Treasures

Treasures

"I despised all my achievements laboring under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who succeeds me. And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish." Ecc 2:18-19

The Rabbis relate this story:

There was a king, who in a time of famine depleted the royal treasury to feed the people. His family converged upon him. "What are you doing? Our ancestors saved all that money and you are squandering it!"

The king said, "Our ancestors hoarded money here on earth, where it can be plundered. I am not squandering it. Rather, I am storing it in heaven where it is beyond the reach of human hands."

Of course we will try to provide for our children even after we are gone. We will leave them whatever we have, and many people feel 'the more, the better'. This seems reasonable, but we need to point out how many people were ruined because they inherited wealth? If they spend the money foolishly, then we will have lost on both fronts. We may not have given enough to YHVH's work which would have benefited us as well as others, and the squandering of money by children who did not work for it is detrimental to them. "Under the sun" means earthly things rather than heavenly or spiritual goals that extend "above the sun."

A man was begging for alms and a rabbi whom he solicited said, "Why are you begging? Your father was wealthy. Did he not leave you his money?"

"He left me nothing" the man said.

"But he left some of his money with me for safekeeping. It is yours, because you are his heir. Take it and you will have no need to beg" the rabbi said.

"No" the man said. "I happen to know that my father transacted dishonestly. I would rather beg than partake of money acquired through deceit."
The rabbi was stunned. "If so," he said, "then you are one of the saintliest people I know. I ask you to pray for us, because I know that your prayers will be answered."

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