Financial Independence

Translated from Rabbi Arush’s feature article in the weekly Chut shel Chessed newsletter. The articles focus on his main message: “Loving others as yourself” and emuna. 

Joy Produces More Joy 

The simcha (joy) of the month of Adar doesn’t end after Purim; it only begins. And becomes better, and even more better. More simcha and more simcha. 

The simcha of Adar is intrinsically different from the sadness of the month of Av. During Av we lessen our joy – but only until Tisha B’Av (the ninth of the month) and no longer. Indeed, immediately after Tisha B’Av we celebrate the 15th of Av – which was, in the past, one of the most joyous days for our people. But in Adar we continue to add more simcha, even after Purim. 

It is the Gemara in Taanit that says, “When Adar begins, one increases rejoicing”.¹ Rashi says about this that “These were days of miracles for Yisrael, Purim and Pesach.” You might ask, What’s the connection to Pesach? But we can understand from Rashi that Purim and Pesach are one long process of simcha. 

This process begins already on Shabbat Shekalim, before rosh Chodesh Adar, continues on with Rosh Chodesh Adar, when one increases the rejoicing, and from there goes on to the tremendous simcha of Purim, and from the joyousness of Purim one merits Parashat Para, which we will read this week, preparing us for the joyous days of the month of Nissan, and Pesach. 

And so, the days of Nissan are all days of tremendous joy, and no tachanun (supplication of compassion that follows Sacharit; also called Nefilat apayim – falling on face) is said for the entire month. There are those whose custom is not to go to the cemetery all that month, even on the yahrzeit of a deceased, and we do not fast during Nissan. Some say that even a bride and groom, who normally fast on their wedding day, do not fast if the wedding takes place during Nissan.  

Life and Freedom 

Pesach, therefore, is “the festival of freedom”, because freedom and simcha are the same thing, as Rabbeinu says, “Because simcha is the world of freedom, in the sense of ‘For with joy you will go out’;^2a by being joyous one becomes free and leaves the galut (exile).”^2b 

That is what’s hinted to by Rabbeinu Hakadosh when he says, “For Purim, too, is certainly a path and way to Pesach.”³ In other words, the months of Adar and Nissan and the holidays of Purim and Pesach are all one long process of simcha, miracles and geula (redemption). 

And what is the biggest bondage that distances a person completely from any freedom? 

The greatest bondage is money, the craving for money. All sadness comes upon a person through  this craving, as Rabbeinu says on the passuk: “with sadness you will eat from it”⁴ – those are the people who fall into the craving for money and don’t believe that the Holy One, Blessed Be He, can easily provide a person with a livelihood; they expend much effort in chasing after money, and they are called the ‘eaters of bread with sadness’” – these people are anfin chashuchin mara shechora – their faces are dark, their lives are dark, and about them it is said, “He has seated me in darkness,”⁵ which is the peak of galut, the peak of death. 

So, the curse regarding livelihood leveled on Adam HaRishon is the root of sadness and the root of the decree of death placed upon him; and when one rectifies the craving for money one receives not only freedom and a face of light and joy, but also life itself. 

Whoever Runs Away from Money, Money Chases After Him 

That is why Rabbeinu says that on Pesach one rectifies the desire for money. Because if one doesn’t, it is impossible to go free. Moshe had to plead with the Jewish people to take advantage of the Egyptians and take from them gold and silver and garments, because they had managed to rectify the craving for money and didn’t want it at all. Moreover, because they had rectified completely this craving, they merited extreme wealth – every Jew left Egypt with ninety Libyan donkeys carrying the gold and silver of Egypt.  

Rabbi Natan explains that the main tumah (impurity) of Egypt was the craving for money and that’s why they worshiped the Nile River where all their sustenance came from. They also worshiped sheep and goats, because they are called ashtarot – they enriched (ma’ashir) their owners. And that is why the Jews had to slaughter and sacrifice sheep and goats, which are the ultimate symbol of the craving for money.  

A Person’s Generosity Widens His Path 

This is how the Sefat Emet explains the mishnah that says, “On the first day of Adar they make a proclamation regarding the [half] shekels and kilayim (planting a mixture of crops).”⁶ according to the simple understanding, there is no connection between the half-shekels that are given and kilayim – the shekels were intended for the Beit Mikdash, to cover the costs of the new sacrifices starting from Rosh Chodesh Nissan. That is why they announced their collection on Rosh Chodesh Adar, and the kilayim grow in the vineyards at the end of the rainy season, which is also during Adar. It would seem it is just a coincidence that these two issues come up at the same time.  

