The Secret to Lasting Joy: What a Rabbi Taught a King About True Wealth

It is told of a respected rabbi who served as Minister of Finance in the court of a non-Jewish king. The previous minister, who had been removed from his post, had long whispered slanderous accusations in the king’s ear, claiming that the Jewish minister was stealing from the royal treasury and had become rich through corruption. Eventually, the king decided to investigate.

One day, the king unexpectedly turned to the rabbi and declared, “You will not leave here until you submit a complete statement listing all of your private assets!” He intended to verify what the rabbi owned and whether he had acquired his wealth dishonestly.

To the king’s surprise, the rabbi calmly replied, “There’s no need for me to prepare anything. It’s all written in my notebook.” He pulled a small ledger from his coat and read aloud: “In total, my private assets amount to $27,000.”

The king was enraged. “That cannot be! Just your house alone is worth far more than that! You’re trying to deceive me!” Convinced now of the previous minister’s accusations, the king ordered the rabbi thrown into prison and signed a decree to confiscate all his property for the royal treasury.

Later, after his anger had cooled, the king began to ponder. “This rabbi is a wise man. That’s why I appointed him in the first place. Could he really have thought he could lie about something so easily disproven? There must be something deeper behind his words.” He ordered the rabbi brought before him once again.

With a calm smile, the rabbi explained, “Your Majesty asked me to declare my private wealth. According to my Jewish faith, this world is temporary, and the possessions we have here are not truly ours. After all, with a single signature, you were able to take all of it from me. How can something that can be taken in an instant be called ‘mine’?

“Look,” he said, holding up the ledger. “This is the book where I record the money I’ve given to charity. That is my true wealth- something no one can take from me. That is what I will carry with me into eternal life.”

The king, moved by the rabbi’s perspective, began to see how this healthy view of life brought him joy and allowed him to face every situation with a pleasant attitude. As our sages teach: “Who is rich? One who is happy with his portion.” In this light, one can reverse the question: “Who is happy? One who feels rich with his portion.” True joy comes from recognizing that what you have is exactly what fulfills you.

Sukkot: The Festival of Temporary Dwellings

This parable helps us understand why Sukkot, the holiday that symbolizes the temporary nature of life, is called “the Festival of Our Joy”. At first glance, the concepts of impermanence and joy seem unrelated, but they are in fact deeply connected.

Throughout the year, people live in their sturdy homes, whereas on Sukkot, both the wealthy and the poor leave their houses to dwell in fragile huts made of branches. This shared experience leads everyone to reflect: the entire world is temporary, and nothing we own is truly permanent. Only our good deeds accompany us forever. And even in this temporary setting, life continues as normal.

This reflection awakens true joy, for people begin to realize that most of the causes of sadness in life are rooted in illusions and attachments to things that won’t last. Why grieve over something you were never meant to keep?

How to Achieve True Joy

By contemplating the impermanence of the world, anyone can attain genuine happiness. Knowing what is essential and what is secondary helps a person understand that even life’s difficulties serve a higher purpose, even if their reason is not yet revealed.

At the same time, the wealthy businessmen of the world, busy with their serious transactions, begin to resemble children playing make-believe games of ownership. When a child loses his “possessions,” he may cry in frustration. But an adult playing along with the game smiles, knowing that the “loss” is truly meaningless.

A Simple Practice for Lasting Joy

Train yourself to thank your Creator for all the beauty in the world and the many gifts you’ve received. As King David expresses in his Psalms- such as “Bless the Lord, O my soul” and “The Lord is my Shepherd”- gratitude opens the heart to joy.

The more a person becomes accustomed to this outlook, the more he lives with clarity and appreciation, untouched by temporary sadness or distractions. This principle also applies to prayer: always begin by thanking G-d for the past, and only then ask for what you need in the future. This not only makes one worthy of receiving more blessing, but also ensures a life filled with ongoing joy.