יהושע אלט Yehoshua Alt

You Are Not Your Job!

A Life That Matters

When a person says that he is making a living, what he means is that he is making an existence. Earning money is merely surviving. No matter how much money a person earns, it does not make his life meaningful.[1] Making a living means making meaningful contributions to the world. How is the world now a better place because of you? How will the world look differently by the time you exit it?

 

A chassid asked his Rebbe what his thoughts were on the age-old quandary of whether the cup was half empty or half full. The Rebbe said that the answer is obvious — the cup is completely full. It is half full of water and half full of air. People can live without water for a while but it is not possible for a person to live without air for more than a few minutes. People look at their lives and see that it is half empty but that is insignificant compared to how full it is with what matters. The air of life is your contributions to the world, the meaning you add to the world. Will anyone miss you when you leave this world? Why will they miss you? What have you achieved? What significant contributions will you leave behind in this world?

 

At the funeral of a very successful millionaire named David, the eulogizer, Jay, mentioned the wealthy man’s accomplishments. He praised David’s many great business dealings, the real estate he acquired throughout his life, the immense amount of luxury cars he owned and his brand-name watch collection.[2] Jay suddenly realized that David’s family felt embarrassed. They requested that Jay make the focus on his accomplishments in meaningful arenas such as the charity he gave and the Torah he learned.

 

Why did those present feel awkward when David’s material achievements were mentioned? The answer is because everyone wants to leave this world being remembered for their meaningful, deeper, spiritual accomplishments. Most people spend the majority of their time chasing physical matters even though they know internally that this is not the legacy they want to leave behind. Who wants to be remembered for their muscles, nice appearance or wealth? We must ask ourselves: “What do you want people to remember about you after you leave this world?” Once we obtain the answer to this, we can dedicate the rest of our days pursuing those things.

 

[1] A Holocaust survivor once synopsized the contrast of Jewish life in Europe to Jewish life in America where she moved to later in life. “In Europe, no one earned a living but we lived. Here (in America), people earn a living but they don’t live.”

[2] A chassid once asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe his opinion of him choosing to become a typist. The Rebbe retorted, “You can make a living typing, but don’t become a typist.”

I am excited to announce that my newly released book “Dazzling Money Insights: Illuminating Torah Essays about Money” is now available (as a paperback and Hardcover) for purchase and delivery on Amazon at  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6P6H5B1 or by sending an email to yalt3285@gmail.com.

Rabbi Yehoshua Alt

Writer of the weekly Fascinating Insights Torah sheet in English, עברית ,אידיש and Français.

Author of Five Books including the recently released “Magnificent Marriage Insights: Captivating Torah Essays about Marriage”

To purchase any of the author’s books (hardcopy or e-book) and get it delivered to your door, please send an email to yalt3285@gmail.com or visit https://amzn.to/3eyh5xP (where you can also see the reviews).

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at yalt3285@gmail.com. Thank you.

Remazim on Maaser

Outcome of Income

There is a Torah principle that the amount of money we earn depends on how much we give.[1] If, for example, we earn $10,000 and give $1,000 to maaser, then the following year Hashem may give us $15,000 so that we can give $1,500 to maaser. If, however, we then give $1,700 to charity, then we may receive $17,000 the next year.

If we cut back and give only $1,700, which is proportionately less than before, then Hashem may do the same to us.[2] This is in accordance with the principle of mida k’neged mida, meaning Hashem metes out “measure for measure.”[3] It could turn out that the amount of maaser a person originally gave ($1,000) now becomes his base income. This is one explanation in the words, v’ish es kedoshov lo yihyu,[4] the amount of money he gave to maaser (kedoshov) may now be his salary (lo yihyu).

A fascinating allusion is found in the words, aseir te’aseir, you shall surely tithe.[5] The words aseir te’aseir can be hyper-literally translated into “tithe (aseir) tuv, ayin, sin, reish (i.e., the letters of te’aseir).” What do we get when we take a tithe of ten percent from the letters that comprise the word te’aseir?

