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July 2, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The hallmark of a person

Abe Novick: Up, up, and aliya

July 1, 2009

Rabbi Avi Shafran: The Road Taken

The Kosher Gourmet by Marialisa Calta: Get into the holiday spirit with these Star-Spangled desserts

June 30, 2009

Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg: What makes a great parent?

Caroline B. Glick: Ideologue-in-Chief

June 29, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Beware of 'Caveat Emptor'

Steven Emerson: ACLU pushing for more money for Hamas

June 26, 2009

Rabbi Yoni Posnick: Learn the secret to a healthy marriage from a scriptural villain

Caroline B. Glick: Barack Obama vs. International Law

June 25, 2009

Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf: The Absurd Power of Truth

Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkle's strip: Everything's Relative

June 24, 2009

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Advancement of technology is a wake-up call for humanity

The Kosher Gourmet by Andrea Weigl: Summer on a stick: Making frozen treats can be easy, creative and fun

June 23, 2009

Martin M. Bodek: 'On Surnames': And so, We Begin

Caroline B. Glick: The Obama Effect

June 22, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Working for a corrupt firm

N. Richard Greenfield : Where are American Jews?

June 19, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Emotion v. intellect

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's rare opportunity

June 18, 2009

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sometimes it is more essential to define the nature of evil than good

Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkle's strip: Everything's Relative

June 17, 2009

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The Language of Confusion

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Nothing pleases Dad more than a thick, juicy onion-smothered steak. Add home-Baked Potato Chips and …

June 16, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Career v. Careersism

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's losing streak and Israel

Richard Z. Chesnoff: ‘Palestinians’: Never Missing an Opportunity …

June 15, 2009

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: How Judea and Samaria can become 'Palestine'

Daniel Pipes: Where Netanyahu's speech failed

June 12, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Some big thoughts about not acting so big

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's High Commissioner

June 11, 2009

Victor Davis Hanson: Our historically challenged President

Mitch Albom: Beware the True Believers

Lewis Grossberger: What we learn from the new Hitler photos

June 10, 2009

Mort Zuckerman: What Obama and his advisors won't -- or refuse to -- grasp about Israel and the Muslim world

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky Lotsa pasta: Tips, techniques and (amazing) taste

June 9, 2009

Anne Bayefsky: Obama's stunning offense to Israel and the Jewish people

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: America's first Muslim president?

June 8, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Merchant must take responsibility for careless shopper?

Mark Steyn: A superpower that feeds on mediocrity cannot survive for long on leftovers from the past

Richard Z. Chesnoff: How do you say 'kumbaya' in Arabic?

June 5, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: In quest of spirituality

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's Arabian dreams

Charles Krauthammer: The Settlements Myth

June 4, 2009

Paul Greenberg: The War Comes to Little Rock

The Kosher Gourmet by Judy Hevrdejs: Splash it on! Tap your inner jazz musician and improvise when stirring up a vinaigrette

June 3, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Should terrible teacher be exposed?

Jonathan Rosenblum: The Israel Lobby: Missing in Action

June 2, 2009

Dennis Prager: The Speech President Obama Won't Dare Give in Egypt

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Pressure on Israel raises war risk

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Nov. 21, 2008 / 23 Mar-Cheshvan 5769

Money matters ...

By Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz


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Or does it? Wise words to consider during trying times


“And Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver ... four hundred shekels of silver ... .”

                        —   Genesis 23:16


After Sarah passed away, Abraham came to Ephron to purchase a burial plot. According to the Ramban (ibid., 23:9), Ephron quoted Abraham an exorbitant price, knowing that Abraham had no choice but to accept his terms.


The Ramban tells us that Abraham, with the "generosity of his heart," paid Ephron the entire sum. In what way was generosity involved? This was a business deal. Ephron was the only one who had what Abraham needed, and his price reflected that exclusivity. If Abraham wanted to bury Sarah in Ephron's field, he had no choice but to pay the price. Was Abraham really being generous?


Abraham's generosity was expressed in the manner in which he paid for this expensive purchase. He knew that the proper burial ground for Sarah was in the Cave of Machpelah, alongside Adam and Eve, and once he determined that this transaction was necessary, he did it wholeheartedly and joyously. The fact that Ephron was extorting an outlandish price and making an unreasonable profit did not affect Abraham's feelings.


Very often people determine that a certain purchase is proper, essential, and even profitable. Yet, because they cannot bear to part with their money, they choose to manage without it. Some times the price may be within reach, but they cannot bear the thought of someone else making a large profit from them. Abraham, however, was unaffected by this small-mindedness. He gave the money to Ephron with a full heart.


Abraham's actions shed light on the proper attitude we must have toward money. Perhaps if we have a clearer understanding of this outlook, it will help us through economically trying times. Money is a gift from the Divine to be used to fulfill His bidding ( mitzvos) ; therefore it cannot be frivolously spent nor should we withhold spending it when necessary.


The Chazon Ish (Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) once said that if we decide that it is necessary to buy an object, we should part with a million dollars as easily as with one dollar. Similarly, we should be as careful not to lose one dollar (which could later be used to perform a mitzvah) as we are careful not to lose many. We see this philosophy exemplified in the actions of the forefather Jacob.


In one instance, when Jacoby first met Rachel, he was absolutely penniless because he had voluntarily given away his every possession to Esau's son, Elifaz (Rashi, ibid., 29:11). On the other hand, he retraced his steps to retrieve inexpensive pottery vessels (Rashi, Genesis 32:25).


Our financial resources do not have intrinsic importance and our success in life is not to be measured by the amount we have accumulated in our bank accounts. The value of material wealth is in the deeds it enables us to perform, and it must be viewed in that context. If we lose the perspective that money is only a means to the greater end of serving the Divine and we fall in love with money for its own sake, we will drive ourselves into a life of misery and dissatisfaction.


We will never have enough, as our desires constantly outstrip our wealth. If, however, we stay objectively detached from money, we will remain a master over it and will not be enslaved by its entrapments. Our lives will be focused on the incomparable glory and beauty of the Divine's Word and our duties.

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One of America's senior Torah sages, the late Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz was the dean of the Rabbinical Seminary of America, in Queens, New York for more than 50 years. The institution has branches and affiliates all across North America and Israel.

This article was prepared by two of the sage's disciples, Rabbi Aryeh Striks and Rabbi Shimon Zehnwirth, and excerpted from the just released book, "Pinnacle of Creation: Torah insights into human nature".


Previously:

The Power of Spiritual Inertia
Our Immutable Noble Essence
The 'living dead' are all around us
We have the power to alter another's destiny — use it well
The Crowning Glory of Creation
The Divine's eternal, unconditional love
Perverting sincerity
Do 'clothes make the man'?
Divine vindictiveness?

© 2007, Mesorah Publications, Ltd.