The Avodah Zarah of Pursuing Money
Pursuing Money Excessively Is Like Avodah Zarah
We find a yesod in the Rishonim, elaborated upon in the sifrei chassidus, stating that the yetzer hara of the pursuit of money is just like the yetzer hara of avodas zarah, R”l.
A well-known sefer, Orchos Chaim l’HaRosh contains mussar teachings from the holy Rosh. In Chapter 29, the Rosh writes, זהב תשים אל זרה, עבודה תחלת זאת כי כסלך do not make money your security, for this is the beginning of avodah zarah.
A similar teaching is espoused by Rabbi Chaim ben Bezalel, a brother of the Maharal, who writes in Sefer HaChaim (Ch. 5): תמו ספו עכשיו כי הוא שגם והזהב, הכסף עבודת כגון באו, מקרוב וחדשים קדם, מימי היו אשר הזרות העבודות יחשב, זרה עבודה בכלל for now the avodah zarahs of the past have ceased, and new ones have come in their place—such as the toil for silver and gold, which is also considered avodah zarah.
The Yetzer Hara of Avodah Zarah Has a New Mission
Furthermore, Rabbi Elazar of Lizensk, a son of the No’am Elimelech, asked regarding the Gemara (Yoma 68b) which states that the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah killed the yetzer hara of avodah zarah, how can an angel—composed of pure ruach—be killed? And Rabbi Elazar answers that indeed, the malach wasn’t killed; he only received a new mission (thus, for all intents and purposes, he ceased to exist)! He was given the mission of luring people into mindlessly pursuing wealth and money. This is the new mission of the yetzer hara of avodah zarah—because the ta’avah for avodah zarah is similar to that of the pursuit of money.
That is, the angel continues to do a similar mission. It was simply changed a little bit... but it’s a similar mission.
The Root of Ta’avah for Money Is Lack of Reliance on Hashem
Indeed, this is brought from talmidim of the Ba’al Shem Tov that avodah zarah and pursuing money both stem from the same root, and if we learn Chovos HaLevavos, we see this clearly: The essence of avodah zarah is to rely on forces and entities other than the Ribbono shel Olam, instead of relying solely on Him.
And the same applies to someone who pursues money excessively. Instead of relying on the Ribbono shel Olam for one’s needs, he relies on his money for security. That’s essentially what he is doing.
It’s frightening to say it, because we’re so connected to this inyan. But it is the truth. When we pursue money, we place our trust in inanimate objects... as though money will help us in life.
Ta’avah for Money Is a Major Nisayon in Our Generation
The problem is that we don’t think about the great pitfall that lies in the pursuit of money. When we speak of the nisyonos of our generation, we will invariably address many other nisyonos... but not money. Some will even wonder: Money? Please talk about something else...this is not the problem of our generation!”
But the Chovos HaLevavos isn’t so sure... he tells us: If people would be close to the Ribbono shel Olam, all the nisyonos of the generation would fall away! If we would stop running after money, then we would draw our chiyus from the Aibishter, and automatically the other nisyonos would be taken care of. Because when we’re close to Hashem, and we receive our chiyus from Above, we aren’t dragged down. But if our chiyus, chas v’shalom, comes from other sources, of course the body will be dragged down to forbidden things... because he is drawing sustenance from avodah zarah, R”l.
The Two Ta’avos Are Interconnected
It is for this reason, the sefarim hakedoshim tell us, that the lust for money and the ta’avah for forbidden things are connected. We saw this regarding Bila’am, and with others: The two ta’avos are similar and connected—their root is the same.
And the explanation for it is very simple: When a person wants to calm himself and draw some chiyus when he’s stressed, if he draws his serenity from the Source of Life, then wonderful, that’s the right way to live! But if he draws his security and serenity from other sources, such as his money, such a person can easily be dragged to other ta’avos as well.
When It Comes to Money, The Inner Essence Is Revealed
This is the reason that Chazal tell us (Eruvin 65b) that the character of a person is revealed when it comes to his money, his drink, and his anger—because here is where his essence is revealed.
