A very interesting and readable book written by a rabbi based on a traditional prayer written 2000 years ago.
The book encourages us to honour those who gave us life whilst inviting others into our lives. It also supports praying with intention, forgiveness and keeping learning.
A worthwhile read for Jews and Christians alike.
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary and impartial review.

The Happiness Prayer by Eric Moffic is an explanation of the ten basic tenets of the 2,000 year old Jewish prayer the Eilu Devarim. Practicing the tenets of the prayer should lead us to happiness if we make them part of our lives. That makes the book sound dry, as if it were written to a strictly Jewish audience, and as if the prayer is a quick-fix for finding what's lacking in your life. But it isn't. It's more, a lot more.

Moffic writes in an easy, conversational tone, looking at and explaining the depths of each tenet of the prayer; how it relates to our lives today; and the benefits of practicing each tenet regularly. In each section, there are anecdotal stories regarding the tenet being discussed. These serve to help clarify the tenet for the reader, and often show the challenge of truly integrating the tenet into your personal life.

The tenets are straight-forward:

· Honor Those Who Gave You Life

· Be Kind

· Keep Learning

· Invite Others into Your Life

· Be There When Others Need You

· Celebrate Good Times

· Support Yourself and Others During Times of Loss

· Pray with Intention

· Forgive

· Look Inside and Commit

I doubt that anyone of any faith would disagree with the tenets of the prayer. This is a prayer that can benefit all of humanity. The tenets speak to being morally upright, doing the right thing, being committed to our community, having integrity, being welcoming, etc. If we were all to practice these items regularly, not only would we be happier, more fulfilled individuals, but our world would be a much better place in which to live.

This book is not only for Jewish readers, so please don't discount it if you are of another faith or no faith at all. As long as you are open to listening and learning, this book will be beneficial to you.

I thank Evan Moffic, Center Street publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-copy of this book. My opinion is my own, and not biased in any manner.

The Happiness Prayer by Rabbi Evan Moffic is a beautiful book. It takes an ancient Jewish prayer and shows us how the ideas mentioned in it will help us to live a happier life, some of these ideas are to pray with intent, be kind, and honor your elders. We are taken through each idea and shown how it can be implemented inti our lives. This is not just a book for jews, but for all humanity.

I read it not as a religious book even if it is, but I tried to keep the good things beyond the religious aspect. The writer is a rabbi and my religion is different but I liked the common part of all this: how to be grategul, king, learn new things, forgive and so on. Great book.

Thank you Net Galley and Center Street for this title in exchange for my honest opinion. I'd been off a non fiction period for a bit, and this book was calling to me. It isn't just "self help." This is a book that makes you think. It is a Jewish prayer, and I have an affinity for Judaism. It speaks to me. So, this book was special. that said, it wouldn't matter what religion you follow, there are truths that will help you. I will return to this book over and over again. he Happiness Prayer is called Eilu Devarim and is from a Jewish text called the Talmud. Evan Moffic made this prayer a way of living when he went through a time of personal challenge. The prayer begins with a statement of its purpose. The prayer is initially related to financial interest--an investment in the prayer of our time if we follow these lessons means that, like financial interest, our happiness will compound. He shares the prayer and his experiences, along with real experiences of other people, to teach readers how to use this prayer to live more joyously. In The Happiness Prayer, Moffic breaks the prayer down into chapters and looks at each part of the prayer in depth and offers wisdom in how to use it to live in our world today.


I think The Happiness Prayer has helped me to look at what it truly means to honor your parents, why we should grieve with those who are grieving and other aspects of life that I honestly hadn't considered in this way before. There is also an especially good discussion on what forgiveness means in part of this prayer. Moffic also explains that we need discernment and commitment to best use this prayer. "Each of our wisdom practices is good--yet no one person can do them all every day. . .We need to focus. We need to discern. . .And discernment is ongoing." He says that these wisdom practices that are part of this prayer require a commitment to be experimental, flexible and generous and then explains what that means to him. Moffic says that he has followed this prayer for several years, through life's ups and downs, and has been the better for doing so. Through The Happiness Prayer book, I could see where we would all be better off in following this prayer and living it as best we can. I would recommend this book to every one, both Christian and Jew, as it offers a lot of wisdom for us all in a small space.

There is a special Hebrew prayer that many of us don’t know. It’s called Eilu Devarim, which means “These are the words.” Although it was written over 2,000 years ago, it is just as applicable today.

Rabbi Evan Moffic expands on each of its ten short verses in this book. Here is his paraphrase of the Happiness Prayer:

How will you find happiness in this world and peace in the world to come? By learning these wisdom practices from your ancestors:
Honor those who gave you life
Be kind
Keep learning
Invite others into your life
Be there when others need you
Celebrate good times
Support yourself and others during times of loss
Pray with intention
Forgive
Look inside and commit

But more than reciting and singing this prayer, Rabbi Moffic has also lived this list of truths for years. When done with such intention, such practices sink deeply into your soul. Ultimately, our faith is built on such everyday choices, he says.

“[Happiness] comes, like winning in baseball, from doing certain things faithfully and consistently. These practices sustain us through the inevitable pains and downturns of life.”

Perhaps one or two of the practices resonate more with you now, but others may later. Rabbi Moffic reminds us that doing these spiritual exercises regularly will benefit us in the same ways as physical exercise does: They leave us in excellent shape, and the next time we need to spiritually sprint, we’ll be ready.

The book also includes a “Happiness Quick Start Guide.” It has five questions for each of the ten chapters. You can do them individually or as a group. I found this book both inspiring and practical. I plan on returning to it again and again as I incorporate these practices more fully into my own life.