Showing up at our best sets the tone for what comes afterwards.
Sources

Worrying about what we might be losing is one of the most destructive forces of joy as it removes one’s mind from the present.
Sources

What people think of us is a factor that we need to consider even when we are doing nothing wrong. Our behavior needs to be exemplary to others.
Sources

We are not as attached to assets that came to us freely as we are to the things we work for. We have ownership in those things into which we have invested.
Sources

Trade and business require a level of focus that can distract from the joy of YomTov. However, if people are forbidden from protecting their assets from loss, this could also damage the joy of YomTov. How do we balance these two considerations?
Sources

Real joy comes from closing the gap between the struggle and its resolution – both in learning and in life.
Sources

Protecting oneself from sadness sometimes requires that we foresee potential hijacks of our emotions and prevent them. How is this done?
Sources

Joy is an inner energy to be accessed. Doing so however, requires that we actively insulate ourselves from sadness – especially on Yom Tov.
Sources

There are many positive things the animal world can teach us, but we should also learn from animals which behaviors are not human and we should avoid.
Sources

Almost every new regulation entails a downside. What gives the rabbis the authority to legislate even in the situation of such downsides?
Sources