HOME | CONTACT US | DONATE LoginLOGIN Ask the RabbiASK THE RABBI
Chabad.org - Torah, Judaism and Jewish Info Daily Dose of Wisdom
 
Chabad.org » Inspiration & Entertainment » Daily Dose of Wisdom » Bringing Heaven Down to Earth » Making A Living » Anxiety








PrintSend this page to a friendShare thisComment14 Comments



Book Title Bringing Heaven Down to Earth
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
« Previous Next »

65. Anxiety

Working for a living is good. It's the anxiety over making a living that is not good.

Don't let your inner self get involved in your business. That inner self must be preserved for fulfilling your purpose in life. Making lots of money is not your purpose in life.

« Previous
Next »

PrintSend this page to a friendShare thisComment14 Comments

Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. To order Rabbi Freeman’s book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here.

The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.
 

14 Comments Posted  |  Post A Comment
Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Anxiety
I have learnt recently that one must not waste their energy on craving to win a big prize on the lottery. Sure it would be lovely to clear an unaffordable mortgage and credit card bills and bank overdrafts. The Almighty has more important things to do than get six balls out to match my selection. He has to keep the Universe Together. This is a full time job. Just a slight distraction and an earthquake rocks the planet or a flood sweeps a village away. We are made in the Almighty's image. When I am distracted from my work craving for a jackpot win my productivity drops. You see there are parallels.

I suffer from anxiety and when I allow this to take hold it leads on to depression. The fact is if one goes over their overdraft limit one is bitten by the snake. It hurts and if one misses a mortgage repayment things can get very bad.

I have a big mortgage and large balances on my credit cards and overdrafts. I can not help the fact that this position is eroding my inner self.
Posted By Anonymous, Leeds, UK
via judaismlive.com

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Anxiety
Thank you. You have saved me for another day by allowing me to "take hold" of myself. Yes, money can and should be used for good. Yes, many (I am included) are in situations where meeting the bills is a major problem. Today, while I await the plumber in the hopes of not flooding the piano, and my bank account to which I have made several deposits is reading negative (which is up to me to prove the errors), and still recovering from the knowledge that my husband dropped me off for an appointment and neglected to turn on his cell phone and left me stranded for a couple of hours, I am reminded by your posting that "anxiety" is what WE make of each moment and negativity must not take control of us. We must remove the chaos based on how and why the chaos seems to exist in our life at this time. To me, negativity is a major opponent which will and can take us off course of our purpose, if we fail to recognize it. That is how I understood the initial posting. Thank you, I hope it helps.
Posted By Faith Savitt, New Hope, MN

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Thanks!
Thanks for the advice! I will always keep this in mind.

Regards.
Posted By Shahid

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
money
Guess who got out of Europe before and during WW II? The Jews with money. Not that some well off Jews didn't perish. Rather that the ones without money did not get out. And yes some poor Jews did survive and were liberated by the Allies. Bottom line, money is not everything, but it sure helps. Given a choice between rich and poor, likely 95 % pick rich. How they give charity can range from 0% to 20%.
Success and blessings to those that are presently struggling.
Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Work anxiety
Good afternoon Rabbi Zvi,

Your article makes it sound as though a purpose in making money is a negative. But why? Money is important and when you have a lot of it you can give a lot away.

I think the key word you used is purpose. But if my purpose is making a lot of money in the best way I can..isn't that OK?
Posted By ingride lewis, kfar saba, israel

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Purpose
Amen.
Posted By Anonymous, Antioch, California

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
Making a living
Good message, bad timing. Many of us are in a situation in which we don't get to decide whether to make a lot of money or just sufficient money. Meeting the bills is becoming a major problem.
Posted By Anonymous, Elkins Park, PA

Posted: Aug 9, 2010
anxiety
I guess it depends on how you define anxiety. If i am a civil servant and have a cheque rolling in every two weeks, why worry. I don't know how it works with rabbis, but they must be on some type of payroll and not self-employed, so why worry. If i am a business owner, there is certainly anxiety to keep a roof over the heads of my family, food and clothing etc.
Posted By Anonymous, WC

Posted: Feb 7, 2009
Business
That is exacty what I was doing wrong.

I was putting not just some of my inner self into the idea of making a living, but all of it.

Then I wondered why my connection was suffering.

It's supposed to be neutral, intellecutal, and clinical, and boring like a doctor, then there will be plenty of originality and vibrancy for what matters, like mitzvot and kindness.

As for employers denegrading shabbot, I wish I knew the answer to that too.

Maybe tshuvah for what is allowing them to do it, like finding out the reason you are angry or under their power and appologizing for it.

It sounds counter intuitive, but it just might work because in that case you are taking responsibility for the problem, even though you are not causing it...that puts the power back in your court.
Posted By Anonymous, Ottawa, on

Posted: Feb 6, 2009
related
Everything needs a balance. See my response to the question Why is my self-esteem tied up with my career?
Posted By Tzvi Freeman, Thornhill, Ontario



 


Making A Living
Unlimited Channels
Attitude
The System
Tailors
Joseph
Work
Anxiety
The Ark
The Mighty Waters
Who Will Win
Toil
Matching Worlds
Following Advice
Stay Calm
Believing in G-d
Full Index...
Showing 1 - 15 of 27

Search Bringing Heaven Down to Earth
 
Follow Us:   Find Us On Facebook Follow Us on Twitter RSS Feeds

Chabad.org is a division of the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center · Under the auspices of the Lubavitch World Headquarters
In everlasting memory of our founder, Rabbi Yosef Y. Kazen, pioneer of Torah, Judaism and Jewish information on the web
© 2001-2012 Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center