Rabbi's Corner

“And Then What!?!”

In this week’s double-parashah, Parashat Behar-Bechukotai, we find the following: “If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season so that the earth will yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit…you shall eat your fill of bread and dwell securely in your land.  I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone….” (VaYikra 26:3-6) In this week’s Torah reading, Hashem grants H-s solemn promise that if we observe H-s mitzvot (commandments) and walk in the path of H-s Torah (i.e.- follow halachah [Jewish Law]), our lives in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) will be filled with abundance and tranquility.  But do we not see exactly the opposite in today’s reality?  Observant Jews who are true to Torah as well as other Jews who live in Eretz Yisrael are not blessed with an abundance of wealth while there seem to be many Diaspora Jews (e.g.- Elon Musk) who are living affluent lives and seem to be in total control of all they own.  “Nu,” you may ask, “what is does this passage from the Torah mean?”

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that the more a person has a lust for money, the more s/he fears losing the money already in his/her possession (Likutei Moharan, I:23).  Conversely, where there is no lust for money, there is also no fear of losing money.  In accordance with the passage cited above, Rebbe Natan teaches that since Eretz Yisrael is a land filled with abundance, the lust for money is overcome (Likutei Halachot, Birkat Hamazon: D).  Both Rebbe Nachman and Rebbe Natan stress that while Torah-observant Jews in Eretz Yisrael did not have wealth, they did have an abundance of bread as promised in the Torah.  Because of this, they had less to worry about, and they trusted in Hashem to provide for them.  The opposite was (and is still) true in the Diaspora.  Both the amount of money and the lust for more money is far too powerful a driving force in the lives of many American Jews.  As such, they are never satiated with the “bread” they have.  They fail to understand the Torah’s double blessing given to all those Jews who choose to lead a life guided by Torah.  Perhaps, this variation of a Chasidic parable will help to obtain a better understanding of the Torah passage cited from Sefer VaYikra:

A young man in the Galilee had a small plot of land on a tranquil hillside with a few trees on it and a stream running through the property.  He was immensely happy needing only a minimum of worldly possessions on which to get by.  A supply of available water, his daily sustenance, and a roomy tent was more than adequate for his needs.  With no need for money, he was free to spend his time playing his flute, singing praises to Hashem, and learning Torah under the shade of a large apple tree.  Amazingly, whenever he was hungry, the young Galilean would catch an apple that dropped from the tree.  He did not even need to stand up let alone pick an apple from the tree.  The fruit would literally come to him.  When the apple season was over, he would spend his time learning from his holy books sitting under the shade of an almond tree which, much like the apple tree, provide him with its nutritious almonds for the next two months.  The almonds would drop into his lap whenever he was hungry.  The same was true with the carob tree.

One day, a pair of wealthy-looking tourists who were sporting fancy backpacks were hiking in the Hills of the Galilee, and they stumbled upon the young Galilean’s modest homestead.  To fulfill the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim (“welcoming guests”), the young man rose to his feet and picked two apples from the tree.  The two tourists gladly ate the apples commenting on their exquisite taste.  “You could make a lot of money with these apples,” they raved.  “These are the best apples we ever ate!  Why don’t you plant more trees?”  “And then what should I do?” asked the Galilean.  “Then you can market the apples overseas and earn thousands of dollars!” they exclaimed.  “And then what should I do?” he again inquired.  “Then you can build an apple juice, apple cider, and apple cider vinegar factory.  You can employ people to take care of the orchards as well as people to run the factory.  You would have hundreds of employees.”  “And then what?” the Galilean asked.  “Then you can branch out and build more factories, buy more land, and plant more orchards, this time in Europe and America!” the two tourists bubbled over.  “And then what?” the Galilean patiently replied.  “Well, you will be so big that you will have to go public on Wall Street.  You will make a ‘mint!’” they pair enthused.  “And then what?” the now frustrated Galilean asked.  “You can then retire and do whatever you like.  You can live a worry-free life up on these gorgeous hills learning Torah every day and playing your flute to your heart’s content,” smugly replied the two tourists.  “Simpletons!” exclaimed the Galilean. “I am already doing that!”

          For Am Yisrael (the People Israel) our main task in this world is to learn and study Torah and to communicate with Hashem in prayer.  The obsession to make as much money as is humanly possible is just that: an obsession.  It is merely a means to an end.  It is not the ultimate goal in life.  We know this from Pirkei Avot which says: “Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper.” (Tehillim 128:2) You shall be happy in this world, and you shall prosper in the world to come.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1) May we learn to be happy with our lot in this world as Hashem’s Chosen People and may we fill this world with Torah.