Money as Means, Not End: Pirkei Avos on Torah and Wealth

Full Summary

Rabbi Zweig provides a profound analysis of a Mishnah (משנה) from Pirkei Avos that states: "Whoever fulfills Torah (תורה) in poverty will eventually fulfill it in wealth; whoever nullifies Torah in wealth will eventually nullify it in poverty." He grapples with several difficulties in understanding this teaching, particularly why the Mishnah uses the unusual language of "mekayem" (fulfills/validates) and "mevatel" (nullifies/voids) rather than simply learning or not learning Torah. The core insight comes from the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s interpretation, which connects this Mishnah to the verse in Parashat Ki Tavo explaining the destruction of the Second Temple: "Because you did not serve Hashem (ה׳) your God with joy and goodness of heart when you had abundance." The Rambam reads this not as a failure to be happy while serving God, but as a failure to serve God at all because of having abundance. Rabbi Zweig explains that wealth creates a dangerous psychological state where a person feels "yesh li kol" - "I have everything." This sense of completeness and self-sufficiency can lead to viewing God and Torah as means to achieve wealth rather than wealth being a means to serve God. When someone has financial abundance, they may continue performing mitzvot and learning some Torah, but only as a "tax" or "price" they must pay for their prosperity, while pursuing additional wealth or enjoyment becomes their primary focus. The Mishnah is not discussing the mere act of learning versus not learning, but rather the fundamental question of what constitutes ultimate reality in one's life. "Mekayem Torah" means validating Torah as the ultimate reality, while "mevatel Torah" means voiding Torah by treating it as subordinate to material pursuits. The punishment of losing wealth follows the principle of "midah k'neged midah" - measure for measure. Just as the wealthy person shamed God by making Him secondary to money, God responds by taking away the person's source of false pride. Rabbi Zweig illustrates this with the contrasting examples of Hillel and Rabbi Akiva, both of whom learned Torah despite extreme poverty. Hillel represents those who can personally sacrifice material comforts for Torah study. Rabbi Akiva's story specifically mentions his family, representing those who must ensure their families don't feel deprived by their commitment to Torah. The key is helping family members understand that what they have through Torah connection is more valuable than material luxuries. The lecture concludes with a warning particularly relevant to modern affluent communities: prosperity itself becomes a spiritual test. The challenge is maintaining perspective that health, family, and wealth are precious gifts from God that serve as means to develop our relationship with Him, rather than becoming ends in themselves. This represents "one of the most important lessons in our everyday living" and explains how even great people in the Second Temple period could fall into this trap, leading to the destruction and exile that continues today.