But the Sefat Emet brings here a very deep and novel idea and says that there is an essential connection between them: 

Kilayim comes from the word kele (jail), being arrested, slavery and subjugation. And on the first day of Adar, one must start increasing one’s simcha. The Jews ask, how is this done? How can one be so happy in a galut that is so hard? 

The mishna explains: Spend shekels, in other words, give tzedakah with a good and generous heart, and donate money to the Beit Hamikdash – and, as a side result, you will rectify the craving for money, and you will be able to release yourself from the “jail” called money. 

The Sefat Emet goes on to explain that that is the secret of the great joy of the month of Adar: Because we rectify the craving for money, we get out of jail and become freer and freer people every day – thus achieving joy. Also, the heart is straightened out by the generous giving and so the passuk “and to the straight of heart – joy [is given]”⁷ is fulfilled in us. Perhaps one can say that that is the reason that we always read the parashot (weekly Torah portions) describing the donation to the Mishkan during these days of Adar. 

Here is what the Sefat Emet says: “Because in the month of Adar, when all of Bnei Yisrael brought their shekels, a great opportune time began. And also, because the time awakens the hearts of Bnei Yisrael to donate to Hashem yitbarach. And both of them are true. This brings renewal in its wake, because “a person’s generosity widens his path”. According to what a person gives of himself, he extricates himself from all meitzarim (tight places). And this is ‘regarding the kilayim’, as it says in the Holy Zohar – it is like paying money to have oneself released from jail. And that is preparation for Pesach. Because now too [in other words, in our times, when we don’t actually donate shekels, still] there is the will and the donation:  Bnei Yisrael are willing to give the shekels, even though they can’t do so in actuality. And therefore, it brings simcha, as it is written, “And to the straight of the heart – joy”, because when one is freed from the yetzer hara, one achieves straightness of the heart.”⁸

There’s What to Look Forward To 

Therefore, the entire process of Adar is a process of tzedakah and of giving: Starting from the shekels on rosh chodesh, continuing with the matanot la’evyonim (gifts to the poor) on Purim, and on to giving tzedakah to poor people for their Pesach expenses, known as me’ot chitin, or kimcha d’Pischa, immediately after Purim. The continuum of giving and tzedakah and the breaking of the craving for money runs parallel to increasing and intensifying simcha. 

And within this process, the Para Aduma (red heifer) plays a central role. Because the pur (of Purim) becomes a para. Sadness is death, and according to Rabbeinu the craving for money is a tumah that brings death upon a person. And that is why the Para Aduma is expensive, because it is the rectification of the death decreed upon the world together with the craving for money and the sadness.  

When we rectify the desire for money and wish to increase joy more and more and rise further from the peaks of joy of Purim to the peaks of joy of Nissan, we need the cleansing effect of the Para – to uproot all tumah caused by the dead and gain a new life, a life of simcha, as Rabbeinu says that simcha is life, which is why it says about Yaakov Avinu, “The spirit of Yaakov their father was filled with new life.”⁹ When he heard that Yosef was alive, he regained his simcha. 

Also, the Para has the aspect of joy arising from the good points, as Rabbi Natan explains in the first halacha in his book Likutei Halachot. The good points are the secret of true simcha, and that is the greatest piece of advice of Rabbeinu Hakadosh as to how to achieve true simcha. 

The main point arising from this essay is that if you were happy on Purim and enjoyed the day, don’t think it is already behind you. Oh no – there is what to look forward to and what to do to continue to increase simcha. We are looking forward to more simcha and even more simcha, to good tidings and Geula and miracles for all Jews. This is the time to increase simcha, and by doing so we will merit to do teshuva out of love and to have the complete Geula with great mercy. 

Editor’s Notes:

¹ Mishnah, Tractate Taanit, Chapter 4, Mishnah 6 

^2a Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:12 

^2b Likutei Moharan II, Torah 10:2 

³ Likutei Moharan II, Torah 74 

⁴ Bereishit (Genesis) 3:17 

⁵ Eichah (Lamentations) 3:6 

⁶ Mishnah Shekalim 1:1 

⁷ Tehillim (Psalms) 97:11 

⁸ Sefat Emet, Shekels 1914 

⁹ Bereishit 45:27