“Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.”
"Those who think money can't buy happiness just don't know where to shop … People would be happier and healthier if they took more time off and spent it with their family and friends, yet America has long been heading in the opposite direction. People would be happier if they reduced their commuting time, even if it meant living in smaller houses, yet American trends are toward even larger houses and ever longer commutes. People would be happier and healthier if they took longer vacations even if that meant earning less, yet vacation times are shrinking in the United States, and in Europe as well. People would be happier, and in the long run and wealthier, if they bought basic functional appliances, automobiles, and wristwatches, and invested the money they saved for future consumption; yet, Americans and in particular spend almost everything they have – and sometimes more – on goods for present consumption, often paying a large premium for designer names and superfluous features.”
SHHHHHHAAALOOMM SWEEEETEST FRIENDSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saw an interview with a very, very $ucce$$ful non-observant Jew. Ohhhhhh did he "make it". He was earning HEAVY money, headed a HUUUUGE law firm and lacked nothing [except that he wasn't on my email list
. Hey - ya can't have it all]. But it wasn't enough for him. So he orchestrated a Ponzi scheme [as opposed to a "Fonzi scheme" which was a Happy Days episode
]. Not in the billions like Bernie [may his soul have a kappara]. Smaller money. Like about 400 million [if I remember correctly]. Also a not insignificant sum. Lo and behold - he was CAUGHT!!!!
He ended up in a human cage for about 20 years instead of living in his mansion/s. I think he is still there. Why, he was asked, did you do it??
He answered: "Greed".
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH - Greeeeeeedddd!!!!
He had it "all" and lost it all b/c it wasn't enough.
In this week's Parsha we read about Ephron. He started out GREAT!!! All Avraham wants is a grave for his wife and Ephron is like "I will give you the WHOLE FIELD including the grave - FREE OF CHARGE!!!" On the house. [Or on the "pencil" - עפרון???].
Avraham says "No, I want to pay".
Ephron hears that and LOSES IT!! OK - "400 shekel. What is such a sum between two GOOD BUDDIES like us!!!"
Well, how much would 400 Biblical shekel be worth today? According to one estimate $8,160,000!!! That is four-five years of Yeshiva tuition [not including books and transportation]!!! Big Buck$$$$$$!!!!
What happened. Chazal quote the pasuk in Proverbs 28-22 [as opposed to those who are "Anti-Verbs"]
נִ֥בְהָֽל לַה֗וֹן אִ֭ישׁ רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְלֹא־יֵ֝דַ֗ע כִּי־חֶ֥סֶר יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃
A panic stricken man runs after wealth a man with an evil eye;
He does not realize that loss will overtake him.
What happened to Ephron? He was נבהל להון. He heard the jingling of the coins and COULDN'T CONTROL HIMSELF. Instead of the generous gift he was willing to give - he requested an EXORBITANT sum of money.
Chazal added based on the pasuk that loss overtook him. His name was now written without a "vav" עפרן. The "vav" connects. "Vav HaChibbur". In Kabbala the "Vav" connects between what is Above and what is below [that is the shape of the "vav" - a line that connects up and down]. Ephron LOST IT!!! Forever!!!!!! He is חסר - lacking forever b/c he was so נבהל להון. When a letter is removed from a person's name in the eternal Torah - he is lacking for eternity. [עין רע = 400. Also עפרן = 400. And of course his price was .... 400 shekel!].
OOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!
THAT is the story of SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES!!!! They have SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUUUUCCCHHH but it is NOT ENOUGH for them and they lost it ALLLLL because they are so נבהל להון - they have an INSATIABLE APPETITE for gelt. And for that they lose their velt ["world" in Spanish].
BELOVED FRIENDS!!! Money is IMPORTANT. It translates into FOOD and SHELTER and TRIPS TO ORLANDO with the gantza mishpacha ["whole magazine" in French]. We all need money!! So I bless you all with LOTTTSSSSS of it. But we must not be נבהל להון!!! We can't lose our bearings when we smell some gain. Money is a MEANS and not an end in and of itself.
So when your תאות ממון ["desire for money" in Yeshivish] gets the better of you, speak to your yetzer hara and remind him/her that נבהל להון ends people up in really bad places - like the State penitentiary or the Yeshiva Gedoila D'Otisville. It isn't worth it - not for this world and not for the next.
THANKKKKKKKKKKKKKK G-------DDDDD that we have the Torah to guide us. We have to remember not to get carried away. IT IS JUST MONEY!!! That is all. Keep perspective. Buy what you need, save some for a rainy day - and give lotttttssssssss to Tzedaka. For ALLLLLLL you take with you in the ETERNAL WORLD is what you spent on Mitzvos and Tzdaka. That is the BESSSTTTT investment!!!!!
A massively awesome Shabbos of "Shalvas Hanefesh" to combat the נבהל להון of Effie!!!
BI-AHAVA RABBA
ME
Here is a recent shiur where נבהל להון is addressed.
