Rabbi's Blog

I often wonder if our lives today are busier and more frenetic than the lives of our immediate ancestors and even the lives of our Forefathers. In today's day and age life is so much more complex than it used to be. Take travel, for example. Today, when prepare to go somewhere by plane, I take into account the money it costs, the time which will be invested, the weather and possibility of delays, and the risks that are involved. Traveling by car is wonderful if it works, but if the car breaks down I have an entire series of woes that come with it, not to mention the extra time and expense incurred. We live at a time filled with many modern conveniences which can at times stifle us, particularly when they break down. We have become so dependent on our cell and smart phones that we panic when the system goes down, when our texting doesn't work, or when a battery needs to be replaced. When the washing machine goes on the fritz, we go insane as to how to deal with the laundry, yet only a few generations ago people wore their clothing for longer stretches of time before washing them. A broken freezer or refrigerator can create an emergency situation requiring a community of people offering to store food which would otherwise be in danger of spoiling.

Of course I know what everyone is thinking, "Sure we have glitches with our modern-day technology, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and inconveniences even when things break down." That is all very true, but the point is that which Hillel teaches us in Pirkei Avos/ Ethics of our Fathers 2:8: 'Marbeh Nechasim Marbeh Daagah': 'the increase of possessions and material gain brings along an increase in anxiety and worry'.

This past week my wife and I experienced a tremendous amount of anxiety with our children flying to different destinations. Without going into detail, a lot of energy and anxiety was expended trying to fix issues that were truly out of our control and brought upon us through the blessing of modern travel. The ability to travel is considered 'Marbeh Nechasim' - increased 'possessions' - and it runs the risk of excessive anxiety. I truly believe that past generations endured the same level of uneasiness and concern when they had 'more' in terms of the lifestyle of those times. Travel was certainly far more dangerous and risky, and there were no cell phones available to call for help. Every generation experienced their 'technology' and their accompanying frustrations; all of us must deal with the fact that things don't always work out as planned. What is the proper derech/manner and Torah outlook or philosophy in dealing with situations that frustrate us and drive us just a little bit mad?

The answer to this and many other issues are found in this week's Torah portion Parshas Eikev. In Devarim 8:11-14 the Torah states: 'HeeShamer L'Cha Pen Tishkach Es Hashem Elokecha ....Pen Tochal V'Savata.....V'Ram L'vavecha V'Shachachta Es Hashem Elokecha': 'Take care lest you forget Hashem, your God.....lest you eat and be satisfied.......and your heart will become haughty, and you will forget Hashem your God....'. The Netz"iv Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, in his work Haamek Davar, explains there are two places where the forgetting of God is mentioned. Earlier in Devarim 6:12 the warning of forgetting Hashem takes place at the time when the Jewish people were conquering the land, reminding/warning them - and us - that victory - success - should not serve as a distraction from Hashem. Here the Jews are already settling the land, and building their homes, and dwelling in them. The second instance is a general warning about remembering Hahem even in the galus/exile.

The two warnings of forgetting Hashem come about in different ways. When the people were fighting and conquering the land ,they were told to remember Hashem so that He would help them to win the battles. Now, when the Jewish people are benefitting from the fruits of the land and becoming wealthy, they are again warned not to forget about Hashem. This is the classic idea of a person thinking it's his own strength and wisdom which brought about all of his wealth and goodness. The Gemara in Brachos 32 states: "a full belly is one of the bad sins a person can have' as it can lead a person to forget about God.

The Mincha Belula uses the analogy of amassing wealth to the need for blood-letting. He explains that increasing in wealth for its own sake damages both the body and the soul. Money gained with no thought to giving and sharing is sinful. We are required to give. To gain in wealth without sharing it with those in need, with our Shul, with our educational institutions, is harmful - spiritually and physically. We are taught that we must shed a portion of our financial gain by giving some of it away - by giving tzekaka The reward is both an immediate and profound: it is a healing for our souls. As an interesting aside, current research supports the view that those who give generously of themselves and their wealth live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. A person who has earned or inherited wealth won't necessarily sin unless he forgets about Hashem. Having a lot of money is not evil so long as we remember where it came from and where it has to go. Giving, sharing of wealth is analogous to giving a portion of ourselves. As a person works to amass wealth, he should always remember Hashem, and he should always thank Hashem for his success. The Torah tells us not to forget Hashem as we grow in our success. Once success has been attained, it is mandatory not to become complacent and to always remember from whence that success has come. When we forget about Hashem, when we think that we are in control, things have a tendency to spin out of our control. The wealthy person can either shed a portion of his money by giving Tzedaka, or Hashem will cause the money to be wasted away on worthless items or taken away by some other means.

The modern conveniences, comforts, and pleasures that we enjoy each day are, in essence, a form of the wealth that we amass over the course of our life times. We have not forgotten Hashem while we were working to improve our lives; we shouldn't forget Hashem once we've attained our goals. I take it as a personal lesson that when challenging situations happen to me, each of them is a sign from Hashem that I'm not thinking about Him enough. Hashem creates these challenging situations to make me re-focus on God and all the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. This, in it of itself, is a profound blessing. Pay close attention to those seemingly large challenges which, in the full scheme of things are really very small.

Ah Gut Shabbos