Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Wealth can be obtained by Torah study but not the reverse

 Netziv (Shemos 26:35) Bava Basra (25b) states that  he who wants to be wise should turn towards the south. One who wants to be rich  should turn north, and the lamp's purpose is to shine by the power of the Torah analysis, and it is known that earning a living successfully requires that he must precede it with intensive Torah study because it is impossible to be acquired without great effort. In contrast wealth can happen entirely from the merit of Torah study which he did previously, He can in fact  obtain wealth and honor from Torah study. This alluded to by this verse since it indicates that the table which has no unique purpose is to be placed at the north wall and that is for the purpose of parnossa. And then the menorah is placed in front of the table, that is, those who have a livelihood will influence the Torah workers who come to obtain the power of the menorah. And then they will have the second purpose of the table  which results from being placed on the north side, from where gold and royal honor come

15 comments:

  1. Such is the way [of a life] of Torah: you shall eat bread with salt, and rationed water shall you drink; you shall sleep on the ground, your life will be one of privation, and in Torah shall you labor. If you do this, “Happy shall you be and it shall be good for you” (Psalms 128:2): “Happy shall you be” in this world, “and it shall be good for you” in the world to come

    So the Champagne socialist Gedolim began already a long time ago.
    I'm wondering why Scholem was so insulting to Rav Israel Rizhiner, who sat on a gold throne..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bubba maises. He didn't have a throne. That is just stupid.

      Delete
    2. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5275677/jewish/The-Life-and-Teachings-of-the-Holy-Ruzhiner-Rebbe.htm

      He needed wealth to make others wealthy... that's good, but hareidim today want to destroy others, and be wealthy themselves.

      Delete
    3. Like I said, there is no mention of any gold throne, because that's just ridiculous.

      when a tzaddik lives with wealth, it creates a ripple effect and bestows wealth to all. Despite all that, he never enjoyed it. He only did it to help other people

      Delete
    4. it's an interesting concept, similar to Skver of today - but the money goes from the rich followers to the rebbe - do poor people suddenly become rich from being Skver?
      There is a sephardi minhag to auction peticha of the Aron kodesh on Rosh Hashanah - for wealth - but only the most wealthy can afford it. I have never seen anyone pay to cover a poor man for this segulah.

      Delete
    5. There are no homeless or hungry Skver Chassidim and their chesed and hachnosas orchim is legendary. Same with most Chassidim. Why not meet some and make friends rather than cast stones?

      Delete
    6. New Square (Yiddish: שיכון סקווירא, romanized: Shikun Skvir) is an all-Hasidic village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Hillcrest, east of Viola, south of New Hempstead, and west of New City. As of the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 9,679.[2] Its inhabitants are predominantly members of the Skverer Hasidic movement who seek to maintain a Hasidic lifestyle disconnected from the secular world. It is the poorest town (measured by median income) in New York, and the eighth poorest in the United States. It also has the highest poverty rate, at 64.4%.[3]
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Square,_New_York

      Delete
    7. I am not casting stones, I am questioning whether these schemes have any material benefit to the people or not. Plus, the mishnah I quoted from Avot gives a very different picture from the one you present, on how a Torah scholar's lifestyle should be.

      Delete
    8. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/07/18/archives/new-square-poorest-but-its-hasidim-do-not-live-by-bread-alone-new.html

      Delete
    9. > when a tzaddik lives with wealth, it creates a ripple effect and bestows wealth to all.

      I heard that Lenin and Stalin said the same thing about the leaders of the communist state.

      At any rate, yes, people in New Square live fine. They live in poverty, don't have good medical or dental care, eat low quality foods and lack any luxuries but because they've been told that this is the "ticket to Heaven" they are satisfied.
      And there's something to be said about that. Are they better off than the rich guy in the mansion who's chronically unhappy with what he has and always drives himself nuts to get more? Maybe.

      Delete
    10. people in New Square live fine.
      Yes they are happy.

      They live in poverty. They are satisfied with theit lot. Most Kollel Yungeleit are below the poverty line on paper. Doesn't mean they are starving.

      don't have good medical or dental care. Where are you getting this shtus from? Skver askonim just bought a HOSPITAL. You are so biased you are blind.

      , eat low quality foods and lack any luxuries. Who says? More stereotypes?? Who needs luxurious? You are blind to what the Torah says is the preferred method of acquiring Torah

      Delete
    11. Oh, so now you suddenly accept the way of acquiring Torah. A few minutes ago it was about making the rebbe wealthy, and wealth will spread to the people. Same old Lenin style deception.

      Delete
  2. Wealth can be obtained by Torah study but not the reverse

    Sure, sure, that's why all the new Torah seforim have multiple pages with names of donors in the front, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha. Sure, Torah study is important but when the "Learn don't earn" guy shows up at my door, guess who gets the title "tzadik"?

      Delete

ANONYMOUS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE POSTED!
please use either your real name or a pseudonym.