(* Rabbi adds: "I emphasize the words 'as they can be" because some people are naturally happier, calmer and more easygoing that others. There is not a single standard of happiness to which all people should aspire. But if we have a tendency to focus on problems, and to be often anxious, moody and pessimistic, then we are obligated for the sake of others to rein in these tendencies.")
"Human beings have a moral responsibility to be as happy as they can be* and this applies particularly to our interactions with our spo0uses and children, the people with whom we spend the most time and the people who are most likely to feel responsible for our bad moods. If our moodiness is due to a chemical imbalance, and is therefore beyond our control, we have a moral obligation to those who live with us to seek out the drug an/or psychological treatments that can improve our emotional balance." - Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
(* Rabbi adds: "I emphasize the words 'as they can be" because some people are naturally happier, calmer and more easygoing that others. There is not a single standard of happiness to which all people should aspire. But if we have a tendency to focus on problems, and to be often anxious, moody and pessimistic, then we are obligated for the sake of others to rein in these tendencies.") Comments are closed.
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Victor M. Parachin ...is aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Archives
September 2024
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