Mishlei 23:4
משלי כג:ד) אַל־תִּיגַ֥ע לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥ חֲדָֽל׃
Mishlei 23:4) Do not strive to become rich, from your understanding hold back.
Questions:
Q1: What is the problem with pursuing wealth?
Q2: Why should one “hold back” from their understanding?
רלב"ג משלי כג:ד
אל תיגע להעשיר – אחר שמצאת מה שיספיק לך כי זה ימגע לך מבינתך בסבת כלוי זמנך בענין העושר בהפך המכוון מענין העושר כי המכוון בו הוא שיהיה בו עזר לאדם אל שיהיה לבו פנוי בבקשת החכמה והבינה.
Ralbag
Do not strive to become rich – once you have found what is sufficient for you [to live]. For it will prevent you from understanding, due to the depletion of your time dedicated matters of wealth, contrary to the intended purpose of wealth. For the intended purpose [of wealth] is that it should be a means to help a person, so that a person’s heart should be free to pursue wisdom and understanding.
ר' יונה משלי כג:ד
אל תיגע להעשיר וגו' – אם תשיג למחייתך ודי סיפוקך במלאכתך בטורח בינוני אל תיגע את נפשך ואל תעמול יותר מדי סיפוקך כדי להתעשר.מבינתך חדל – כי אין העושר תלוי בחריצות בלתי בגזירת השם ית'. והנה יתכן שתיגע יום ולילה ולא תתעשר וחדל מבינתך אם תדמה בנפשך לפי שכלך כי באמת תתעשר, ואל בינתך אל תשען (משלי ג':ה') אם כן איפה למה תכלה כחך על הספק.
Rabbeinu Yonah
"Do not strive to become rich, etc. – If you achieve enough sustenance to live with moderate effort in your work, do not weary yourself, and do not toil to become rich beyond what is needed to provide your basic needs. Cease from your understanding – for wealth is not dependent on relentless effort but on the decree of the Almighty. It is possible that one may toil day and night and not become wealthy. One should hold back from their understanding, if it appears to him according to his reasoning that he will absolutely become wealthy. As it says, “Do not rely on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5. If this is so, why should one exhaust his energy on an uncertainty?
Both the Ralbag and Rabbeinu Yonah explain the verse is talking to someone who already has sufficient resources to meet their basic needs. They are discussing pursuing wealth beyond that point. According the Ralbag, the excessive pursuit of wealth will divert a person’s energies from pursuing wisdom. Wealth is a means, that should allow a person to freely pursue their intellectual development. Use your mind and hold back from expending energy in the wrong endeavors.
According to Rabbeinu Yonah, one’s financial success is not entirely in one’s control. Thus expending infinite energy on wealth is unwise. If one has evaluated and concluded that a particular investment is sure to be successful, he should question his analysis. We know that humans are capable of making mistakes, as we are warned elsewhere by King Solomon not to purely rely on our own evaluation. Human reasoning does not guarantee results in this world.
משלי כג:ד) אַל־תִּיגַ֥ע לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥ חֲדָֽל׃
Mishlei 23:4) Do not strive to become rich, from your understanding hold back.
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