make a special effort to cheer him up. Also, if we see people fighting, we make a special effort to make peace between them."

A question is asked: Why was it necessary for them to say “We are happy”? Would it not have been sufficient for them to say that they make others happy?

The Yalkut Meam Loez learns from here, that if one wants to make others happy, he himself must be happy. If they were sad people, then even if they would want to make others happy, they would not be able to.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rabbi Price on Happiness

Neveh