Earning a Living — Earning a Life

Essay #12

We continue with quotes from “The Aleph-Bet Book.”

22) The incense in the Holy Temple brought wealth [to the one who burnt it].

23) You need not worry that someone will take away your livelihood. Against his will he will call out your name for you to take what is rightfully yours.

24) There are four things which cause a businessman's possessions to be taken away from him: if he delays paying his workers' salaries; if he outright refuses giving them their wages; if he shirks on an obligation and instead places the burden on a neighbor; and haughtiness.

25) A change of place and name improve one's livelihood.

26) Rains are withheld because of a failure to tithe the land's produce, slander, disrespectful behavior, disrupting Torah study and the crime of theft.

27) Rainfall can be restored through many prayers.

28) Faith in God will increase your livelihood.

29) When there is prosperity in the world, sickness is diminished.

30) Those who publicly pledge to charity but do not give, prevent the rains from falling.

31) Disgusting behavior in one's home leads to poverty.

32) Three things cause poverty: urinating in the nude in one's bedroom, taking lightly the enactment to wash one's hands before eating and a man's wife cursing him to his face.

33) Tithing is a segulah for increased wealth specifically in the Land of Israel.

34) Honoring the Torah and honoring the Shabbat are a segulah for wealth.

35) The olive-size helping of bitter herbs eaten on Passover is a segulah for earning a living.

36) Writing a Torah scroll is a segulah for earning a living.

37) When the daughter of a kohen marries a regular Jew or when the daughter of a Torah scholar marries an ignorant Jew, she causes her husband to suffer poverty.

38) Associating with someone while his fortune is going good will prove beneficial for one's own prosperity.

39) The person who loves God in his eating, drinking and other physical pleasures merits sustaining many nations.

40) One who despises money is rewarded with long life.

41) A person who searches for treasures hastens his own death.

42) Whoever has not rectified the sins of his youth becomes poor.

43) When a person struggles day and night in search of a living but still does not have enough, he should make amends by bringing people closer to God.

44) When a person breaks something unintentionally, it attests to his being a sinner.

45) A person who has a burning desire to work the land is certainly worthless.

46) In whatever you do, ask the Tzaddik to pray on your behalf.

47) Joy is always propitious for success.

48) A man must take heart when involved in any worldly undertaking.

49) If a person turns to God while suffering, his livelihood is doubled and will come flying into his hands like a bird.

50) For the sin of not tithing the land's produce, wages are lost and people run after their living without success.

51) The rains come on account of the individual, livelihood on account of the many, but the individual whose merit is strong has the power of many.

52) Sanctifying [the Sabbath and holidays by reciting the blessing] over wine brings the rains and causes a person's prayers to be heard.

53) When a person has in his house a Torah scroll which once belonged to his father, he is rewarded with wealth.

54) Rain falls in the merit of one man, one field and a singular blade of grass; as well as in the merit of the land, deeds of lovingkindness and because of suffering [endured].

55) Rainfall is held back because of idolatry, immorality, when a Tzaddik has not been properly eulogized and when people interfere with the livelihood of others.

56) One who suffers poverty is spared the punishment of hell.

57) Misusing God's Holy Names brings poverty and death, even to the one who can object but does not.

58) The Holy One exacts judgment on behalf of a person who has a mouthful of complaints against his neighbor and still remains silent.

59) When a person sees that his income is limited, he should give charity.

60) Anxiety and distress over one's livelihood saps a person's strength.