G‑d then told Moses to inform the Jewish people how G‑d would provide them with material bounty in the Land of Israel. But G‑d also cautioned them that should they overindulge in this wealth, it would cause them to rebel against Him.
The Challenge of Wealth
וַיִּשְׁמַן יְשֻׁרוּן וַיִּבְעָט וגו':
(דברים לב:טו)
[Moses said,] “The [formerly] upright people became fat and kicked.”
Deuteronomy 32:15
There is nothing wrong with wealth per se, as long as we take the necessary steps to ensure that we retain the proper perspective. We should answer the challenge of wealth by striving all the more to refine our human-animal natures, taking care not to indulge in excess mundane gratification – material or cultural. We can then refine the world, as well, by shining the light of the Torah outward,1 using the blessings of wealth for their intended purposes: to support and further the study of the Torah and the dissemination of Judaism.2
If we encounter someone who has “gotten fat and kicked,” we should not give up hope, since even the most disinterested Jew remains a Jew at heart, and the light of truth will penetrate even the hardest barrier.3
Good🌹Morning!
The Late Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, of righteous memory, stated that the Rebbe's, of righteous memory, Shofar was not a sad sound like many believe it to be. He states that the Rambam, of righteous memory, said that it is a "wake-up call. You only have one life, MAKE a DIFFERENCE (underscore)!" When we hear the sound of the Shofar, according to Rabbi Sacks, it conveys that our lives and the world's lives are balanced between good and bad, and our next "mitzvah" can tip the balance. We are each blessed with a gift from GD. For some, it's an abundance of financial prosperity. Your next "mitzvah" can transform and CHANGE the world. This is what the sound of the Rebbe's Shofar taught the Jewish Nation. "Let the sunlight in your universe and love in your heart CHANGE the world with your gift(s), be it money or otherwise, into something "GOOD." Tomorrow will always be tomorrow, but TODAY is always NOW. Thank you.
Baruch HaShem,
L'Shanah Tovah 🌹