Money-Lust - Breslov.org

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught…

There are “faces of holiness”—faces of light and vitality—and there are “dark faces” of the “other side,” of depression and idolatry which plague people who are steeped in the lust for money. The root of this lust is a lack of faith that G-d can provide a person with sustenance on even a small pretext, without him having to chase after his living and exert himself to an extreme extent.
(Likutei Moharan I:23)

What does this mean to me?

In the lesson cited here, Rebbe Nachman offers a stark contrast between the life of a person who is free of money-lust, and the person who is steeped in it. He does not tell us that we will not have to work; he does tell us that we don’t have to kill ourselves to make a living. We can work and be paid and still be filled with spiritual vitality and joy, as long as our pursuit of our livelihood is joined to faith—to the sure knowledge that G-d is the one who provides for us, and that it is not entirely on our shoulders.

A prayer:

Please, G-d, be merciful,
And protect me from being greedy for money.
For this is an idol-worship
Which has taken over all the nations.
Those who are caught in its net
Are trapped in depression and anxiety.
They are always filled with worry and anger
And have no real life at all.
Have mercy on me, on those close to me,
And on all Your people.
Save us from this desire
So that it does not consume our days.
Help me not be jealous of those
Who have more than me.
Instead, let me be happy with my lot,
Without any desire
For what I really do not need.
Grant me faith,
And let me put my trust in You.
(Between me and You, p. 82)

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Your FeedbackThank you so much for the beautiful “Land of Miracles’ teaching and the Lag B’Omer booklet; you really hit the bull’s-eye this time in the heart of the spiritual direction and uplift my soul was seeking.
DG

Thank you for publishing these wonderful prayers, they take me back to basics.
SK

Thank you so much for this email about money and faith. It came on an appropriate day as I have been
pondering what to do about living on a set income and rising expenses!
JT

Thank you for highlighting the sanctity of the process of nourishing ourselves and others in such a way that these efforts are elevated to the level of mitzvot. How sacred.
MJL

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