Happy Yom Tov Rabbi. Since one of the main mitzvot of Yom Tov is the mitzva of Vesamachta or to be happy I have a number of questions as to what counts in that mitzva. 1) Is listening to a funny story like the ones of the Dubner Magid etc. that makes people smile and even laugh a way to comply with this mitzva?

Rambam (H. Yom Tov 6) rules that there is a Biblical mitzva to rejoice on Yom Tov and to eat meat and drink wine. Poskim debate if that applies to other items that provide joy and happiness. Moadim Uz’manim (7: 112) maintains that there are two characteristics and aspects to this mitzva. One is to be happy and joyful even without doing anything else. The second is by actually carrying on with actions or eating and drinking that would increase the effect. In that sense the telling of happy or funny stories of Gedolim would be part of the mitzva.