MONEY AND LIVELIHOOD.
21. The main reason for the economic hardships that have hit the Jewish people in recent generations is that many of the shochtim, ritual slaughterers, have not been worthy. The blessing that a worthy shochet makes at the time of slaughtering is a powerful influence on the livelihood of the whole Jewish people. The blessing elevates the living soul that was incarnated in the animal. But there are shochtim who fail to concentrate properly on the meaning of the blessing and harbor improper thoughts. A shochet like this, standing with the knife raised ready to slaughter the animal, is no better than a murderer. What pain this living soul experiences at this moment. She cries with a bitter wail, because the blessing this shochet makes will do nothing to elevate her from her incarnation. … The result is that people’s livelihood is hit, and the little that is available can be acquired only with great toil and exertion (Likutey Moharan I, 37).
22. A person should always feel content with what he has. He should take no more from the world than is absolutely essential. … A man should be content with what God has given him, and even out of this minimum he should still contribute a portion to charity. This brings about great unification in the worlds above, and the world is blessed with abundance (ibid. I, 54:2).