Tuesday 9 June 2015

money - How can R' Yochanan derive from Moshe that wealth is needed in order for someone to have G-d's presence rest on him?


The Talmud (Nedarim 38A) says:



אמר ר' יוחנן אין הקב"ה משרה שכינתו אלא על גבור ועשיר וחכם ועניו וכולן ממשה‏


R' Yochanan said, G-d only rests his presence on one who is strong, rich, wise, and humble. We learn [these traits are a prerequisite] all from Moshe.



The Talmud proves that Moshe was wealthy because G-d told him to keep the leftover sapphire from the second tablets, which he was commanded to carve.


However, G-d had rested his presence on Moshe long before he carved the second tablets, while Moshe was still in Midyan. If so, being wealthy was not a prerequisite for Moshe (The Talmud - Sotah 13A - Tells us that Moshe did not gather wealth when the rest of the Jews did).



If that's the case, how can R' Yochanan learn from Moshe that wealth is a prerequisite?



Answer



Rabbi Yaakov Emden asks your question as well. He answers that the "wealth" referred to here is wealth of wisdom ("de'ah"), which is the true wealth. Although you need knowledge ("chachmah") even not counting the wealth, the "chachmah" refers to knowledge (I guess he means secular knowledge). [*] And the reason the gemara brings the proof as him having gotten the sapphire, this is because he merited to get the sapphire because of the de'ah that he had.


[*] "De'ah" on the other hand, refers to satisfaction. He feels as if he has all the money in the world, and doesn't desire any more. This is true wealth, and one who has this satisfaction will merit to be truly wealthy, even monetarily.


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