Q:
How we can explain the fact that Japan and especially Germany are enjoying such great success in view of the fact that they caused such destruction during World War II?
A:
You must know that Germany right now is undergoing a process of deterioration. Germany is falling apart right now. There’s a very big party called ‘The Greens’ in Germany. They’re like the liberals of America, only crazier. Their ideal is greenery, nature. And that’s the only thing that they talk about. And all politics are considered only as a means of carrying out their plans. And therefore, Germany today is deteriorating.
Once upon a time, Germany was a strong country of principles. They believed in hard work. They believed in science. They believed in politeness and civilization, strict laws, punishment of criminals. It was a tough country and they were making progress and they were headed for world conquest. Germany was the top of the world in everything if Hitler didn’t come along. Hitler spoiled it. But before World War II, Germany was a country that was headed for leadership in all fields in the world.
And now Hakodosh Boruch Hu is causing Germany to be devastated from within. It’s rotting away and falling apart. Today in Germany, there are parties that are not interested at all in building up the country.
And so whatever prosperity is being bestowed on Germany today, it’s only for the purpose of weakening their muscles and eventually ruining them.
That’s what’s happening to America too. The great affluence that we had in America until now was actually a preface to America’s final downfall. No question about it.
In the days when it was hard to make a living and the youth had to help out, everybody was busy trying to earn a dollar, trying to pay the rent, that’s when the morals of the nation were at their very best.
But today, when things come easy, affluence has ruined them. And the truth is, it’s in the Torah again and again. ואכלת ושבעת – If you eat and you’re satiated, השמרו לכם – be on guard. וישמן ישרון ויבעט – Yeshurum was fat and he began to kick. It’s repeated again and again in the Torah, in the Nevi’im u’Kesuvim, that affluence is a very great punishment to nations. It ruins many nations. It’s just the beginning of the end. America is breaking down. All along the seams it’s breaking out.
Once upon a time the American youth were proud of their country and they were work-conscious. They wanted to work and get ahead. Today the youth is ruined entirely; they’re interested only in drugs and in—I don’t want to say what else—and they’re preaching every wicked form of immorality. And the families are breaking up; they’re not getting married anymore. Even in the Midwest, the rottenness has reached.
And therefore, America is being ruined by affluence. Poverty was a blessing in those days when people were on the frontier and had to strive all their might to maintain themselves against nature and against Indians. And now, since they have such a long period of tranquility and prosperity, they’re rotting away.
That happened in every country where Hakodosh Boruch Hu wanted to destroy them. Rome became so prosperous that it began to decay. Greece? It became prosperous and began to decay. All the nations that Hashem wanted to destroy finally went into a stage of decay that was expedited by a great period of affluence.
In Eretz Yisroel, no question about that too. They lived in prosperity and השמרו לכם – “Watch out,” Hashem said , “for affluence.”
And that’s why today we have to watch out; the frum Jews too. Frum Jews have to watch out because they’re making a living today. Very many frum Jew are affluent; they have fine homes and although their children may look frum, watch out! When there’s wealth in the home, then you have to know that the morals and the principles in general are on the way down.
Poverty is a very great blessing. Of course, if people have wealth and they’re able to utilize their wealth and become more and more devoted to Hashem, that of course is the greatest form of success.
January 1990
