A very chashuve Yid ["chashuve" b/c he gave a lot of tzdaka] was recently niftar. A few months before his death, he put his home up for sale.
Asking price: 65 million dollars [!!!!!!!!!! - not a typo]. I don't know if he managed to sell it before he passed away although I am sure that he didn't enjoy the money [nor did he need it...].
I really wanted to see what this house looked like [just in case the Ribbono Shel Oilam decides to gift me - לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאום השם!]. So I found some pictures.
WWWWOOWWWWW!
Like, Gan Eden - w/ a swimming pool!
Now his home is a small, narrow coffin beneath the ground [not that he would enjoy a luxurious coffin more].
I was struck by how shattered his family members seemed. I'm thinking - what's bothering you so much?? You are now among the richest people on the planet [he didn't leave ME anything so I assume they they inherited him]. There is NOTHING you can't buy???!!
Answer: Having a father or husband or grandfather is worth more than all the money in the world. I mean - If you have a living father and were offered by the Satan, one hundred million dollars [in cash] to take his soul in exchange, would you go for it?? Not if you are a normal human being.
I am reminded of the line of Oscar Wilde that a cynic is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.
I was on one hand profoundly saddened. On the other - it gave me chizzuk to keep the bigger things in mind. This is a very short stay and that cliche that "you can't take it with you" happens to be true.
והחי יתן אל לבו.
