Materialism

From Halachipedia

Value 1: Positive Value of Money

  1. Chullin 91a states the the righteous value their wealth more than their bodies because they don't acquire anything that's stolen.
  2. Having wealth is a precondition for becoming a prophet[1] or a Judge[2].

Value 2: Not an end in itself

  1. Juggler and the king's first chapter deals with in depth the notion that a person should make sure he's not trapped in the illusion of materialism or the rat race. Rav Dessler also writes how some people become trapped into this ideology to the extent that they become the mascot for the yetzer hara, promoting the idea that the harder they work, the more successful they are.
  2. Without the correct attitude, materialism is addictive[3] and becomes a focus instead of a tool.

Yishuv Hadaat

  1. rambam - ability to learn better

In order to serve him better

  1. rambam - that's the reason that hashem gives us physical brachot in the first place
  2. Rebbe Yehuda HaNasi on his deathbed raised his ten fingers and declared that he made sure that he always used his finעers to learn Torah and never benefited from this world with even one finger.[4]
  3. using physicality to serve him better makes the physical into spiritual - b'chol darchecha, rambam s"a

To keep oneself healthy

  1. There's a mitzvah to keep one's body healthy.[5]
  2. Excess piety to the extent that it means denying oneself the basics and becomes unhealthy is sinful.[6]

Value 3: Enjoying from Hashem's world

  1. Hashem is going to ask us in the future why we didn't enjoy from his world. rav hirsch on avot 3 about looking at a tree during learning.

Value 4: Sufficiency for the Essentials

  1. Avot - im ein kemach ein torah
  2. Avot - kol torah sheyeshi imo derech eretz . See Parnasa page about the value of parnasa.

How to Balance spirituality and physicality?

Mesilat yesharim - only involving yourself in physicality according to your need and no more. [7]

Being happy with what you have

  1. crucial key to being a happy person. avot. rav dessler.

Sources

  1. ↑ Nedarim 38a. However, the Rambam takes this gemara out of context to say that a navi needs to have a broad mind but not technically wealthy.
  2. ↑ Ketubot 105b
  3. ↑ A person doesn't die with half of his desires fulfilled, Sanhedrin 107
  4. ↑ Ketubot 104a. Nonetheless, one should note that Rebbe was so blessed with wealth that Chazal (Brachot 57a) state he always had good vegetables on his table all year round.
  5. ↑ Rambam based on the pasuk "nishmartem moed et nafshoteychem". Taanit 22.
  6. ↑ Ibn Ezra Kohelet 7:16, Yerushalmi Peah 8:8 towards the end, Orchot Tzadikim (Shaar HaGavah s.v. HaDerech HaYashara), Tanit 11a
  7. ↑ Mesillat Yesharim ch. 13 "Biur Midat Perishut"
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