A Profitable Savings Plan: Accumulating Mitzvot for the Soul

King David says: "Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will take nothing; his glory will not descend after him." (Psalms 49)

Our Sages say (Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat 14): Why are all creatures of the world compared to a weasel? "Just as this weasel drags and stores, not knowing for whom it stores, so are all the inhabitants of the world: they drag and store, not knowing for whom they are storing. They will amass but not know who will gather them."

The weasel differs from other predatory animals. The latter hunt their prey when hungry, quickly carry it in their mouths or on their backs, and eat it. But the weasel accumulates much more food than it needs, exerting great effort for it. Since it lacks the strength to carry the food in its hands or mouth, it must laboriously drag it along the ground. And after all this effort, it stores the food in a hole, only for another creature like it, a weasel or mouse, to come and take it away. So all its effort was in vain!

Similarly, man works hard to earn a living. However, he is not satisfied with just what he needs to live, but tries to accumulate more and more money. He expends all his energy and time for this purpose, but often doesn't enjoy the money at all, instead leaving it for others, and his labor returns upon his own head. (Based on the author's commentary on Ein Yaakov for the Jerusalem Talmud)

Rambam already wrote (in the introduction to Seder Zeraim, end of part 6): "There is no madness in the world comparable to the madness of man." The Rambam describes how a person toils and labors, travels for days, takes risks, etc., to increase and profit. And when he gathers enough money, he begins to distribute it to craftsmen to build him a structure on the navel of the earth, that will stand for many years, etc. "Yet he knows that not enough of his life remains to build even a structure made of reeds... Is there any foolishness and madness like this?!"

The book "HaMidrash V'HaMaaseh" (Bereishit) comments on this: If man has a permanent dwelling, it is only in his final resting place, in the house appointed for all living. And the Sages said (Moed Katan 9b): "In this world you are a guest; the World to Come is your home." But there, all his secure palaces will neither benefit nor be needed by him. For whom, then, is he toiling?! ... Indeed, there is a hidden purpose to Providence, which uses the actions of these "madmen," but woe to these madmen for whom this purpose brings no benefit! [Meaning, there is benefit from Hashem in everything they do and their "madness," but the benefit is not directed toward them. As King Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 2:26): "To the sinner He has given the task of gathering and amassing - to give to one who is good in Hashem's sight"].

However -

There is a type of financial investment that is particularly profitable and rewarding:

"Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor who are cast out to your house; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Hashem will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 58:7)

"The charity you have done will go before you to lead you to the Garden of Eden, and the glory of Hashem will gather you to the place where the souls of the righteous are stored." (Metzudat David)

The Talmud relates about "King Monobaz," who, during a time of famine and shortage, opened his kingdom's treasuries and distributed generously to everyone in need. His household told him: "What your fathers and forefathers saved over hundreds of years, you are squandering in a short time!" He replied to them: "My fathers stored treasures below, while I am storing above. My fathers stored in a place where human hands can reach and damage, while I store in a place beyond human reach. My fathers stored for this world, while I store for the World to Come. My fathers stored for others, while I have stored for myself!" (Bava Batra 11a)

Customarily, when a person earns 1,000 shekels and sets aside 100 shekels for tithing, he records in his ledger that he now has 900 shekels. But in truth, he should record that he now has 100 shekels, because from those 900 shekels he will spend on his livelihood and after some time nothing will remain, while the 100 shekels he set aside for tithing will remain his forever.

The Correct Report

It is told about Don Isaac Abravanel, who was the finance minister of the King of Spain. The king loved and honored him greatly, but there were envious gentile ministers who were jealous of his success and tried in every way to hinder him. One of these ministers repeatedly whispered in the king's ear that Don Isaac Abravanel was embezzling state funds for himself, and that there should be close monitoring of all the finances under his responsibility. These words gradually penetrated the king's heart, and he decided to investigate. He summoned Don Isaac and asked him to prepare a detailed report of all his personal wealth and assets.

A few days later, Don Isaac approached the king with an organized report. The king looked at the final total and exclaimed angrily: "Lies and deception! Now I see that my suspicions are confirmed. Your true wealth is at least ten times what is written here!" Don Isaac Abravanel responded and explained: "My lord the king, the moment you opened a file on me, I knew I could not easily escape it. For any report I submit, the ministers who are plotting against me will immediately raise questions and arguments, trying to find ways to trap me and discover my 'embezzled funds,' as it were. Therefore, I decided to prepare a completely different report. A report of my true wealth. Not of the wealth visible to the eye, which you, my lord the king, could confiscate in one day. But rather a report of the charity and kindness I have given throughout my life. Only this is my true wealth, which no one can take from me. Here - every coin, every shekel, truly belongs to me - forever."

Not the thousands of gold and silver that you have accumulated or that you have scattered in your sensual pleasures and all the desires of your soul in the glory of human pride. Not these! Only that small coin with which you satisfied a hungry soul - when you come to stand before the throne of Hashem. That coin with which you satisfied a hungry soul, covered your brother's nakedness, and rescued the wretched from distress. (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch - Horeb)

Rabbi Bachya testifies (in his book Shulchan Arba): We have heard with our ears, and many have told me, about the great people of Spain and the hospitable leaders, who practiced a very honorable custom that spread among them from ancient days: the table on which they fed the poor, when they departed to their eternal home, they would make from it a coffin and boards in which they would be buried. All this to awaken and fix in people's hearts that a person, even if his peak reaches the clouds [heaven], and his wealth rises to that of King Solomon, peace be upon him, will carry nothing in his hand from all his labor under the sun, except the good and charity he does, when he has compassion on the poor, as the verse says: "And your righteousness shall go before you."