Reply To: Short & Sweet

Re’ah: Key to Contentment

Chazal famously darshan עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר – עשר בשביל שתתעשר, tithe so that you will become wealthy. R’ Shimon Schwab finds this puzzling – since when is wealth the reason we do mitzvos, or even something we should be aspiring towards at all?

R’ Schwab therefore interprets this based on another saying of Chazal: איזה הוא עשיר, השמח בחלקו. Chazal are not telling us to get rich, they are telling how to be happy with what we have.

One who is only focused on amassing wealth for himself will never be satisfied: מי שיש לו מנה, רצה מאתיים. Only when we focus on what we can give to others can material possessions bring us satisfaction.

R’ Schwab beautifully explains that this why the reward for giving tzeddaka is expressed as וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י לָכֶ֛ם בְּרָכָ֖ה עַד־בְּלִי־דָֽי, I will give you until you say “enough”. One who gives to others will be blessed with appreciation for what they have, and not want anything else.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום