Question:
1) What is the Torah’s perspective on wealth and honor? In the Rosh Chodesh blessings we ask for wealth and honor. If we have money, we can accomplish a lot and we can become more powerful, without having to be dependent on others for money, we wouldn’t need to feel dependent on rich donors. Everyone gets their way, and anyone can make anything happen, through money – for better or for worse. I am asking this question in particular because I am aware that different Gedolim from all types of Jewry, between the Litvish, Chassidish, Sefarim and Ashkenazim, brilliant Torah scholars, Chassidic Rebbes and tzaddikim, all had a different mentality about this matter. Is there a general mentality to have towards wealth and honor, or is every case meant to be judged separately, and does it depend on one’s mazal or personal avodah in life?
2) Also, as a related question, the Rambam says that in the times of Mashiach, we will not be lacking in any way, we will have plenty of food and money and everything we need, and there will be as much luxuries and comforts as the amount of dust in the world, there will be no more hunger and no thirst, nothing except a hunger to hear the word of Hashem. Will this all happen instantly or will we have to do any efforts to get to that point?
Answer:
1) The duty upon is to become connected to the “light of Mashiach”, which is the light or the revelation called achdus/unity, or echad/oneness. And we must await Mashiach’s revelation. At the time of Mashiach, it will be like when pairs came to the Teivah (the Ark) of Noach, on their own, and Noach didn’t have to run to get them. And it will be like those husbands who are zocheh that their wife comes to them, such as Yitzchok Avinu, who didn’t have to go out to look for a wife. So too, in the times of Mashiach, wealth and honor will come to everyone without having to bother to get it, as an automatic byproduct of the great light of Masiach. Chazal taught, “Do things for the sake of their Maker, and in the end, honor will come.” It will be the same in the times of Mashiach.
2) The “light of Mashiach” is essentially the light of bitachon, a level that is above the curse of effort that was placed upon Adam HaRishon, because it will be a return to the level of before the sin of Adam HaRishon, when there was no need to make any effort.
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