As shown in the chart below, the numerical value of tuv is 400. One-tenth of that is 40, which is equivalent to the gematria of the letter mem. The next letter is ayin, which equals 70. One-tenth of 70 is 7, which is the gematria of zayin. Following that is shin which equals 300, and one-tenth of 300 is 30, the gematria of lamed. Lastly, reish is 200, and 1/10 of 200 is 20, the same as the gematria of chof.

 

Numerical Value (x)tuv = 400ayin = 70shin = 300reish = 200
One-tenth of the amount (x/10)4073020
Letter whose gematria equals x/10memzayinlamedchof

 

The upshot of all this is that taking a ten percent tithe of the letters that comprise the word te’aseir results in the word mazalcha (spelled mem, zayin, lamed, chof), “your mazel!” This hints to the fact that the amount of money you give adds up to what you will receive in return.[6]

Looking at the word nassan (spelled nun, tuv, nun), give, we notice that it is a palindrome, meaning it is spelled the same forwards and backwards. This alludes to the notion that what a person gives to charity, he will receive in return.[7]

Another hint to this is found in the word mamon, money, as the hidden letters are the same as the revealed letters. That is to say: mem spelled out is mem-mem, vav is vav-vav, and nun is nun-nun.

The words aseir (spelled ayin, sin, reish), tithe, and osher (spelled ayin, shin reish), wealth, are essentially spelled the same, but there is a slight difference between them. In the word osher, the letter shin has a dot on the right side, whereas in the word aseir, the letter sin has a dot on the left. With this in mind, we can understand the pasuk, im hasmeol v’amina v’im hayamin v’asmeila,[8] which literally means “if you choose the left, then I will go to the right, and if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” For the purposes of our discussion, this can be expounded to mean that if you go left (i.e., you place the dot on the left so that it becomes the letter sin and creates the word aseir) and tithe, then Hashem says, “I will go right” (i.e., place the dot on the right so that it becomes the letter shin and creates the word osher) and [grant] wealth. On the other hand, if you go right, osher, and do not give proper maaser, then Hashem says, “I will go left,” aseir, your livelihood may be the amount of maaser you once gave.[9]

 

[1] See Sefer Hachinuch, 480. In this way, we can explain yesh mefazer v’nosaf od (Mishlei 11:24), there is a person who gives money and gets more. Money spent on doing Hashem’s will can bring a person additional wealth.

[2] See Taanis 9a, Tosafos. Hashem may test us with a little to see what we would do with a lot.

[3] The Baal Shem Tov would remark about the words Hashem tzilcha (Tehillim 121:5), Hashem is your shadow, that just as a shadow does what a person is doing, so too Hashem acts in accordance with the way we act. This is just as chazal (Shabbos 151b) say that one who is compassionate to Hashem’s creatures is shown compassion by Heaven (Kedushas Levi, Beshalach, s.v. v’hinei yadua).

[4] Bamidbar 5:10. See Rashi there. Simply this means, “A man’s holies shall be his.”

[5] Devarim 14:22.

[6] The gemara (Shabbos 104a) mentions an Alphabetical code known as a”t ba”sh, in which the first letter, alef, is exchanged for the last letter, tuv. The second letter, beis, is exchanged for the second to last letter, shin. This system follows that pattern. In this system, the word tzedakah results in the same letters being returned in coded form (tzedakah). This, again, alludes to the fact that the amount of money you give is what you will receive in return.

[7] See the Baal Haturim to Shemos 30:12. Also Shemos Rabba 36:3.

[8] Breishis 13:9. The simple meaning is that Avraham said to Lot, “If you go left, then I will go right and if you go right, then I will go left.”

[9] In this way, the Sifsei Tazdikim explains b’smola osher, at its left, wealth (Mishlei 3:16): If you put the dot on the left (to create the letter sin, and thus yield the word aseir), meaning you give maaser, then osher, wealth comes.