When a person engages in Torah discussions, it’s a wonderful thing, but this is still not where his essence is revealed. If you want to know where a person is truly holding, look at how he acts when it comes to money. You will see if he draws his strength from bitachon in the Ribbono shel Olam or whether he places his trust in his money in the bank.
The topic of money is connected to the deepest aspects of the nefesh. The Chovos HaLevavos establishes the following rule: If you want to be an ehrlicher Yid, you will only be able to do so through bitachon! Whether or not you have money—the first and most important thing is to have trust in Hashem Yisbarach.
Drawers May Be Filled with Money, But in the Heart—Not a Penny
The Proper Attitude Toward Money
A person may ask: l’maiseh, we all need parnassah; we need money with which to support our families. There is so much need, and it requires a shefah of money.... To answer this, we turn to an incredible vort from Rav Shimon’l Zelichover (Naharei Aish, Ch. 227): “In a Yiddishe drawer, there should be lots of money—but in his heart, there shouldn’t be even a penny.”
With this one line, the tzaddik has illuminated our eyes to be able to understand properly the peshat in the Chovos HaLevavos: No one is suggesting that a Yid shouldn’t have money in the bank. No one is advocating, chas v’shalom, a life of poverty. We’re discussing the heart of a person! Upon what are you reliant?
We constantly daven that we shouldn’t need to rely upon the gifts of humans comprised of flesh and blood.... Chazal tell us that הנהנה גדול שמים, מירא יותר כפו מיגיע one who lives off his own hard work is greater than a yerei Shamayim (Berachos 8a). Surely, a Yid must have his needs fulfilled with great breadth—for the effects of poverty can, chas v’shalom, destroy a person’s peace of mind, and he won’t be able to serve Hashem properly through Torah and tefillah.
The Bank Account Full—The Heart Empty
The holy Chozeh of Lublin would storm the Heavens so that Yidden would have valises filled with money. The Rebbe Rebbe Mendel of Rimanov said Torah on Parashas Haman for twenty-two years in order to effect a shefah of parnassah for Yidden. Did these holy and illustrious tzaddikim want Yidden to fall prey to the avodah zarah of money, chas v’shalom? Of course not! Yiddishe drawers should always be filled with money.
In our times, when cash is not used as much on a daily basis, we need to say it a bit differently: Yiddishe bank accounts should be filled with money. But the idea of bitachon is that the heart should be completely empty of money! A Yid must toil with a great avodah to remove money—and thoughts and preoccupation with money—from his heart. The ba’al bitachon doesn’t possess even a penny in his heart!
Bitachon Brings Shefah
To the contrary: The more you will remove the thoughts and preoccupation with money from your heart—the more your drawers and bank accounts will be filled with money. This is the way the Ribbono shel Olam created the world; as long as a person’s heart is “filled with money,” he can’t properly be connected with Hashem, and he shuts the conduits of shefah... thus, the money can’t arrive in his account.
Says the Chovos HaLevavos: do yourself a favor and have bitachon in Hashem. Work on your heart to have bitachon, and then you will have a shefah, and you’ll be able to organize your life and your affairs with peace of mind! You must grasp the idea that you can’t be a proper Yid without being a ba’al bitachon—not only because without bitachon you will be submerged in the pursuit of money: Without bitachon you won’t have money to marry off your children; for bitachon is the conduit for shefah!
Work on Your Bitachon—Because You Need Money!
One will say, “Please don’t tell me all these Chovos HaLevavos concepts right now.... Do you know that I am making a wedding next week?! I have to run to work and roll up my sleeves... I have to do my hishtadlus!”
Says the Chovos HaLevavos: Tzaddikel! You can’t do things this way ... because you need to marry of your child! If you won’t have bitachon, you won’t have a shefah! Run away from these silly thoughts... change your heart! If you need money, change your heart, and you will have all your needs... and you’ll be able to serve Hashem with a clear heart and peace of mind.
When we daven the words באמת, לעבדך לבנו וטהר purify our hearts so we may serve you with truth, what do we have in mind? Usually, we think of kedushah matters or other impediments to avodas Hashem. But the truth is that we need lots of cleansing of money from our heart! It is impossible to serve Hashem properly when the heart is filled with such an avodah zarah!
