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bs"d.

Tuesday, Iyar 11, 5766 / May 9, 2006 (26th day of the Omer)

This Shabbat we will study the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avot.   
The chapter begins, "Ben Zoma said: "Who is wise? He who learns 
from every person...Who is strong? He who subdues his [evil] 
inclination...  Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot...   
Who is honored? He who honors others..." 

"Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot."  Some explain this as
follows: "Rich" in Hebrew is "Ashir."  

The four letters of the Hebrew word Ashir (Ayen, Shin, Yud, Reish) 
can serve as an acronym for the words, Ainayim (eyes), 
Shinayim (teeth), Yadayim (hands), Raglayim (feet).  

In this context, one should consider themselves rich when his/her 
body is in working order.   This in itself should make a person feel 
wealthy even if one lacks in monetary wealth and possessions.  
True wealth and happiness should be measured not in how much 
we have but in the quality of life we make with what we have.

In this chapter of Pirkei Avot we also find the following teaching of
the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Elazar Hakapar: "Envy, lust and honor
-seeking drive a person from the world."  

Rabbi Elazar Hakapar tells us that these three character traits 
are not only morally wrong, but also physically harmful, for they 
harm the person who engages in them.  A person who has envy, 
lust and a desire for honor will be a very unhappy person.  
These traits drive people to jeopardize their health, which in turn, 
"drive a person from the world."

When one is not envious of those who have more wealth, but instead 
are happy with their lot in life, then they are indeed wealthy.  
At the same time, one who does not seek recognition but is happy, 
content and gives honor, is indeed honored and will be healthier and 
live longer.

The story is told of a  miser who put all his money in a pot and buried
it in the ground so that no one could take it away from him.

One day he went to retrieve his money, but to his great shock, 
he found that someone stole all his money and instead left him a 
pot full of rocks. The miser walked around crying, tearing the hair 
from his head and bemoaning his terrible situation.  

One of his friends, trying to console him asked, 
"Why are you so upset? After all you never had any benefit of your 
wealth. You never used your money, nor will you ever spend it for 
yourself or for anyone else.  So why are you so upset?  
You wouldn't have had any use of your money anyway?"

To this the miser replied, "True, for myself it doesn't really make a
difference whether the pot is full of gold coins or rocks, I will have
no benefit from either.  What hurts me is that someone else out 
there is benefiting from my money.  This hurts more than anything 
else!"

To help remind us on a daily basis of our true wealth, our sages
instituted a series of blessings which we recite each morning.   
We bless and thank G-d for returning our soul refreshed for the new 
day.  We thank G-d for giving us the power to see, to move our limbs, 
to stand, to walk etc. etc.
These blessings make us aware at the beginning of each day of how
fortunate we really are and help us focus on the many blessings 
we receive each minute of each day.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

***********************
Leilu Nishmas: Reb David ben Asher Lemil HaKohen, z"l
Reb Chaim Yoel Shmuel ben Asher Lemil HaKohen, z"l & 
Breindel Sheindel bas Reb Yitzchak, z"l. 
****************************

************************************
Rabbi Zalmen Marozov

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