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Thought for the Day: The Work Doesn't Generate the Parnassa, but There Is an Obligation to Work

Retirement is great; really, really great. Last Friday, though, was the first "missed paycheck". It was a very strange feeling. I have worked with my financial advisor and R' Fuerst to determine that retiring at this time was the right move financially, and hashkafically. Still... not getting a paycheck and realizing I need to start "paying myself" out of savings felt more than a little strange.

I have a new chavrusa with whom I learn R' Biderman (in Spanish ... longish story) on Friday mornings. The parsha was BeHar and much of the Wellsprings of Torah (Manantiales dela Tora) was on the topic of the true source of פרנסה/livelihood. Namely, פרנסה/livelihood comes from HaShem and not from our efforts/השתדלות. There is no question that we are obligated in השתדלות, but we are obligated in lots of things -- davening, learning Torah, keeping Shabbos; 613 categories of obligations. Our השתדלות/efforts don't generate the פרנסה/livelihood any more than keeping kosher, putting on t'fillin, making kiddush on Shabbos and Yom Tom, or any of the other myriad of obligations we have. Still, when a person is working, he gets a paycheck. When he is not working, he doesn't get a paycheck. It sure seems like I need to work to bring in פרנסה/livelihood. What am I missing?

R' Biderman explains with a משל/parable. A poor person was standing outside the post office. He saw one person go in, give a few coins to the clerk, and the clerk handing him a box full of dishes. Another man walked in, gave the clerk a few coins, and the clerk gave him a box full of clothing. The poor man thought to himself, "I had no idea it was so easy to become rich!" The poor man went collecting until he had a few coins, then walked into the post office, and handed the coins to the clerk. "I'd like a box full of stuff, please," said the poor man. "¡¿Estás en serio?!" asked the clerk incredulously, "How do you think you can buy a whole box of stuff for a few coins?" The poor man replied, "But I saw other people coming in and getting boxes of stuff for just a few coins." Then the clerk explained that those other people had already paid for the merchandise in the box, they were just paying a few coins for the delivery.

The נמשל/moral is that we certainly need to do our השתדלות to get our פרנסה/livelihood. In truth, though, our  השתדלות is just the few coins needed to pay for the delivery. It is essentially through our Tefila, says R' Biderman that we actually receive our פרנסה/livelihood. אִם אֵין קֶֽמַח אֵין תּוֹרָה, אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה אֵין קֶֽמַח/If there is no food, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no (reason for) food. (Avos 3:17)

I mentioned to my chavrusa my nervousness and how this edition of Wellsprings of Torah could not have been better timed for me. He told me, "You just got a little kiss from HaShem." That's exactly how it felt, like that kiss on the forehead we give a baby as he takes his first few steps.

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