The First Rule: Reiterate Thoughts of Bitachon
So, what is the eitzah for us to work on our hearts? Surely, the answer is not to stop working for our parnassah. That would be contrary to everything the Chovos HaLevavos has taught us! If someone neglects his hishtadlus, it means that he hasn’t grasped the idea of bitachon!
So, what is the avodah? Simply to learn Chovos HaLevavos and review thoughts of emunah and bitachon in our minds, which will have the effect of strengthening us in the right approach: The mind will influence the heart.
The Second Rule: One Is Shaped by His Actions
But this alone is not sufficient, because we find ourselves in a “world of action,” and the heart is very strongly influenced by the actions that we take: הלבבות, נמשכים הפעולות ואחר פעולותיו כפי נפעל אדם one is shaped by his deeds, and the hearts are drawn after one’s actions (Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 16).
You want your heart to be cleansed of money? Do you want to merit a true באמת? לעבדך לבנו וטהר Then you must take actions that will influence your heart. What kind of actions?! For this, we have a Gemara and a piece of Kedushas Levi that explains it.
Distributing One’s Money Is an Expression of Bitachon
Chazal tell us, צדקה, מהן יעשה מצומצמין, שמזונותיו אדם רואה אם if one sees that money is tight, he should [take the money that he does have and] give it away to tzedakah (Gittin 7a). Yes, take your little bit of money and give it away to others. This will help you!
Why is it this way? Says the holy Kedushas Levi (Pirushei Agados Bava Basra Perek HaSefinah)—one of our great masters and teachers in the area of bitachon, who elucidated and explained many ideas of bitachon in his teachings—it is very simple: When a Yid distributes his money generously, he performs an action that illustrates that he is not reliant upon his money for his security. He needs more money, but instead he gives away the little that he does have—a counterintuitive action—because he believes that he doesn’t need money in order to achieve his yeshu’ah. This person does an action of bitachon, and through this he becomes connected with the Aibishter, and once he is davuk in the Ribbono shel Olam, he makes room for the berachah to come. With this yesod, the Kedushas Levi explains the words of Shlomo HaMelech: עוד, ונוסף מפזר יש there is one who scatters and gathers more (Mishlei 11:24). Sometimes, when a person scatters his money with bitachon in Hashem, he ends up gathering more—for this is the source of all the blessings— and he is blessed with blessings and shefah.
The Ba’al Bitachon Remains Calm When He Needs to Spend on Unexpected Expenses
A Story of Broken Glasses
The yesod of the Kedushas Levi must be taken a step further, applying it not only to tzedakah, but to every time an expense comes up. We should spend the money on these expenses with an open heart—knowing that we don’t rely on our money.
For example: A person finally gets his hands on a sum of money, which he thinks will give him a financial breather for some time. But then, a child comes home with a note that they must bring $20 to school for a gift; another few minutes go by and his wife informs him that she needs money to buy a pair of shoes for one of the children; and then his son comes home and announces that he was playing wildly in yeshivah and his glasses broke!
Now, the father loses it completely. It’s ובכעסו בכיסו all at once! “Where’s your responsibility?! Can’t you be careful?! Didn’t I just buy you these glasses?!,” He yells at the hapless boy.
“Losing It” Emanates from Lack of Bitachon
Let’s understand what happened here. The reality is that this child is... a child. And children can often be wild, and sometimes break things mistakenly.
Now, is there any question about the fact that we must buy him new glasses?! No, there is no doubt about it. And the reason the father became angry is not because he wanted to be mechanech his child. Proof of this is that if all three requests for money had not come at the same time, he wouldn’t have become so upset. The only reason why this person lost himself is because מצומצמים, מזונותיו his money is tight, and he can’t handle the fact that when he finally has a few dollars, he already has to spend it.
Spend the Money with a Smile
No one is blaming this person. We understand that he’s only human, a person of flesh and blood, who feels reliant on money. We’re simply giving him good advice. The advice is: Spend the money without a word. If a person sees that his money is tight, he should give it away to tzedakah.
Give the money to your child with a smile, and say, “We’re going to buy you new glasses, and they’re going to be better and stronger than the ones you had until now.” If you want to be mechanech your child not to be so wild, we can speak about that tomorrow. Notwithstanding the fact that, in most cases, it’s not even the child’s fault... the most important thing right now is to perform an action that will demonstrate to you, and imbue in your heart the feeling, that you’re not dependent on your money.
