Holy Wealth

Translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody

Our forefather Jacob knew how to appreciate what he had because it came to him through extremely hard work. Jacob worked for years for his wives and possessions, as he said to Laban: "In the day I ate dryness and ice at night and sleep was absent from my eyes. For twenty years in your home, I worked for you: Fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks and you have exchanged my payment ten times over. Were it not for the G-d of my father, the G-d of Abraham and Isaac, Who was with me, for now you would have sent me empty-handed…"
 
Jacob also knew how to thank Hashem for His kindness: "I am undeserving of all the loving kindness that You have done for Your servant. For I crossed this Jordan (River) with just my stick, and now I have become two camps" (Genesis, Parashat Vayishlach).
 
Jacob made the journey from riches in his father's home, to total poverty, and back to riches. Money never affected his impeccable holiness or his humility.
 
The righteous appreciate the value of money earned by honesty and hard work. They are consequently careful with money. Jacob, although he was wealthy, took pains to preserve such simple possessions as empty cans. His conduct teaches that even if a person is very wealthy, he must manage his financial affairs with wisdom and caution, avoiding carelessness.
 
Rebbe Nachman was very displeased with people who had lost their money or wasted it without thought. He sighed, "How much trouble and hard work a person has to invest until he acquires enough sustenance to allow him to serve G-d without worry, and then afterwards, he recklessly loses it?"
 
Thrift goes together with modesty and humility: One who appreciates what he has does not think he "deserves" anything. He is therefore careful about what he spends, using money for basic necessities only and not for frills.
 
Humility is therefore conducive to what we nickname "holy wealth." Rabbi Natan writes in Likutei Halachot that tzaddikim have "holy wealth," for even if they have money at their disposal, they see it as a gift from Hashem that they don't deserve. Money doesn't make them feel arrogant. Even if they were vastly wealthy, they'd still act humbly because they know that everything belongs to Hashem.
There are some wealthy people who live very simply. They wear simple clothing, live in a simple home, eat simple food and don't waste their money. Don't think for a moment that these people are misers, for they give charity in abundance. They use their financial assets to serve Hashem.
 
Wealth tends to inflate a person's ego. The prophet Jeremiah said that a wise person should not boast about his wisdom, a strong person should not boast about his strength and a wealthy person should not boast about his riches. A person who grew up poor does not have this false sense of pride; he knows how to appreciate what he has.
 
We'd all be smart in learning the positive conduct of the "holy poor people" and the "holy wealthy people." Holy poor people are those who do not chase after luxuries and certainly do not borrow or get into debt for luxuries. They thank Hashem for what they have, are happy with their lot in life and invest in Torah and mitzvot. They give their children an abundance of love and parental attention, and constantly pray for their children's success.
 
Holy rich people are those who feel humble despite their wealth. They act in modesty just like poor people. This type of wealthy people can also merit children who are Torah scholars.
 
This is an important message for everyone, and especially for those who are committed to living a Torah life. One must not strive for wealth or desire a life of luxury. One should not go into debt under any circumstances, unless he is taking out a mortgage that he can logically afford to repay with his current income. Instead, a person should live humbly and simply, focusing on the truly important things in life such as Torah study, mitzvah observance, and developing good character traits. By doing so, he won't be ensnared by debts and the follies of this world. He will instill good character traits in his children. They will learn to appreciate what they have and to differentiate between the important and unimportant things in life. May we all so merit, amen!