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Showing posts from March, 2020
Perchik was Right….Sort of: Reflections on Wealth in the Torah and Megillah Thank you to Kinneret Day School 8th Graders who shared their insights with me on this learning. The older I get, the more wisdom I find in “Fiddler on the Roof.”  Over the mid-winter break, I had the opportunity to watch “Miracle of Miracles” the documentary about the world wide popularity and timeless messages behind the Broadway hit. One of my favorite lines by Tevye in the film is his retort to his future son-in-law Perchik about wealth: Perchik:Money is the world's curse. Tevye:May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover. The Lord certainly “smites” kings and many leaders with riches and great wealth.  The Torah recognizes this reality, and the Megillah uses the Torah’s language to teach an important contrast. In what is known as parshat HaMelekh  (Devarim Ch. 17) the Torah recognizes that Kings will be tempted to overdo their wealth and abuse their power.  We are told that Kings