As we have arrived at the final stages before publication, this is the final opportunity for dedications for the book about money, titled “Dazzling money Insights” (cover attached). Don’t miss out on the Dedication Opportunities, which can be given from Maiser money. It can be L’Ilui Nishmas, L’Refuah Shleima, an advertisement for a business, in honor of a special occasion or any other dedication that your heart desires. This is in addition to sharing in the merit of the Torah learned by each reader. For more information or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at yalt3285@gmail.com. Donations can also be given via credit card by clicking “Donate” at https://bit.ly/3oXYp2P. Any amount is welcome.

Rabbi Yehoshua Alt

Writer of the weekly Fascinating Insights Torah sheet in English, עברית ,אידיש and Français.

Author of Five Books including the recently released “Magnificent Marriage Insights: Captivating Torah Essays about Marriage”

To purchase any of the author’s books (hardcopy or e-book) and get it delivered to your door, please send an email to yalt3285@gmail.com or visit https://amzn.to/3eyh5xP (where you can also see the reviews).

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at yalt3285@gmail.com. Thank you.

Shevet Halevi Advocates Financial Planning

Financial Future

Is it incumbent for a family to plan financially for the future? R’ Shmuel Wosner[1] writes, “It is obvious that for something that is the nature of the world, such as old age or marrying off children… it is a mitzvah to prepare in advance so that he will not become dependent on others.”

We can compare this to Yosef who saved from the years of plenty for the years of famine.[2] Likewise, a person should save up money for the time that he will have a large expense such as making a wedding.

Being independent financially is undeniably a Torah value. In Birchas Hamazon, we request not to make us in need of the gifts of humans or their loans — v’na al tatzricheinu Hashem Elokainu lo lidei matnas basar v’dam v’lo lidei halvasam. We see this idea elsewhere in the gemara[3] that cautions against becoming financially dependent on people.

Lack of financial planning translates into decisions being made by default rather than proactively. Inevitably, this nearly always results in a constant struggle to make ends meet, the inability to save and tension in the house. The saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” We should merit to correctly plan financially.

 

[1] Shevet Halevi volume 4, 1:2.

[2] Breishis 41.

[3] Shabbos 118a.
As we have arrived at the final stages before publication, this is the final opportunity for dedications for the book about money, titled “Dazzling money Insights” (cover attached). Don’t miss out on the Dedication Opportunities, which can be given from Maiser money. It can be L’Ilui Nishmas, L’Refuah Shleima, an advertisement for a business, in honor of a special occasion or any other dedication that your heart desires. This is in addition to sharing in the merit of the Torah learned by each reader. For more information or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at yalt3285@gmail.com. Donations can also be given via credit card by clicking “Donate” at https://bit.ly/3oXYp2P. Any amount is welcome.

Rabbi Yehoshua Alt

Writer of the weekly Fascinating Insights Torah sheet in English, עברית ,אידיש and Français.

Author of Five Books including the recently released “Magnificent Marriage Insights: Captivating Torah Essays about Marriage”

To purchase any of the author’s books (hardcopy or e-book) and get it delivered to your door, please send an email to yalt3285@gmail.com or visit https://amzn.to/3eyh5xP (where you can also see the reviews).

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at yalt3285@gmail.com. Thank you.

R’ Yaakov Kamenetzky: ‘We Have Yet to Reclaim European EREV Shabbos…’

Erev Shabbos

R’ Pam[1] once remarked that what he missed from Europe was the Erev Shabbos. “Chatzos came and people stopped their activities, focusing entirely on the holy Shabbos. People would come to shul early and say Shir Hashirim, learn a sefer on the parsha and so on. You felt Shabbos entering.” R’ Yaakov Kamenetzky expressed it in this way: “At the beginning of the 1900s, there was Chillul Shabbos in America. Over the years we recaptured the Shabbos. However, we have yet to reclaim the Erev Shabbos.”

Preparing for Shabbos is biblical[2] as it says v’hayah ba’yom ha’shishi v’haichinu es asher yaviu,[3] on the sixth day when they prepare what they bring.[4] The importance of preparing for Shabbos is shown in the gemara[5] that says Eliyahu will not come on Erev Shabbos[6] because of the difficulties this would impose on those who would need to interrupt their Shabbos preparations to greet him.

