Who Is Rich?

לרפואת צפורה בת חנה ענת בתוך שח"י


We have a weekly Thursday night shiur in Ramot that has been going on for a few months now. Since chances are that you weren't there and it is the only live "performance" of my week, I will summarize what we learned [one hour in a short post - I skip the jokes and stories:-)].

Who is a truly rich man?

Numerous opinions:

1]  Someone who has nachas ruach from his wealth. Money is a means not an end. If one doesn't enjoy his money, if it doesn't give him a sense of satisfaction and serenity then he is not really rich because his money is not accomplishing its purpose.

2] Someone with 100 fields, 100 vineyards and servants working in these fields and vineyards. One should use one's money to help others. The greatest way to help a poor person is to give him steady employment.

3] Someone with a good wife. A true kinyan is a good wife. Money is external. A wife is part of you.
Romantic. [Rebbe Akiva said that and he was really rich with Rochel].

4] If one has a bathroom near his table. Odd? When one overeats he needs to remove the waste products, otherwise it will be very harmful for him. Similarly, if one is really rich he must get rid of the "waste products" that come along with wealth, such as arrogance and other bad middos. If he has money but it is to his detriment then he is really not rich.

I wish you all true wealth.

עפ"י עין איה שבת לב