The Man Who Wouldn’t Give

“There was once an extremely wealthy man,” began Rabbi Yaakov Edelstein in one of his talks. “When he turned sixty, he decided it was time to stop working and start enjoying life. He moved to Ramat HaSharon and built himself a beautiful, luxurious villa. At the time, houses like his weren’t common there—multiple floors, fully modern, and surrounded by elegance.”

He spent his days relaxing and enjoying life. Each morning, he’d head to the beach. He spent hours there, fishing with friends, grilling what they caught, enjoying fine drinks, and relaxing in the comfort of his success.

One day, someone approached Rabbi Edelstein with a heartfelt request. He needed a large sum of money to help fulfill a mitzvah (a good deed or commandment). He had heard about the wealthy man and his generous means, and he hoped the rabbi could join him in asking for support.

“So we went to his home and presented the situation,” Rabbi Edelstein continued. “The man listened and then began to speak. ‘Every penny I made, I earned honestly,’ he said. ‘I became independent when I was just twelve years old. I left my parents’ home in Russia and started working with my own two hands. First, I did construction. Later, I got a contract with the British Army. I built tents and army bases for them—and that’s when I really made my fortune.’”

Rabbi Edelstein added, “He was, indeed, an honest man.”

The wealthy man went on: “Nobody helped me back then, so I don’t see why I need to help anyone now. I have everything I need. I built a quiet, comfortable home for myself. I planted beautiful trees. And now I’m simply enjoying what I earned. This is how I want to finish my life. So in principle, I’m not willing to share my money with others.”

“We explained that this was a mitzvah,” Rabbi Edelstein said gently, “a way to show gratitude to Hashem for the blessings he had been given. But the man just shook his head. He said he didn’t believe in any of it. At that point, there wasn’t much more we could do. We thanked him and left.”

But the story didn’t end there.

“The future he had planned for himself—well, it seems the heavenly court had heard his words,” Rabbi Edelstein said. “Because how much can one person really enjoy on their own? And for how long?”

Not long afterward, the man fell seriously ill. It was a devastating diagnosis. From that point on, he began to use up the fortune he had spent a lifetime building.

“His wife came to me one day and said, ‘Today I sold a three-story house just so we could pay for the newest treatments, for a special mattress, for the latest medications.’”

In just three years, nearly all of his wealth was gone. “He used up everything—just as he said he would,” Rabbi Edelstein said sadly. “He had planned to enjoy the fruits of his labor in retirement, thinking that’s when his ‘World to Come’ would begin. But he made a painful mistake.”

Rabbi Edelstein concluded with a message that echoed deeply: “A person is born to work—not only when he’s young, but also when he’s older. We are never too old to serve Hashem. The real fruits of our labor are tasted only after this life—in the World to Come—through the good we did for others, the mitzvot we kept, the kindness we shared. That’s what truly lasts.”

Story courtesy of Ner L’Shulchan Shabbat