People are always looking to better their lot but as long as they want more – which is just about everyone – they can never be ‘rich.’ So if career ambitions status and accumulation of money or power will never satisfy your hunger can you every truly be rich?
“Ben Zoma says who is rich? He who is happy with his portion” (Pirkei Avos 4:1). A fine familiar saying — but a cryptic one as well. People like to quote it when they feel they should be taking a break from the pursuit of worldly achievements even though they don’t really intend to be satisfied and happy with whatever they have.
At first glance it seems like a pretentious statement. The Tanna doesn’t say that one who is happy with his portion can be counted among the rich men of this world. Instead his one-dimensional question “Who is rich?” could be rephrased as “Who is the only one who is rich?” There is one categorical answer: “Hasameach b’chelko he who is happy with his portion!” He and no other.
And thus with two words Ben Zoma disqualifies most of the world’s famous men of wealth from being described as rich. Rockefeller Donald Trump Bill Gates Rothschild and all the other glittering names in the annals of fabulous financial success… yes they have money but no they aren’t rich not according to Ben Zoma.
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