Mountains of Money
The pasuk in Parashas Mishpatim tells us, עמי את תלוה כסף אם, when you lend money to my people (Shemos 22:24). Explain the mefarshim that while the expression of אם, if, is used—here it means when that is, we’re obligated to lend money to our brethren. It’s not optional.
Asks the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh: Why would the Torah mislead us with an expression of optionality if it’s really an obligation to lend money?
Perhaps, suggests the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, it is because one may ask: What is Hashem’s purpose in providing a person with so many unnecessary treasures of wealth? Why didn’t Hashem simply provide the person with the necessary sustenance—just as Yaakov Avinu asked for “bread to eat and clothing to wear”? While Hashem may sometimes diminish and give less than a person needs in order to cause him yissurim—what reason can there be for excessive and unnecessary wealth?
This is indeed a burning question. We know that the Ribbono shel Olam sustains every one of us and provides for all our needs. But why would He give a person far more than he needs?
A Revolving Wheel
Answers the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh: Hashem, in His great kindness, provides sustenance in ample measure to all creations. But sometimes, due to a person’s deeds, the Ribbono shel Olam withholds his needs—but He doesn’t take it back entirely—rather, He gathers it into one place, and bequeaths it to another person.
This other person isn’t necessarily a greater tzaddik than the original intended recipient, but he will sometimes be given the shefa that his neighbor needs to live. The recipient didn’t get this money because he’s brilliant at investing and earning money. The Ohr HaChaim reveals to us that every penny in a person’s possession is perfectly calculated—and if he has more than he needs, it is because he was given someone else’s shefa as a deposit.
Even if a person has two billion dollars, and then earns another fifty dollars, this is also perfectly calculated according to this cheshbon! For the sum of money in This World is in accordance with how many people there are in it and how much they need to live generously, and the money is distributed according to the aforementioned cheshbon; some people’s money is in the possession of other people.
An Imperfect World
If the world were perfect and complete, no one would have extra money, and no one would have less than they need—for why would a person have something he doesn’t need? It’s simply out of place.
But we don’t live in a perfect world—and so, some people need to stretch out their hands to their neighbor who has their money on deposit. And so, the wealthy person who feels great about his largesse and generosity isn’t giving his money to another person. It was never actually his: It was always the poor man’s. The rich man was only a messenger to give it to him.
A Brilliant World
There are two benevolent reasons Hashem has designed the world in this way, explains the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh: The first is that a person who experiences pain in This World as a result of not having enough money will arrive in the Next World purified—and this is a