We know that there is a distinct Yetzer Hara for arguing and getting angry on Erev Shabbos. This is portrayed in the story related in the gemara[7] of two people whom the Satan regularly incited so that during every twilight period on Erev Shabbos they fought with one another… What is the origin of this Yetzer Hara? Because the first sin occurred on Erev Shabbos, the Yetzer Hara has dominance then. We can be in such a rush on Erev Shabbos that it can lead to quarreling. Indeed, the word nachash, the snake who was the instigator of the first sin, is rooted in chish, to act quickly, rush.[8] To counter this, we need to be ready early.

Erev Shabbos should be peaceful and not rushed. Then we can live up to v’zakeinu l’kabel Shabbasos mitoch rov simcha, to receive Shabbos amid abundant gladness.[9] This can be attained by following a unique interpretation of meis b’Erev Shabbos siman yafeh lo:[10] make yourself like you are dead on Erev Shabbos. Meaning, that you only deal with matters of Shabbos so that Shabbos can be brought in early and without tension.

We say in Kabbalas Shabbos pnei Shabbos nekablah, let us welcome the Shabbos presence.[11] Another explanation is to put on your Shabbos face (pnei Shabbos). All week a person walks around with expressions of anxiety, tension and the like. But on Shabbos we should feel as if all our work is done and that our worries are gone. Our faces should radiate tranquility. This is how we should welcome (nekablah) Shabbos.[12]

We need to be ready with time to greet Shabbos. We should live up to the words likros Shabbos lechu v’nalchah, let us go welcome Shabbos.[13] The Rambam[14] writes that …a person should wrap himself in tzitzis and sit with proper respect, waiting to receive Shabbos as one goes out to greet a king. R’ Chanina would wrap himself in finery and stand towards evening on Friday and say bo’u v’naitzei likros Shabbos hamalka, come, let us go out to greet Shabbos the queen. R’ Yanai would put on his Shabbos clothes on Friday and say boi kallah boi kallah.[15]

One can already feel Shabbos on Erev Shabbos. Indeed, the word Erev (Shabbos) means mixture like ta’aroves since Erev Shabbos has the kedusha of Shabbos mixed into it and one can already feel it on Erev Shabbos.[16] The Meor Einayim would actually feel Shabbos through his Shabbos preparations such as the Mikva and the like. Once, on Erev Shabbos after his preparations, he still felt some kedusha lacking. He then realized he was wearing his weekday socks!

[1] In 1993, a Sefer Torah was written to coincide with R’ Pam’s 80th birthday. Posters with R’ Pam’s picture were posted informing people of the event. Rebbetzin Pam noticed a poster with her husbands’ picture on their block and she felt it violated the privacy of her neighbors, most of whom were non-Jewish. Since it was late at night, she decided that in the morning she would remove the poster, but the next day she noticed that the sign was gone. Nevertheless, she still felt an apology was due at least to the neighbor whose house was closest to the sign. She went to apologize to the neighbor (Just to get a picture of who these neighbors were: They were Italian and owned a huge German Shepherd dog. Their son who also lived there was a lieutenant in the police force.) explaining that she didn’t post the sign but she felt it was a violation of their privacy. Rebbetzin Pam said that the sign was gone although she was unaware of who removed it. Her neighbor interjected and said, “We live next to R’ Pam all these years and are so enamored with him, as we never met anyone like him. We admire him! All this time we wanted a picture of him in our house and now the opportunity arrived when we saw that poster. We are the ones who removed it from the outside to have it in our dining room!” And so it was: This Italian family with their big dog and lieutenant son had a picture of R’ Pam hanging in their dining room!

[2] See Biur Halacha 250, s.v. yashkim. See there regarding one going shopping prior to Shacharis on Friday because preparing for Shabbos is biblical in contrast to tefilla which is Rabbinical.

