Wealth and Poverty

“See! I am putting in front of you today a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

Wealth and poverty do not always have the same effect on people.

There are those whose wealth influences them for the good, and through the blessing of their wealth they come to a greater appreciation of Hashem. However, had they been poor, they would have been so occupied trying to find food that they would have forgotten their Creator. This was the case in Egypt, where the Bnei Yisrael were so exhausted by the hard labor that they did not listen to Moshe.

On the other hand, there are those whom wealth removes from the path of righteousness. We have seen too often in our history that the Jewish People become successful and self-satisfied and forget Who gave them what they have. However, when a person is poor and “broken,” Hashem never ignores his supplications.

That is what the verse is saying here: “See! I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse” — and don’t think that the blessing is wealth and the curse is poverty. Rather, everything depends on how a person deals with his riches or poverty. And whether he is rich or poor, if he turns his focus to the Torah and mitzvahs, then whatever his status is in life — he receives the blessing.