Q:
Is there anything wrong with me davening to Hashem that He should give me a million dollars?
A:
It depends what you’ll do with a million dollars. Ordinarily it’s a nuisance to have a million dollars. Once you get a million dollars then your life is no longer a life. You’re a slave to your money. You have to take care of your property. You have no menuchah. A poor man goes to sleep at night and nobody bothers him. A rich man is always on the go.
However, if you want a million dollars in order to build a big yeshivah, then pray for a million dollars, yes. If that’s what you want it for, absolutely.
If you pray for other things, it’s surely good. הרחב פיך means you should open your mouth wide and ask for everything. Who says only a million dollars is good? Open your mouth and say, “Ribono Shel Olam, help me know a whole mesichta. I would love to know Bava Kama from the beginning to the end.” Wouldn’t that be a glorious thing to know Bava Kama? And maybe Bava Metzia too? Maybe Bava Basra too? Do you know what a happiness it would be if you knew three mesichtas from the beginning to the end? You’re a real millionaire. Nobody could compare to you.
So first pray for one perek. Ask Hashem that He should help you to know one perek perfectly. Then you’ll know another perek and another one and little by little maybe you’ll become a millionaire in Torah.
You should pray to have good children too. Make sure to pray for everything. And if you pray for a million dollars too, it’s no cheit. Only you have to know that in case it happens it’s not such a simple matter. You have to expect a great deal of complications.
TAPE # E-15 (June 1995)
