Q:
The Gemara (Eiruvin 86a) says that רבי מכבד עשירים, Rebbi always honored the wealthy? What’s so special about wealthy people that we should honor them? It’s only money.
A:
I’ll ask you another question: Why do you give honor to a Gemara? After all, it’s only paper. It’s nothing but paper.
The answer is that this paper is full of important information. The Gemara is full of important information.
An ashir is a valuable person. When he gives ma’aser, he gives a lot of money for ma’aser. He’s a very important personality. An ashir, he has to contribute more than anybody else. You couldn’t get away with it in Rebbi’s day not to give. You had to give. So therefore every ashir was a kli of chessed, a kli of avodas Hashem.
And we don’t care how much kavanah he had when he was making his money. When he becoming a wealthy man maybe he didn’t have kavanah leshem shamayim when he was making his wealth. But the fact is right now he’s a keili of avodas Hashem. So therefore who cares what his kavanah was? The fact is he is a keili. Look at all the poor people who are supported by his money!
And therefore Rebbi was mechabed him like you’re mechabed a sefer. A sefer is nothing but a piece of paper. Nevertheless, that paper is valuable for us. We make use of it. And therefore ashirim, Jewish ashirim – I’m talking about frum Jews that their money goes for good purposes – there’s no question Hakadosh Baruch Hu has taken them and made out of them keilim.
Maybe there’s a zechus he has. I can’t tell you about that. But no question the mere fact that they are keilim to help and to support Torah and support aniyim, that itself gives them the right to be honored.
And Rebbi understood that. We don’t want to honor ashirim, because we’re jealous of them, that’s all. But Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, “Yes, he’s a kli shares. He’s My kli shares and therefore honor him.
TAPE # E-76 (September 1996)
