Better than Bailout
The crumbling of the American economy is the first snowball that is quickly becoming the global economic avalanche. Is there a way to beat the rap of recession? Certainly…
“Bailout” is a blanket term that’s become quite popular lately. In reality, “Bailout” is a government plan to rip off the private citizen and individual taxpayer in order to funnel massive amounts of cash to top-heavy, mismanaged, inefficient, and or corrupt mega-businesses such as the banks and the auto industry who have powerful lobbies that influence decision makers in the highest portals of government.
The crumbling of the American economy is the first sliding snowball that is leading to the global economic avalanche. What really is in store for America according to objective observers?
When I was a little boy growing up in the USA, the US Dollar was called a “Silver Certificate.” Federal Law required that gold and silver reserves back up every dollar. In 1968, silver certificates were no longer redeemable and were replaced by “Federal Reserve Notes,” which in essence are checks with no backing. In effect, the US Government can print all the money it wants, which explains the drop in the true value of the dollar.
The truth is that the dollar today is not secured by anything. America’s foreign debt has mushroomed, even though in the early 1980s there was no debt. Now it is more than 11 trillion dollars (eleven thousand billion!!). This is a fancy penthouse built on a rotten foundation that can only collapse.
The economic doomsday prophets sound realistic. Due to the financial crisis, three of the largest and oldest five banks on Wall Street have already ceased to exist, and two are barely surviving. Their losses are the biggest in history. It’s doubtful whether Motor City and the Big 3 auto manufacturers will get before the end of the ten-count. Unemployment is dangerously on the rise. With the collapse of industry, whole cities could be left without work. Governors are already insistently demanding money from the federal center. People think that Obama will work miracles, but soon after the inauguration, it will be apparent that there are no miracles. “Bailout” and printing more money might be the temporary salvation for mega-business with fat-cat friends on Capitol Hill, but it’s certainly not the answer for the working man and woman or the individual household.
With the above in mind, what does the little guy do to rescue himself from such a bleak economic future? We have a solution that’s better than Bailout.
Let’s preface with an important lesson that the Gemara teaches us (see tractate Shabbat 156a): “Israel is above the stars.” In other words, luck and natural fate don’t affect the Jewish people. Rashi explains that prayer and charity literally alter a person’s nature for the better. Rebbe Natan of Breslev teaches us (Likutei Halachot, Hilchot Mila, 4) that the people of Israel who cling to emuna and holiness live on a spiritual plane that’s not affected by the limitations of their surroundings. This concept is not only anchored in Gemara, but in Kabbalah as well (see Etz Chaim, Gate 15, Chapter 2).
How do we translate the above into practical terms? Financial advisors will tell you that you can solve a financial crisis in one of two ways – either decrease expenditures or increase your income. That’s easy to say, but what if you’ve already reduced your spending to the barest minimum and you haven’t been able to earn more money? Then what?
Our sages give us a solution that defies both logic and nature: the Gemara says (tractate Ketubot 66b), “The way to salt money is to deduct.” In other words, the way to preserve your money is to give tzedakka, or charity. The Midrash promises (Tanchuma, Re’eh, ch. 18) that one who gives a tithe will become rich.
Charity money, like any other money, should be invested in the right place to assure maximum returns on your investment. The Zohar, the “Reishit Chochma,” and Rebbe Nachman of Breslev say that the loftiest form of charity is Outreach, what Jeremiah the Prophet calls (Jeremiah 15:19), “Extracting the valuable from the cheap.” When we take valuable human souls and uplift them from the cheap thrills of a rotting material world and bring them closer to Hashem, we are literally correcting the world. Nothing gives Hashem – The King of kings – so much gratification as when the souls of His lost sons and daughters come home to Him. Now, imagine the rewards of those fortunate people who help those lost souls find their way home to the palace. The King with His limitless riches knows how to express His gratitude…
In the last twenty four months alone since “Breslov World” underwent a major cyber upgrade facelift and became the exquisite multilanguage “Breslev Israel” international portal that is now one of Jewish Outreach’s leading websites, tens of millions of web pages have been read the globe over. Hundreds of thousands of people each month see our streaming video lessons, recorded live from Jerusalem. Our electronic mailboxes are full of heartfelt thank-you notes from people claiming that Breslev Israel has literally saved their lives and their marriages. Our books and CDs have spread to the four corners of the earth. Breslev Israel provides spiritual guidance for Jews and non-Jews alike, and has become a warm home for the Noahide movement worldwide. We reach out to humanity and turn no one away. I could go on and on, but you know yourself what Breslev Israel and Breslev.co.il means to you.
We here at Breslev Israel rub our eyes in astonishment at how we’ve built such a state-of-the-art website and virtual Yeshiva with our meager resources. Yet, there’s much more to do and millions of people that we haven’t yet reached. We need your help.
With mortgage banks, investment houses, and leading manufacturers falling by the wayside, we here at Breslev Israel are delighted to inform our "shareholders" – our silver, gold, and platinum members who have become our full partners in spreading the light of emuna in the world – that the economic squeeze won’t affect them at all. A Breslev Israel membership is better than Bailout; both our sages and Rabbi Shalom Arush shlit’a promise that our Breslev Israel members – the full partners in spreading the light of emuna around the world and bringing people closer to Hashem – won’t need bailout or any other emergency economic measures. Being above the stars and beyond the influence of natural or economic calamity is much better than Bailout, amen!
Click here to learn how you can become a member of Breslev Israel and a full-fledged partner in spreading emuna around the world.
12/08/2008
In other words… In other words, all the money without material backup needs spiritual backup!!
12/08/2008
In other words, all the money without material backup needs spiritual backup!!
12/07/2008
For seven months our bills have exceeded our income yet Hashem has not once left us wanting. It is true. The normal economic rules do not apply when it comes to Israel. With the economic “downturn” in America my family’s monthly rent and utility bills exceed our monthly income. When we look at the paystub and then look at the bills due we have no idea where the money to eat on will come from. We just thank Hashem and spend for what is most urgent at the moment. Somehow Hashem has provided for our every need. Plain accounting can’t explain how Hashem does it.