How two different Chassidic groups approach Parnas...
# random
f
How two different Chassidic groups approach Parnassah: https://collive.com/when-working-isnt-gornisht/
t
I don't think that you gornisht. I know a number of people who are not shluchim but spend time doing good things. Simcha Kanter is a businessman who publishes https://www.simplychassidus.com/, teaches a shiur on shabbos, and has lots of guest. Art Lubin is a math professor who walks three miles each way every shabbos to keep Anshe Lubavitch going. https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/4265602/jewish/The-150-Year-Old-Chicago-Synagogue-the-Rebbe-Didnt-Let-Die.htm and https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/4230171/jewish/A-Visit-to-Chicagos-Oldest-Chabad-Congregation.htm discuss it. I know other examples, but these show that most people can use free time to do good things. On a different note, a friend of mine told me that when another certain group of chassidim came to the United States, they decided to go into business and be rich. When Chabad came, they decided to go into education and not be rich. Both happened. It's a challenge for the families and the schools.
f
Thanks for responding
t
My answer above was incomplete. Shluchim are, for lack of a better phrase, the highest social class. They are doing the work of the Rebbe and that is seen as the best thing to do. When couple are dating, one of the biggest questions before people meet is do they want to go on shluchus. After that people who give a lot of tzedakah are appreciated because most organizations in chabad are usually close to broke. I don't think it's fair to say that everyone else is a nobody. All our kids go to the same schools and play together and have sleepovers. We all daven together and socialize. In general, businessman aren't seen on the same level as shluchim, but there is also a realization that not everyone can be a shliach and a lot of anash do many good things.
f
Didn't the Rebbe say something about how he wants Chassidim (or Jews) to be rich? Rich spiritually? Rich Materially?
t
Maybe, I'm not familiar with that. I know that a long time ago, he said at a fabrengen that being rich (materially) comes with many challenges and he asked who wants to be rich. Three men raised their hands and they all became very rich. Unfortunately, I wasn't there.
f
I asked my Rosh Yeshiva about "what did it mean when the Rebbe said Hashem wants us to be rich" and he pointed me to the Pesukim we say when we open the Aron Hakodesh, specifically:
אֹֽרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ, בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עֽשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד
I noticed it's עֽשֶׁר with an ע, as opposed to אושר with an א (which is like, lashon of validation or happiness). עֽשֶׁר is from עשירות, richness. Apparently the Rebbe said once he wants that Bracha to come down on everyone!
I asked my Rosh Yeshiva, why עֽשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד only בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ and אֹֽרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ? He said: "If you don't have אריכות ימים, length of days לכחתיחלה, why does it matter if you have עֽשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד?"