Money (mamon): Difference between revisions
Created page with "Money, also sometimes called mamon, damim, or ma'os, is a means of payment primarily used throughout history as coins and bills, serving as a medium of exchange for purchasing and paying for goods, labor services, and more. According to halacha, in most Torah laws 'something worth money is like money itself' (shaveh kesef k'kesef), and any payment a person is required to make can be paid with an item of equivalent monetary value. Many mitzvos are connected with money,..." |
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== In Chassidic Teachings == | == In Chassidic Teachings == | ||
In Chassidic teachings, it is explained that money's central role in human daily life is due to the high spiritual nitzotzos (sparks) contained within it. Proper use of money refines and clarifies these nitzotzos and elevates them to kedusha. Many letters in Igeres Hakodesh in the Tanya are dedicated to explaining the virtue of using money for tzedakah. | In Chassidic teachings, it is explained that money's central role in human daily life is due to the high spiritual nitzotzos (sparks) contained within it. Proper use of money refines and clarifies these nitzotzos and elevates them to kedusha. Many letters in Igeres Hakodesh in the Tanya are dedicated to explaining the virtue of using money for tzedakah<ref>Likkutei Sichos Volume 12 - Parshas Behar</ref>. | ||
Not only is dealing with money not rejected, but moreover, there is a mitzvah to lend to a non-Jew with interest, since as long as it doesn't harm another Jew, a Jew should take every possible approach to accumulate as much money as possible, handle it properly, and thereby elevate as many nitzotzos of kedusha as possible. | Not only is dealing with money not rejected, but moreover, there is a mitzvah to lend to a non-Jew with interest, since as long as it doesn't harm another Jew, a Jew should take every possible approach to accumulate as much money as possible, handle it properly, and thereby elevate as many nitzotzos of kedusha as possible. | ||
Similarly, Chassidus explains Yosef's actions in gathering all the world's money during the years of famine - by doing so he helped the Jewish people clarify the many nitzotzos instead of having to wander and collect them from places they were scattered. Through gathering the money, most of the nitzotzos were collected, and the Jewish people extracted and redeemed them during Yetzias Mitzrayim. This is the reason the command to 'empty out' Egypt through 'borrowing' silver and gold is repeated multiple times in the Torah. | Similarly, Chassidus explains<ref>Ohr Torah by the Maggid of Mezeritch page 202</ref> Yosef's actions in gathering all the world's money during the years of famine - by doing so he helped the Jewish people clarify the many nitzotzos instead of having to wander and collect them from places they were scattered. Through gathering the money, most of the nitzotzos were collected, and the Jewish people extracted and redeemed them during Yetzias Mitzrayim. This is the reason the command to 'empty out' Egypt through 'borrowing' silver and gold is repeated multiple times in the Torah<ref>In total, the children of Israel clarified 202 sparks during the exodus from Egypt, out of the 288 general sparks that fell during the breaking of the vessels, as hinted in the verse "and a '''great''' mixed multitude went up with them," with the gematria of 202 (seventy percent).</ref>. | ||
This is how Chassidus explains why Yaakov Avinu went back across the river at the crossing of Yabok and endangered himself to save small vessels left across the river - because tzaddikim cherish their possessions due to the nitzotzos contained within them. | This is how Chassidus explains why Yaakov Avinu went back across the river at the crossing of Yabok and endangered himself to save small vessels left across the river - because tzaddikim cherish their possessions due to the nitzotzos contained within them. | ||
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* Dmei Chanukah | * Dmei Chanukah | ||
* Ma'os Chitim | * Ma'os Chitim | ||
== External Links == | |||
* [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5786562/jewish/Money-Kesef.htm '''Money - An Inner Perspective''', from the book 'People of the Word' (English)] | |||
== References == | |||
[[Category:Concepts in The Lens of Chassidus]] | |||
[[he:כסף (ממון)]] | |||