[3] Shemos 16:5. So, we should bake and cook what we wish to: es asher tofu eifu v’es asher tevashlu ba’sheilu (Shemos 16:23).

[4] The holy Amoraim would prepare for Shabbos in their way. To name just a couple: Rava would salt fish for Shabbos whereas R’ Huna would light lamps (Shabbos 119a. See the Rambam, Hilchos Shabbos 30:6). This shows happiness and anticipation for Shabbos. This isn’t just for Friday but the entire week like we see with Shamai. Beis Shamai said from Sunday, one should prepare for Shabbos (Beitza 16a).

[5] Pesachim 13a, Eruvin 43b.

[6] or Erev Yom Tov.

[7] Gittin 52a.

[8] As in ki gaz chish va’naufah, for it is cut off swiftly and we fly away (Tehillim 90:10).

[9] Ribon Kol Ha’olamim on Friday night. When this is done, one can fulfill showing special warmth and love to his wife on Erev Shabbos (Mishna Brura 280:3).

[10] Kesubos 103b. The simple meaning is that if one dies on Erev Shabbos it is a good omen for him. Another explanation is that he truly lived his life and fulfilled his purpose and then died (meis b’Erev Shabbos), so that is a good omen as he is prepared for the next world, the world of Shabbos. This is similar to the idea of mi she’tarach b’Erev Shabbos yochal b’Shabbos, whoever toiled on Erev Shabbos will eat on Shabbos, meaning one who labored to perform mitzvos in this world will be rewarded in the next world (Avoda Zara 3a).

[11] The question has been raised as to why we only have Kabbalas Shabbos and not Kabbalas Yom Tov. This is because on Yom Tov, the mitzvah is to go to the house of Hashem as we are oleh l’regel. As a result, we go to Hashem. On the other hand, Shabbos is Hashem coming to us. Consequently, we go out to greet Hashem with Kabbalas Shabbos.

[12] See R’ Menachem Bentzion Zaks, the son-in-law of R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank, in his sefer Menachem Tzion.

[13] Lecha Dodi.

[14] Hilchos Shabbos 30:2.

[15] Shabbos 119a. The gemara says that one is permitted to run through the public domain just prior to Shabbos so that he can greet the incoming Shabbos and wouldn’t be liable to pay for damages (Baba Kamma 32, See the Rambam, Chovel Umazik 6:9).

[16] See Sichos Hischazkus, Chanuka, 5758, 1.

Stories of Chessed

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Shalom U’bracha!

 

I am excited to announce that the newly released book “Magnificent Marriage Insights: Captivating Torah Essays about Marriage” is now available (as a paperback and Hardcover) for purchase and delivery on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRDH7WG7 or by sending an email to yalt3285@gmail.com. This comprehensive book tackles many questions, with life-altering insights and practical approaches. The more than 60 essays found within can facilitate bringing your dating journey to a happy ending and enrich any marriage. It makes a great gift for friends, relatives, business associates and learning partners. Purchase it at https://amzn.to/3eyh5xP. Please spread the word about it.  

 

Some of the questions discussed in this book are the following.

Why do some people have a quick and smooth dating journey while others must travel along a lengthy and arduous path?

What is the Torah prescription for working on a marriage?

How are miscarriages viewed through the prism of Torah?

What is the Torah perspective on changing diapers and taking out the garbage?

Does marriage terminate with the death of a spouse?

 

This week’s article in the Jewish Tribune can be viewed and downloaded by clicking HERE.
 
This week’s edition can be viewed and downloaded in English by clicking HERE.
 
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Rabbi Yehoshua Alt

Writer of the weekly Fascinating Insights Torah sheet in English, עברית ,אידיש and Français.

Author of Five Books including the recently released “Magnificent Marriage Insights: Captivating Torah Essays about Marriage”

To purchase any of the author’s books (hardcopy or e-book) and get it delivered to your door, please send an email to yalt3285@gmail.com or visit https://amzn.to/3eyh5xP (where you can also see the reviews).

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at yalt3285@gmail.com. Thank you.