A Soulful Journey

 A group of dealers in Warsaw to buy merchandise.  They all purchased their stock on credit.  Some bought more, others less, but they were very amiable.  On the way home, the men observed that one of their friends, who had purchased more than the rest of the group, acted very haughtily. "Why are you so proud?" one asked.  "Do you think that because you have bought more merchandise on credit than we did, that you are more important?  On the contrary, you are not only a greater debtor than we are and certainly have nothing to be conceited about.  But since you walk about with your nose in the air, it seems that you do not intent pay for what you bought." Moral: The rich and poor are alike.  God gave them what they possess on credit so that they might give a portion to tzedaka .  If the rich are proud, it is a signal that they will disregard their debt.

A halachic authority once argued with another Jew about a business deal.  They went to the local rabbi for a decision.  That local rabbi ruled against the great authority, quoting an opinion cited by that very same rabbi! "Oy vey," he cried.  "I was so obsessed with money that I did not even remember what I myself wrote!" During trying times, remember what is most important, not the little things, the pebbles of life.  After all, life is so rich and abundant that when we pause to look around we realize how incredible rich and blessed we are.

"Money isn't everything, according to those who have it." -Malcolm Forbes

" Philosophy is something the rich use to convince the rest of us that it's no disgrace to be poor."  -Sam Levenson "You shall love your neighbor as yourself (i.e. as much as you love yourself)."  Practice it, every day.

"I've been rich and I've been poor.  Rich is better."  - Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker was on of the greatest (Jewish) performers in American history.   Like all of us, she suffered and prospered. Good and bad awaits all.  Of course we all prefer good to bad yet even bad has a purpose.  Our task is to discover its purpose and allow it to refine our being.

Yogi Berra was asked what he would do if he found $1 million in the street. ”I’d see if I could find the guy who lost it, and if he was poor, I’ll give it back to him.”         Who is poor?   Someone  unsatisfied.

Ghettos serve very important function for the privileged. If there were no ghetto, the rich would have to look into the eyes of the poor every day. In the 1980s, thousands of families became homeless in New York. Inevitably these people walked the streets and stored outside the restaurant and seizures. The last thing the theater homeowners wanted was to have a wealthy couple spend $200 to see Les Miserables and then come out from the theater and see the real thing! I walked by the theater sometimes and would notice people who presumably had been inside weeping for the poor children of Paris a few minutes before; now coming out on the street, they were miserably offended by the sight of people begging on the sidewalk.”  - Jonathan Kozol

The Rabbis taught: The pauper, the rich man, and the wicked one stand for judgment before the heavenly throne. The poor man is asked: ‘Why did you not study Torah?’ If he replies, ‘I was poor and busy supporting myself,’ he will be asked: ‘Were  you poorer than Hillel who studied Torah despite his poverty?’ It was said about Hillel that he earned a small coin each day, half of which he would give to the watchmen to gain entry to the Beit Midrash and half of what he used to support himself and his family. When the rich man comes he is asked: ‘Why did you not study Torah?’ If he replies, ‘I was wealthy and occupied with my business affairs,’ he will be asked: ‘Were you wealthier than Rav Elazar? It was said of Rav Elazar ben Charsom that his father bequeathed him a thousand cities on land and 1000 ships at sea. Each day he would take a sack of flour on the shoulder and go from city to city and from province to province to study Torah. The wicked man is asked: ‘Why d...

The laws and stories that revolve around tzedaka are many.  They all aim to change human nature by changing the way we think about poverty and the poor: A rich man once came to the Maggid of Kiznitz.  “What are you in the habit of eating?” the Maggid asked.  “I am modest in my demands,” the rich man reply. “Bread and salt and a drink of water all that I need.” ”What are you thinking of??” the rabbi reproved him.  “You must eat roast meat and drink mead like all rich people.”  He did not let the man go until he promised to do as he said.  Later Hasidim asked him the reason for this odd request. “Not until he eats meat,” said the Maggid, “will he realize that the poor man needs bread.  As long as he himself eats bread, he will think the poor man can live on stones.”

Two Jews died in Brisk on the same day.   A poor shoemaker passed away in the morning, followed at no onetime by a wealthy, prominent member of the Jewish community.    Although halacha teaches that the one who dies first must be buried first, the burial society, which received a handsome sum of money from the heirs of the wealthy man, decided to attend to him first.   When Reb Chayim was informed of the decision of the society, he sent word to attend to the shoemaker first.   The members of the Chevra Kaddisha did not listen.   When Reb Chayim learned of their refusal, he left his study, went to the house of the wealthy man, and chased the members of the burial society away.   He then saw to it that the poor man, who had died first, was buried before the rich man. Reb Chayim’s actions and the halacha reflect the Torah’s statement that every person ins created in God’s image and thus deserves equal treatment, regardless of his or her standing in the...

Husband: “Have you ever wondered what you would do if you had a millionaire’s income?” Wife: “No, but I wonder why they would do of they have mine.” Real justice means no that everyone has the same but that all are treated with equal respect and dignity.

Everybody knocks on the door of the rich man craving to be his friend while to the poor man’s door there is silence.   –Talmud, Shabbat 32a Is this how the thirty-six tzaddikim of the world exist?   No one pays them attentions so they live in as virtual unknowns.

"There are many differences between the rich and the poor.  Among Jews, the rich hope for prosperity, health and happiness while the poor Jew prays the there will be a clear moon with no obliteration." - Rabbi Louis Jacobs Simple people have simple requirements.  Complicated lives are inevitably complex.

The story is told about a rabbi who came home from shule one Shabbat, and his wife asked him: what did you speak about today? He said: "I spoke about how the rich should give tsedaka to the poor." She said: "How did the sermon go over?" He said: "I persuaded half the congregation." She said: "Really? Which half?" He said: "The poor." - Rabbi Jack Reimer And when it comes to pass that the entire congregation will hear and understand the Messiah will step into the congregation.

Told that a certain man had acquired great wealth, a sage asked, "Has he also acquired the days in which to spend it?"   -Solomon Ibn Gabriel Pearls of Wisdom.

"Who is rich?"   "One who is happy with what they have."  -Avot 4:1

Once Rabbi Akiva was sent to Rome with a delegation of five rabbis.   At the high of its power Rome was impressive.   They saw baths, artwork, circuses, museums, statues, palaces and military outposts.   The Roman hosts asked, “Akiva are you impressed?” “No.” They were shocked. Akiva then explained: “When we were walking in the square there was a statue of the emperor.   Then it began to rain.   The slaves on duty guarding the statue took velvet robes and covered the statue so that it would not get wet.   I am not impressed with a city where statues wear robes and human beings wear rags." Such is our mandate, to "Feed the poor and clothe the naked." - Micah