When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.
Oscar Wilde
The Rebbe Shlita [btw - I must deny a rumor that I am a Meshichist. I really want Moshiach to come but I don't believe that a certain Rebbe from Brooklyn is still alive somewhere in Queens. When I write "The Rebbe Shlita" I refer to Mori Vi-Rabi the Tolna Rebbe Shlita who by all acounts is alive biz a hindrit un tsvontzik, git, gebentchta yoren] is fond of repeating the following story:
When the Sfas Emes was a young man he went to see the Kotzker. The Kotzer was a VERY fiery individual. When he was there somebody put money in front of the Kotzker. His reaction was one of complete disgust. "PHEEEEEWWWWWWW"!!
The Sfas Emes related that for months afterwards he couldn't look at money without feeling the repulsion expressed by the Kotzker.
Sweetest friends - I know very unhappy people with lots of money and very happy people with very little money. That is incontrovertible [GOOD WORD!] evidence that money doesn't necessarily make one happy. More comfortable maybe but not happy.
Money is like a pair of shoes. They help you get to where you need to go but not more than that. NOBODY I know lives for their shoes. Lots of people live for their money. Sorry Oscar - you have it all wrong..
So please - if you have $ome [not everybody does and I wish them all that they should have. Being poor is no fun:)] - use it for good things and always remember what is most important.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
:)
"A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man."
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Not Getting Results
In life people tend to look at results. "People", I say, but not Hashem.
To wit; You set up a couple. They decide to break up after the first date. As far as you were concerned they could have gotten married and if they had wanted to, you would have been delighted. So they might well not appreciate your efforts but as far as Hashem is concerned, you made a shidduch! The "lomdus" is that if you tried to do a mitzva and due to circumstances beyond your control you were unable to, you are nevertheless credited with the mitzva. In our example you tried to make a match but due to circumstances beyond your control [he wants a taller girl] you were not successful. Count it!
So I have three shadchanim to whom I must feel gratitude even though I have not been married three times: The nice lady who set me up with the first girl I met [nice girl, bad date:)]. The first girl who set me up with her friend [ditto:)] and ultimately the nice couple who set me up with my wife. Some people I know have HUNDREDS of shadchanim. That's a LOT of gratitude.
Another example; You try to get someone a job. If they weren't hired that is not your fault - you tried. It is as if you were responsible for supporting this person's family for many years to come. Is that SOMETHING?!!
So sweetest friends - don't look at the results. That is in G-d's Hands. You do your part and let things happen according to whatever the mysterious Divine plan may be. Set up a couple. Help a Jew find a job, a house, a good life insurance policy, whatever. Just do GOOD.
But you knew that. Just giving a gentle reminder....
I now say my bedtime prayers and travel off to dream land but not before I wish you all a WONDERFUL night:-)!
To wit; You set up a couple. They decide to break up after the first date. As far as you were concerned they could have gotten married and if they had wanted to, you would have been delighted. So they might well not appreciate your efforts but as far as Hashem is concerned, you made a shidduch! The "lomdus" is that if you tried to do a mitzva and due to circumstances beyond your control you were unable to, you are nevertheless credited with the mitzva. In our example you tried to make a match but due to circumstances beyond your control [he wants a taller girl] you were not successful. Count it!
So I have three shadchanim to whom I must feel gratitude even though I have not been married three times: The nice lady who set me up with the first girl I met [nice girl, bad date:)]. The first girl who set me up with her friend [ditto:)] and ultimately the nice couple who set me up with my wife. Some people I know have HUNDREDS of shadchanim. That's a LOT of gratitude.
Another example; You try to get someone a job. If they weren't hired that is not your fault - you tried. It is as if you were responsible for supporting this person's family for many years to come. Is that SOMETHING?!!
So sweetest friends - don't look at the results. That is in G-d's Hands. You do your part and let things happen according to whatever the mysterious Divine plan may be. Set up a couple. Help a Jew find a job, a house, a good life insurance policy, whatever. Just do GOOD.
But you knew that. Just giving a gentle reminder....
I now say my bedtime prayers and travel off to dream land but not before I wish you all a WONDERFUL night:-)!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
There Is Enough For Everybody:)
Today I saw a VORT!!
The pasuk say ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני השם - Love your neighbor as yourself, I am Hashem. The famous question is, what is the "I am Hashem" teaching us [we know that He is Hashem...]?
When my friend needs money from me, I don't want to give him because I am worried that I won't have enough for myself.
When my friend needs to borrow something, I don't want to give it to him because I am concerned that I will need it for myself.
The pasuk therefore says אני השם. Don't worry about it! I am Hashem and have enough for EVERYBODY. If you give your friend, you will not lack.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני השם.
The pasuk say ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני השם - Love your neighbor as yourself, I am Hashem. The famous question is, what is the "I am Hashem" teaching us [we know that He is Hashem...]?
When my friend needs money from me, I don't want to give him because I am worried that I won't have enough for myself.
When my friend needs to borrow something, I don't want to give it to him because I am concerned that I will need it for myself.
The pasuk therefore says אני השם. Don't worry about it! I am Hashem and have enough for EVERYBODY. If you give your friend, you will not lack.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני השם.
The Greatest Compliment
To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. Love is the sweetest thing in the world, but to be trusted throws upon him who receives that trust an obligation that he must not fail to discharge.
Source: Conference Report, October 1934, p. 91.
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