DEUT1673 [Continued from [[DEUT918]] Deuteronomy 18:1 portion TAMARI 30-1] Although it is necessary and legitimate for man to devote himself to the accumulation of material goods, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavich taught, “Even with the greatest efforts a man cannot increase his wealth above that which the Almighty has allocated to him. A man has to do what is necessary for his livelihood but has to understand that these efforts are only marginal and that the real source of his wealth is God’s blessings.” Hayom Yom-Lubavitch (Kfar Chabad, 1972), entry for 4th of Av. It was quite obvious to the rabbis that excessive concern for material goods distorted man's spiritual priorities, and often in subtle and ingenious ways. Consider Rashi’s commentary on the biblical story of the request by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh for an inheritance in Transjordan. “The tribes of Gad and Reuben, because of their vast wealth and cattle, separated themselves from the tribes of Israel and settled outside of the Promised Land [the lands in Transjordan being better suited to large-scale ranching than the Land of Israel]. Therefore, they were exiled before all the other tribes [as they opted out, as it were, of their Divine inheritance]. They made the primary concern [their children] a marginal one and the secondary consideration [their wealth] of major importance. They said to Moses, ‘we will build stables for our flocks and cities for our children.’ (Rashi on Deut. 32:6) As will be shown in the following section, both the achievement of economic wealth and the use thereof are very strictly limited and channeled by Judaism over and above the restraint imposed by the study of the Torah. These limitations do not flow from an exalted view of poverty, however, or from an “otherworldly” philosophy. Rather, all of man's actions, including those involved in the accumulation of material goods, are to be subjected to the ethical, moral, and religious demands of the Torah, so that the individual and society can attain a state of sanctity even while carrying out the most mundane acts.

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DEUT1675 He alone governs man from the beginning of his existence and development, as it says: “Is He not your Father, Who created you? He made you and established you” (Devarim 32:6); “I have been supported by You from the womb; from my mother's belly You removed me” (Tehillim 71:6); “Have You not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?” and so on, to the end of the chapter (Iyov 10:10). Gain and loss are not controlled by man, but are in the hand of the Creator alone, as it says: “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless God has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and evil come?” (Eichah 3:37-38); “Grass dries up, flowers wither; but the word of our God stands forever” (Yeshayahu 40:8); “Surely, people are but grass” (ibid. 40:7).

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DEUT1676 In how many ways should a person hold himself to an accounting before God? I say that there are a multitude of ways in which to make such an accounting. Of these, I will point out thirty. They can clarify to a person what he owes God, if he will bring them to mind and undertake to reflect on them and remember them always. God's grace in one's very existence. 1. When a person contemplates his own existence and reflects on how he first came into being and was brought from nonexistence into existence, from nothing into a reality, not because of any prior merit, but only by God's grace, goodness, and generosity; when he recognizes that his state is more distinguished, his degree more elevated, his form nobler than those of the animal, plant or inanimate objects--he will then undertake to thank his Creator, may He be exalted. Let him draw a close analogy. Let him imagine that, when he was a nursing infant, his mother abandoned him on the street. A man, passing by, saw him and, pitying him, took him into his home. He cared for him and raised him, until he reached maturity in mind and in body. How great would be his obligation to hasten to do this man's will, honor his command, and refrain from what he forbids. How deeply indebted he would be to this man! So too, as the Creator has sheltered him and provided him with all his needs, he should follow His service and accept His commandments. The prophet took up this theme when he admonished the nation: “Is this how you repay God, you foolish and unwise people? [Is He not your Father, Who created you? He made you and established you]” (Devarim 32:6); “[He provided for them in a barren land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He sheltered and enlightened them; He protected them as the apple of His eye. Like an eagle that flutters over its young, He spread His wings and took them up, carrying them on His wings” (Devarim 32:10-11)]. Yechezkel elaborated [on this], saying: “[You were cast out into the open field in your own filth on the day of your birth.] Then I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood...” (Yechezkel 16:5-6 ), and so the rest of the passage.

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DEUT1674 … certainly this love [of God] must not be conditioned upon anything, such as loving the Creator, blessed the He, because He is good and grants wealth and success. Rather, it must be like the instinctual love of a son for his father, whereby his nature forces him and compels him to feel this way, as it says [this verse]: "Is He not your father Who acquired you?" The test of this type of love comes in times of distress and suffering. Our Sages of blessed memory have said (Berachos 54a): "'You shall love the Eternal, your God, with your whole heart and with your entire being' (Devarim 6:5) even if He takes your life;' and with all your might' (ibid.) means with all of your monetary possessions."

