Q #70
Is it proper for a person to want to become rich, and to do hishtadlus toward that end, or is he permitted to do only enough hishtadlus to cover his standard needs?
—Y.G. from Teveria
The shiurim of Harav Shneebalg are delivered weekly in Yiddish and Hebrew alternatively. Dial 2 then 3 (after language preference)
Excerpts from the popular shiur by Harav Yehuda Mandel shlit”a from Lakewood
What Should a Person Do in order to Become Rich?
Rav Moshe Halevi from Yerushalayim: The question is not whether it is permitted but rather whether the hishtadlus helps or not. It is brought in maseches Niddah (16b) that from the time a person is formed, it is decreed whether he will be poor or rich. But Chazal say (Niddah 70b), “What should a person do to become rich? He [Rabi Yosi ben Chanina] said: He should engage in a lot of business and should be honest in his business dealings. They said to him: Many [people] did this and were unsuccessful! Rather, he should daven to the One to Whom all riches belong.”
The Me’iri explained that this refers to someone “whose heart pulls him toward wealth,” and thus this is the proper advice: One should do spiritual hishtadlus and pray to the One to Whom all riches belong, because practical hishtadlus does not help with this.
Rav Aharon Beifus from Rechasim: Wealth is a gift from Shamayim. Sometimes, with excessive hishtadlus, a person loses what he already has. The Daas Zekeinim explains (Bamidbar 32:1) that as much as a person works and makes business, traveling far and wide and trying to force wealth to come to him, even crossing deserts and climbing mountains – none of this will make him wealthy.
Rav Yishai Meiselman from Holon: Chazal teach (Moed Katan 28a): “Life, children and sustenance are not dependent on merits, but rather on mazal.” We learn in maseches Taanis (25a) that Rabi Elazar ben Pedas experienced great difficulties with parnassah, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu told him, “Would you like Me to recreate the world, and perhaps then you’d be born at a propitious time?!”
Rav Yehuda Gewirtzman from Beit Shemesh: There is “good wealth,” which comes from the Creator of the world, and it is accompanied by peace and serenity. In contrast, there is “bad wealth,” which comes from hard work and fear. Therefore, a person should deal with parnassah, but not at the expense of his inner peace or the inner peace of his family members. If he can become wealthy in a good way and help others, that is a wonderful thing.
Rav Yitzchak Ezra Cohen from Beitar Illit adds: Hishtadlus is a curse. If you want the blessings of Hashem, don’t deal with the curse, but rather place your burden on Hashem, and do good to others.
He Has One Hundred, and He Wants Two Hundred
Rav Avigdor Rosenthal from Bnei Brak: The desire to become wealthy comes from the desire to live “the good life.” But does wealth truly guarantee a good life? The answer is no. In fact, it is usually exactly the opposite. Many wealthy people are not living lives of serenity. They are under constant pressure to earn more and more money. Chazal tell us, “One who has a hundred wants two hundred, and one who has two hundred wants four hundred.” The more money and possessions a person has, the greater is his desire for wealth. This teaches us that wealth is not found in money; it is found in other things, and as Chazal say, “Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot.”
Rav Noach Gad Weintraub from Kiryat Gat: It is appropriate for a person to live with inner peace and to depend on Hashem to give him parnassah expansively and respectably. The test of wealth is not an easy one. As it says in Koheles (5:12), wealth is often harmful to the one who has it.
Rav Mendel Strauss from Afula: The answer to this question is stated explicitly in the words of the Baal Chovos Halevavos in Shaar Habitachon chapter 4. To summarize his words: The proper way is for a person to occupy himself with whatever abilities Hashem gave him, enough for his sustenance. If it was decreed for him that he have more than his basic needs, this addition will come to him without exertion on his part. And if it was decreed for him that he have only enough for his most minimal needs, then even if all the creations in Shamayim and on earth try to bring him more, they will not be able to, no matter what they do.
Rav Shlomo Shisha from Beit Shemesh adds: The words of the Chazon Ish are well-known, that the degree of hishtadlus a person needs to do is in accordance with his level of bitachon, and practical hishtadlus does not help a person become wealthy. Therefore, he should increase his bitachon in Hashem and believe fully that if wealth is meant to be his, it will come to him without any hishtadlus on his part.
Rav Dovid Elbaz and Rav Mordechai Novrotzky from Beit Shemesh bring the words of the Chafetz Chaim, from sefer Chafetz Chaim (Introduction, mitzvas aseh 12) and the Mishnah Berurah (156:1): One should do only enough hishtadlus for his parnassah, and he must beware of the temptations of the yetzer, which tempts him to try to seek more than that.
Wealth and Honor
Rav Yosef Dushinsky from Haifa: It is permitted to want, and one needs to pay attention to this desire – to investigate and consider: Why do I want wealth? If it becomes clear to him that his goal is to attain honor or control over others, then the desire is improper. However, if his goal is to increase Torah and chessed, then the desire is a positive one. Regarding hishtadlus: If hishtadlus in this matter does not affect his avodas Hashem, then it is permitted and proper.
Rav Ahraon Schick from Bnei Brak adds that obviously the hishtadlus must be proper and honest, and one should not be among those who endanger their money and the money of others in dubious business dealings.
Rav Elad Shalit from Modi’in Illit: When a person feels a strong inner need for wealth, he is allowed to do hishtadlus for it, as he would do for any other needs.
Question for an Upcoming Newsletter:
It is customary that when marrying off daughters one gives a larger sum of money than when marrying off sons. My question is: Is it proper to say that I am not giving a larger sum for my daughter’s marriage, and trust in Hashem that she will find a proper zivug quickly nonetheless? Or perhaps, if I’m already relying on bitachon, I should commit to giving a large sum, and trust that Hashem will give me the sum that I committed to?
—A.S. from Bnei Brak
