בָּעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים צָרִיךְ לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא לְמַטָּה מִמֶּנּוּ, וּלְהוֹדוֹת לְה' יִתְבָּרֵךְ כִּי טוֹב עַל חַסְדוֹ אִתּוֹ עִמּוֹ. בָּעִנְיָנִים הָרוּחָנִיִּים צָרִיךְ לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ וּלְהִתְחַנֵן לְה' שֶׁיִתֵּן לוֹ דֵעָה טוֹבָה לְהִתְלַמֵּד מִמֶּנּוּ וְכֹחַ וְעוֹז שֶׁיוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת בְּעִלּוּי.

In material matters, a person should look at someone lower [i.e., less fortunate] than himself, and thank G‑d, Who is gracious, for His kindness to him.

In spiritual matters, a person should look at someone who is on a higher level than himself, and petition G‑d to grant him the proper understanding to learn from that person, and the strength and fortitude to elevate himself, level after level.1

Living as a Chassid

When a person realizes his own unworthiness in the face of G‑d’s greatness and compassion, he expects nothing, and is grateful for all that G‑d gives him.

In spiritual matters, by contrast,2 one cannot be so passive. Not only should one be aware and grateful for the gifts that G‑d grants him; he must actively seek to grow and demand more of himself in every way possible.

The Rebbe continually roused people out of their complacency. He convinced them that in fact they were capable of accomplishing far more than what they were presently accustomed to doing. And this actually empowered them to do so — as the successes of his thousands of emissaries around the world are proving, day by day.

So, too, a certain prominent philanthropist once informed the Rebbe that he had decided to contribute a quarter of a million dollars, no less, to the local Chabad House. The Rebbe responded with a warm smile and said, “Tell me, did you really think I was going to be satisfied with that…?”

In spiritual endeavors, likewise. As the Torah specifies,3 the sin-offering that a rich man had to bring to the Beis HaMikdash was a lamb or a kid; a poorer man could be atoned by bringing an offering of two doves; someone who could not afford even that could bring a modest offering of wheat meal. That, too, would be acceptable Above. Now, what if a poor man somehow managed to bring the offering of a rich man? And what if a rich man decided to bring the offering of a poor man?

The Rebbe used to quote4 the bottom line of the Sages concerning this variable sin-offering:5 “A poor man who brings the offering of a rich man has discharged his obligation; a rich man who brings the offering of a poor man has not discharged his obligation.”6 In this vein, too, the Rebbe used to cite the example of Nakdimon ben Gurion.7 He was extremely generous — but since he was quite extraordinarily wealthy, even more was expected of him.

If G‑d in His kindness has been generous to someone, whether with gifts or opportunities or whatever, then surely his performance should match those gifts and opportunities. Or, in the picturesque metaphor of the Sages, “The load is proportionate to the camel.”