Everyone “Has Money” to Some Extent
The Chovos HaLevavos tells us that bitachon also applies to a person who is a ממון, בעל he possesses money... and the bitachon ensures that the ממון בעל will spend his money on Hashem and on his fellows with a willing soul and a generous spirit—because he isn’t tethered to his money, and he doesn’t rely on it for his security.
And in truth, every person is a ממון בעל in some sense, when it comes to his affairs. He may have debts and he may live on a meager budget, but when he needs a vacation, he will find the money. However, when it comes to other expenditures that he isn’t so excited about—like the expenses of his wife and children—then he’s tight... and everyone in the household is reprimanded about why they were so generous with his money....
The Problem Is When We Have Bitachon in Our Money
At the end of the day, everyone has some money. He’s just not interested in parting with it on expenses that he didn’t expect and he didn’t budget for. And this is why he becomes upset about those expenses—because he has bitachon in that money. It gives him security. And he can’t part with it.
Says the Chovos HaLevavos, a person who is a ba’al bitachon will spend the money with a willing soul and a generous spirit, and this action will in turn influence him to become a calm person in his heart and in his mind, with bitachon in Hashem, and not in his money.
The Ba’al Bitachon Doesn’t Scrimp on Necessary Expenses
This applies even to a Kollel yungerman who struggles to finish the month as he pushes to be able to remain in Kollel for another year. He does everything that he can to minimize expenses so he will be able to continue learning—and this comes from a pure place. Even he should nevertheless part with his money on necessary expenses, such as buying his wife a gift for Yom Tov, as it is written in Shulchan Aruch, “in order to bring joy into the home.” He should hand his wife money, saying, “Don’t be frugal this time! I want you to be truly happy!”
And surely, one would never be so misguided as to hold back from purchasing the traditional Shabbos food because he wants to save. It won’t even occur to him to cut back on delicious food for Shabbos.
This is the proper way for the ba’al bitachon. On the one hand, he doesn’t go overboard in his hishtadlus for money, and on the other hand, he is generous when it comes to expenses that Hashem wants him to spend on. A Yid who lives this way will always remain steadfast in his bitachon! Even when—thanks to his bitachon—he will be blessed with shefah, he will never become connected and tethered to his money. He will always feel in his heart that only the Ribbono shel Olam provides all his needs.
Never Tethered
We find that among the tzaddikim, there were two schools of thought when it came to having money. There was the derech of Rav Uri of Strelisk, for example, whose chassidim were all paupers. And when the Rebbe once said that this moment is a time when everyone can ask for whatever they want, it didn’t occur to a single chassid to ask for wealth... they would rather feel a deeper pleasure in a Baruch She’amar.
At the same time, there were many tzaddikim—beginning with Rabbeinu HaKadosh—who were very wealthy.
The common denominator between all the tzaddikim is that they had no connection to their money; it didn’t reside in their hearts.
Tzaddikim Were Extremely Distant from Money
Simpleminded people who are obsessed with money may wonder, “How is it befitting for a tzaddik to have wealth?” This is so silly. Do you know why this tzaddik had money? Because he wasn’t davuk in his money, but in Hashem! He draws his chiyus and strength from the Aibishter, and automatically his conduits of shefah were wide open.
A person who isn’t davuk to his money had an amazing life ברוחניות ובגשמיות. But it is an incredible avodah to truly untether ourselves from thoughts and preoccupation about money. There were tzaddikim—such as the Sanzer Rov—who never went to sleep at night when there was a penny left in the house, because they were afraid that if a penny remained with them, they may become reliant on that money. They preferred to begin each day with a new boost of complete reliance on Hashem. They ran from the minutest whiff of reliance on money.
We are surely not on the level of these tzaddikim. But we must at least know the truth, and we must attempt to follow their example... to seek to untether ourselves from our deveikus to money. The Chovos HaLevavos teaches us: Good times are afoot. Learn and review the tenets of bitachon, and everything will fall into place, be’ezras Hashem!
