Biblical Happiness

So my Rabbi friend Yossi puts on adult ed classes sponsored by the Chabad Home Office, and Wifey and I decided to take one together. Dr. Barry and I took one on Bioethics last year, and we both enjoyed it. This one is about happiness. Wifey jokes that I, eternally happy, due mostly to my Mom's genes, could teach the PhD level... Anyway, we met for dinner at Wagon's West, and then headed to Chabad, on SW 112th Street. My partner Paul and I gave the rabbi an interest free loan to buy the property back in 2000, and it's great to see how the center has grown and prospered over the years. Now they have a bustling Hebrew School, as well as countless programs which draw folks from all over South Miami Dade. Whenever I walk inside, I pass the mezuzah Paul and I helped nail to the doorpost, and I smile a bit... The class mixes mainstream psychology with Jewish tradition. It turns out that, according to Chasidic tradition, one MUST be joyful to properly connect with God. God mirrors the happiness of His people, we were taught. Also, true happiness comes from having neither a low self image nor arrogance. Rather, a balance must be struck between the two...and that leads to true humility. We discussed how when one is truly in a "zone" of serving others, we forget about ourselves. When we lose the self consciousness, that leads to happiness... Wifey really enjoyed the class -- scribbling notes on the handouts like the A student she is. In the parking lot, Wifey told me excitedly she had bought me a gift, and produced a nice Canes shirt. She proudly told me it cost $2.50 at the Goodwill Store. It seems that well off women like Wifey and her friends enjoy finding things there -- buying dresses that cost $500 in Nordstrom for $10.50 on the rack at Goodwill. I begged off. Something creeps me out about wearing used clothes, even if they're "like new." I have no problem buying stuff at discount stores, but I want to be the first person to wear stuff. Maybe I always see visions of my grandparents as immigrants on the Lower East Side of NY, dressed in hand me downs and making their way in the new world, but used clothes don't work for me... So despite that difference, Wifey and I look forward to our class together. It runs for 5 more weeks -- no exam. Now if only the Torah could teach me how to be better in math...