Materialismo
O materialismo é uma armadilha espiritual. A Bíblia alerta que o amor ao dinheiro é raiz de todos os males e nos chama a buscar tesouros no céu, não na terra.
O perigo das riquezas
Que aproveita ao homem ganhar o mundo inteiro e perder a sua alma? O materialismo engana e afasta do que realmente importa.
For what will a man be benefited if he acquires the whole world and forfeits his neshamah, or what will a man give in exchange for his neshamah?
For how is the ben Adam (human being) benefited if he gain the kol haOlam, and forfeit his neshamah?
But the ones desiring to be oishirim (rich men) fall into nisayon (temptation) and into a pakh (trap) and into many foolish and destructive ta’avot (lusts) which plunge men into cherem and Avaddon (destruction).
For we brought nothing into the Olam Hazeh, neither are we able to carry anything out of it, But having okhel (food) and begadim (clothes), with these we will be satisfied.
For we brought nothing into the Olam Hazeh, neither are we able to carry anything out of it, But having okhel (food) and begadim (clothes), with these we will be satisfied.
Tesouros no céu
Ajuntai tesouros no céu, onde traça e ferrugem não consomem. O bom nome vale mais que muitas riquezas, e a sabedoria supera o ouro.
Do not store up for yourselves otzarot (treasures) on haaretz, where moth and rust destroy and where ganavim (thieves) break in and steal. But zahmlet aich (collect for yourselves) otzarot (treasures) in Shomayim, where neither moth nor rust destroys; neither do ganavim break in and steal.
For where your otzar is, there also will be your lev.
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to him, If you wish to be tamim (perfect), if you wish to have shelemut (perfection, completeness), then go and sell your possessions and give to the aniyim (poor) and you will have otzar (treasure) in Shomayim. Then come and follow me.
A shem tov is rather to be desired than osher rav,
and chen (grace) rather than kesef and zahav.
How much better is it to acquire chochmah than gold,
and acquiring binah (understanding) a better choice than kesef!
Better is little with the Yirat Hashem
than otzar rav (great treasure) and trouble therewith.
Contentamento e generosidade
Grande ganho é a piedade com contentamento. A cobiça é idolatria, mas a generosidade traz alegria e bênção.
But chasidus with tzufriedenkait (contentment) is great revach (gain, profit).
Charge the oishirim in the Olam Hazeh not to walk in gaa’vah (pride) and high-mindedness, neither to put their tikvah (hope) in the uncertainty of their osher but in Hashem who richly grants us all things for enjoyment.
Fier zich (comport oneself) in your derech free of chamdanut (covetousness), being content with what you have, for He Himself has said, LO ARPECHA V’LO E’EZVECHA (I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you),
Therefore, put to death your evarim (members) in the Olam Hazeh: zenut (fornication), debauchery, sensuality, zimmah (licentiousness), and chamdanut (covetousness), which is avodah zarah (idolatry).
And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Take care and be shomer against all chamdanut (covetousness), because the Chayyei HaAdam does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
When hatovah (good things) increase, they are increased that consume them; and what kishron (useful result) is there to the ba’al (owner) thereof, except as an onlooker?
And this also is a grievous evil, that in every respect as he came, just so shall he go; and what profit hath he that hath toiled for the ruach (wind)?
O invisível acima do visível
As coisas que se veem são temporais; as que não se veem são eternas. Devemos fixar os olhos no que é permanente e verdadeiro.
While we continue to look not at the visible things but the invisible; for the things visible are zemanniyim (temporary) but the things invisible are for l’olamim.
The oisherʼs wealth is his strong city,
and is a high chomah in his own conceit.
Hon (riches) profit not in the yom evrah (day of wrath),
but tzedakah (righteousness) delivereth from mavet.
Wilt thou let thine eynayim fly after that which is not?
For such [wealth] certainly sprouts kenafayim (wings);
they fly away as a nesher (eagle) toward Shomayim.
He craveth greedily kol hayom,
but the tzaddik giveth and spareth not.
Remove far from me shav (vanity, falsehood) and davar kazav (word of a liar);
give me neither poverty nor osher;
feed me lechem chukki (my daily bread);
Similarly also nashim (women) should adorn themselves with respectable comportment and tznius (modesty, piety) in appearance and with decency and propriety, not with coiffures and gold or pearls or costly clothing, But with what is proper for nashim professing yirat Shomayim, that is, by means of ma’asim tovim (good works).
Now the Messianic Kehillah velt (community) of the ones having had emunah had achdus in lev (heart) and nefesh (soul), and not one was saying that any of the possessions belonging to him was his own, but everything to them was in common.