STUDENT WORKBOOK for SMILING
1 - NOT LOOKING SAD 1 The first step in learning to smile is To be happy with what you have. To practice showing the whites of your teeth. To learn not to frown or walk around looking sad and depressed. 2 What is the proof that we don t own our face and that it was made for others? 3 What did the Alter of Slabodka mean when he said that a person who walks around with a sour face is compared to a dangerous pit in the middle of the street? 43 When a person is upset in his inner world, what does he have to be careful to do in his outer world? 2
5 How can a person train himself to always be smiling, even if inside he doesn t feel like it? It takes a lot of work to internalize that we have two faces: one that reflects what we feel inside and the other that belongs to the outside world. He should stand in front of a mirror and practice smiling. This is something that can t be done. It is impossible to ignore his inner feelings. 63 Turn the frown upside down. 73 3
2 - GREETING OTHERS WITH A SMILE 1 What does the term בסבר פנים יפות mean? Make sure your face is always clean and made-up to greet another person. When greeting another person, even if you are not really in a good mood, at least put on a smile so the other person thinks you are happy to see him. You should be happy internally so that you can greet others with a smile. 2 How is greeting someone בסבר פנים יפות genuine, even if inside you are really not feeling happy? 34 After Rav Freifeld pushed himself to greet the nurse, what message did he teach his student? You should always sit up when greeting people. It is important to not show your pain. The purpose of a Jew is to bring joy to other people. 4 Why did Rav Freifeld exert himself to greet the nurse, but not his student? 4
5 How can you tell when a person is really smiling at you? 6 Why does really smiling at a person require using your eyes? 7 When you smile at someone, what are two other things you do besides brightening their day? 8 What is one reason that we don t smile at others often? Check all that apply. We don t appreciate what a smile gives others. We are too self-absorbed to smile at others. We are self-conscious and afraid it will make us appear weak. 5
9 When you..., you look and... Others see you smile and..., which makes them... and feel good, which in turn makes others smile, creating the same... with others. LOOK SMILE LOOP MIRROR FEEL GOOD 10 Smiling creates a ripple effect. Write about a time that someone s smile caused you to smile as well. 11 The Torah tells us that man s main function is to Keep to himself and mind his own business. Enrich the lives of everyone he comes into contact with. Provide for himself and his family. 3 - GREETING WITH TRUE JOY 1 How is the mandate to Greet every person cheerfully greater than Greet every person with a cheerful face? 6
2 What must one do in order to be כל אדם בשמחה,מקבל greet every person with genuine happiness? He must work on himself until he actually feels happy to see the other person. He must put on an act as if he is happy to see the other person. He just needs to smile at the other person when he greets him. 3 What can we learn from flight attendant training about greeting a person who you do not know? 4 Why did Rav Schwab carry around a small mirror? 5 How can seeing people with sour faces change the way we look? 7
6 As a parent, what two things will smiling bring to your family? 7 As a leader, what two things will smiling bring to your ability to influence others? 8 As a working person, what two things will smiling bring to your success? 9 What is the ideal way to fulfill God s request to His children, that you should love one another and honor one another? 8
4 - SMILE BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE 1 Name five gifts from Hashem that make you smile. 2 How does the yetzer harah make us take everything we have for granted? The yetzer harah clouds our judgment and we think we have enough but really need more. We are so preoccupied with trying to attain more, that we become blind to the blessings we already possess. We are so focused on what Hashem gives us that we cannot imagine not having it. 3 Why does the Torah commandment of: Rejoice with all the good that the Almighty has given you require a great deal of effort to fulfill? 9
4 What does the fact that happiness is a Torah obligation teach us? Happiness is not just a nice thing, but rather something that we have the ability and obligation to work on. The Torah gave us an obligation that is not in the average person s reach. We should be careful to do things that will bring us happiness. 5 Each moment every second of our lives we can choose to be happy or unhappy. It all depends on... 6 Turn positivity on right now until you bring forth a just-noticeable smile. TRY THIS YOURSELF! Write two things that you like about your circumstances. Write about several aspects of your life that you can view as a gift to be treasured. Write about a heartwarming thought. 10
7 What do researchers suggest is the reason that baseball players with the biggest smiles live the longest? 8 When a person smiles, Hashem acts with a..., towards him, and when a person..., Hashem acts in a more restricted manner with him. 9 When we appreciate the goodness Hashem sends, what are we opening the door for Hashem to send us? 5 - HASHEM S SMILE 1 Which part of the body reveals our identity and individuality? 11
2 How does a person s face show what they are really like inside? 3 What three things do we do with our mouth that set us apart from the animals? 4 According to Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, what determines a person s ups and downs and his overall situation in this world? 5 According to Rashi, what are we asking of Hashem, when we pray that He bless us with the light of his face? 6 When Hashem created mankind אלקים,בצלם in His form, what did He crowne man with besides intelligence and good character traits? 12
7 When we smile, how are we making use of the Godly spark we have within us? 6 - FEEL SECURE IN GOD AND SMILE 1 What is the reason that the more we feel secure in Hashem, the less we worry and find it easier to smile? 2 How does having a closeness to and trust in Hashem give a person the strength to be relaxed, calm and happy? 13 How does studying books that speak about trust and belief in Hashem help a person grow in bitachon? 13
4 How can marveling at nature and the magnificent beauty of the world affect a person s bitachon in Hashem? 5 Explain how looking back at events in your life, where you clearly saw the Hand of God guiding you, is a powerful tool to increase bitachon in Hashem. 6 Contemplating statements of the Sages, repeating them over many hundreds or even thousands of times will Be a disgrace for the words of Torah to be repeated so many times. Make them become part of your consciousness. Have no affect on you until you put them into action. 7 How will a person who has internalized the messages of bitachon in Hashem be able to achieve more? 14
8 A person who is resilient will smile in the face of adversity because They recognize that every setback or hardship in this world is orchestrated by Hashem for their benefit, to push them to ever higher levels of closeness to Him. They are naive and think that a setback or hardship is really a good thing. They are not mentally stable. 19 Knowing that Hashem cares more about me than anyone else does or ever will and He is only working in my favor will bring a person to the. 15