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DEUT1678 When we concentrate our thoughts on the majesty of the Creator, May He be exalted, on His omnipotence, wisdom, and wealth, and then turn to the weakness and deficiency of man, his imperfection, dire need, and dependence on that which supplies his wants; when we reflect on the abounding favors and kindness which the Creator, May He be exalted, has showered upon him, and how He created him, as He did, with inherent limitations -- man is dependent on and in need of that which secures his welfare, and he can attain it only by a great effort on his part -- this [too] deriving from the Creator's mercy on him, so that he come to know himself, reflect on all his affairs, and devote himself in every respect to the service of God, and so receive for it the reward of the World-to-Come, for which he was created, as we have explained in the Second Gate of this book; [when we consider all this, we realize] how much a man owes service, reference, praise, thanks, and constant glorification to the Creator, make He be exalted, in light of what men owe one another in the way of praise and gratitude, as we have explained. Is there a fool who -- having reflected on and contemplated this matter, and being willing to admit the truth to himself -- would deny that man owes all of this to the Creator, May He be exalted? Surely the sleeper will awake, and the negligent one will be roused; the ignorant will discern, and the intelligent will grasp the reality of the obligation to assume the service of God, given the clarity of the proofs, the prominence of the evidence, and the veracity of the arguments! As the prophet, peace be upon him, said concerning those who neglected to consider the assumption of the service of God, May He be exalted: “Is this how you repay God, you foolish and unwise people?” (Devarim 32:6). The obligation to assume the service of God -- incumbent on human beings in view of the bounties He continually bestows on them -- has thus been demonstrated.

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DEUT1677 See [[DEUT406]] Deuteronomy 9:7 angered TZADIK 501-3

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DEUT1679 Conditions of undertaking not to repeat the offense. The conditions of undertaking not to do so again what the Creator has forbidden are also five in number. ... 5. One should meditate on the Majesty of the Creator, May He be exalted, Whose word he defied [by] throwing off the bounds of His service and the restrictions of His Torah. He should reprove and shame himself for this, as it says: “Is this how you repay God?” (Devarim 32:6). “’With you not fear Me?’ says God” (Yirmeyahu 5:22).

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DEUT1680 One who does not trust in God mourns exceedingly if constant tragedy strikes him, if deprived of what he loves, or if denied his wishes. He saves up great stores of material wealth, as if he were secure from passing away. The fear of death departs from him, as though his days would never end and his life would never cease. He does not bear in mind his latter end, and occupies himself [solely] with this world, giving no consideration to religious interests, making no provision for his ultimate destination. His confidence that he will live a long time is the cause of his prolonged passion for the affairs of this world and his slight interest in what concerns his latter end. If a preacher admonishes him or a teacher counsels him and says to him, “How long will you neglect to give thought to the provision you should make [for your final journey], and to the concerns of your ultimate destination?” he replies, “Until I have provided for my own livelihood and needs, and those of my family-- my wife and children-- to the end of our days. Then, when I have peace, without worldly concerns, I will be free to fulfill my obligations to the Creator, and will consider making provisions for the appointed day.” ... the advocates of this attitude ... are known as the advocates of “pledge- taking.” In this they are like the businessman who, when selling on credit to someone he does not trust, asks for a pledge at the time of sale, because he fears that his client is unreliable and will be unable to pay him. ... it would be correct on your part to demand and take a pledge from your friend and equal, who has no authority over you and whose command does not obligate you. It would not, however, be correct for a hired worker to insist on receiving from his employer a security for his salary, before he has even started working for him. Certainly a servant should not insist on receiving from his master a security for his maintenance, before beginning to serve him; still less should a creature demand a pledge from his Creator, before beginning to serve Him.” What a thought! For a servant to serve his master on condition that he be paid for his services is considered disgraceful, as they said: “Be not like servants who serve the master on condition of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve the master not on condition of receiving a reward” (Avos 1:3 ); All the more so if he dared to ask for a pledge to secure his maintenance, before beginning to serve him. Of such conduct Scripture says: “Is this how you repay God, you foolish and unwise people?” (Devarim 32:6).

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DEUT1681 (Continued from [[DEUT874]] Deuteronomy 17:8 baffling DUTIES 27-9). The second [way] is from the verse: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Hashem is the God of the universe, Creator of the ends of the earth” (Yeshayahu 40:28). [the first phrase] “Do you not know?” refers to knowledge gained from rational argument; [the second phrase] “Have you not heard?” refers to what has been passed down to us, what we rely on from tradition. There is also a verse which says “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Were you not told from the very beginning?” (ibid. 40: 21). Here, too, knowledge gained from rational argument is mentioned before knowledge gained from tradition and transmission. So has Moshe, our Master, said: “Is this how you repay God, you foolish and unwise people?... Remember the days of old, reflect on the years of generations past. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will relate it ” (Devarim 32:6-7 ). This is further proof of what we have said. Although tradition is the first thing that is taught to students, for that is what they need first, nevertheless, it would be halfhearted to rely exclusively on that tradition, if one is capable of attaining certainty by way of rational argument. One should reflect on what is learned by way of the intellect, and bring proofs in constructing an argument which careful judgment would support.

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DEUT1682 See [[DEUT141]] Deuteronomy 4:39 understand DUTIES 665-7

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