There is no "life insurance". It is a misnomer. Nobody is insured to live. We are actually all in the dying process - as we speak. Call it instead "death insurance". We will all die for sure. Then our families should get some gelt so that SOMEBODY profits from this. It is the Jewish way!!!
The entire world is into buying homes. It is the hugest deal. The other day a friend was trying to convince me to buy in his neighborhood. Not a big deal he told me. 1.3 million shekel. SMALL CHANGE!! Especially for a guy like me who learns for a living but doesn't get paid to do so [not that I should. Torah should not be means for making money. That is what nursing homes are for....]. Where on earth do simple people get that type of money?? My friend is a Melamed. And he bought his place for about that price.
Why not rent???? People say "No. I want something that is MINE". So there is a piece of paper that says that it is yours. For that you are willing to drive yourself crazy paying off a 30 year mortgage? "No, you idiot" they will tell me!! [I am allowed to say that b/c I am calling myself the idiot]. It is mine PERMANENTLY!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH - But it isn't. A rental is yours for this month. An apartment you own is yours for a relatively short time more than a month. Until your demise which - relatively speaking - isn't far off. So it is really all about your yerushah you leave to your kids.
I am on the cusp of my fiftieth b-day. So I don't even have five minutes of guaranteed more life. If I am fortunate - maybe 20-30 or even 40 years. But hey - do you know anybody 65 and over who isn't always busy w/ doctors? What fun is THAT? So it is either death or a slow painful demise. אאאאאללללל תששששששללייייכככנננניייי לעתתתתתת זקנההההההההה!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody escapes it. No "protektzias". Eat only whole wheat. Cut sugar, salt, junk food and red meat out of your diet. Exercise. GREAT!! But everybody's body AND mind deteriorates. Look at one of the greatest minds of the 20th century - RYBS. His mind went for the last 10 or so years of his life. The TOP athletes? Look at how pathetic they are at those old timers games. The body goes - and that includes the Michoel Yarden's, the Yaakov Bryant's [AVOID HELICOPTERS!!!], the Velvel Gretzkeys etc. etc. etc.
So what is my point [besides Judaizing the names of famous Goyim]?????????
Not that you shouldn't buy a house. As long as I don't have to pay for it - heck, you can buy 6 houses for all I care. Not that you should be depressed - as depressing as this post may be. But that you should INVEST in loooooong terrrrrmmmmmmm properties.
Namely, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH KB"H!!!!!!!!!!!! Leaaaaarrnnnnnnnn LOOOOTTTTSSSSSSS of Torah. Daven ממעמקים of your hearts. Give Tzdaka almost like there is no tomorrow. Smile a LOT. Make people feel GOOD. Compliment your spouse and children LIBERALLY. Be ever ready and willing to do chesed in any way possible. Stop your car at bus stops and offer people rides. It doesn't cost anything and makes their day. It'll make yours too.
There is NO LIFE INSURANCE. Only DEATH INSURANCE. So make sure that you have צידה לדרך. Good stuff to take w/ you. And leave a good legacy here so that you keep earning a "passive income" up in Shomayim for all the people you inspired and brought closer.
