“When HaShem your God brings you to the land that He promised to your parents Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … you will inherit lands with great cities that you did not build; with houses full of all kinds of good things, that you did not work for them; with wells of water that you did not dig and with vines and olive groves that you did not plant, so when you eat and feel [comfortable and] satisfied, be careful not to forget HaShem, your God, who took out of Egypt, the house bondage! “
Deut. 6: 10-12
The people of Israel are getting ready to enter the Promised Land. They will have to fight to conquer it, but HaShem promised them that He will join them in the battlefield. On the military plane, thus, success is guaranteed. “With the help of God”, literally, they will conquer the land of Israel. In speaking to the people, Moshe is not concerned with war but with peace. And more specifically for the side effects of prosperity in times of peace.
The land they are going to be given is fully functional. Jews will not be forced to spend the next few years working hard to build their cities, their walls, their houses and sow their fields. After conquering the land they will “inherit” cities that are fully operative; wells and cisterns filled with water; fields with grain ready to be collected, and trees and vineyards bearing fruit. But this, which seems to be the fulfillment of every a man’s greatest dream, can become a trap from a spiritual or psychological point of view. The Tora warns the people of Israel against the phenomenon that some call “affluenza”.
On June 15, 2013, 16 years old Ethan Couch, killed four people while driving intoxicated. He was indicted on four counts of manslaughter. But was not sent to prison. Instead, the Judge sentenced him to 10 years of probation and therapy after this attorney argued that Couch suffered from “affluenza”, that is to say, he didn’t know boundaries because his rich parents didn’t set any, and he therefore needed rehabilitation instead of prison (this is , by the way, a great example of what Theodore Dalrymple mentions in his book: “Admirable Evasions, how psychology undermines morality”. Thanks to Dr Sauly Harari for getting me this great book!).
Those who are most exposed to contract affluenza are people who have everything they want “by inheritance.” These privileged individuals did not need to earn their money by working hard. The great effort was made by their parents. And many parents (wrongly) believe that allowing their children to enjoy material abundance without doing enough to deserve it, is good for their children. Parents innocently think that privileged children will always display great appreciation to their benefactors, and be eternally grateful to them. What’s more: many parents think that since their children have received so much, and know the great feeling of being the recipient of an abundance of blessings, they will be naturally inclined to be generous, considerate and magnanimous with others, imitating what their parents did for them.
But it often happens that, far from grateful, kind and considerate, by “giving them everything they want without demanding efforts from them” parents accomplished the exact opposite effect: their children become spoiled; do not appreciate or value what they receive because they tend to take everything for granted, and become selfish and self centered. Moreover: many children that get used to receiving everything effort-free, do not feel any need “to give” back or redistribute their privileges with others. Rather, they are always expecting to receive more. And behave as if the entire world is there to please them, like their parents did.
This was Moshe Rabbenu’s greatest fear. He worried that something similar could happen to the people of Israel with the inheritance that God is giving them for free. They might be affected by “affluenza” and become selfish, demanding, spoiled and ungrateful. And this is why he warns us: Beware of the effects of wealth, especially inherited wealth. Never forget “WHO” gave you everything you have.
The Tora expects us to do at least these two things to protect us from affluenza:
First, that we learn to value what we have, and express our appreciation permanently. So, for example, every time we enjoy or eat something we bless (= acknowledge) God before we benefit from it. And, every time we finish eating a meal we express our thanks to God, out loud and in an elaborate prayer called “Birkat haMazon.” These Mitzvot / gestures will keep our sense of appreciation awake and alert.
Second, beyond appreciation, HaShem also demands us to behave as He behaves. He has instructed us to “imitate His generosity” by sharing the gifts we received from Him with those who have less than us.
And when we give to others and share our blessings, we naturally learn to appreciate more what we have received and inherited from Him.
