Community Magazine July 2014

68 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Mesila presents... BITAHON AND BUDGETING RABBI MAX ANTEBY One of the most commonly asked questions in the observant Jewish world is the proper balance between bitahon and budgeting. Bene Torah and kollel families receive special siyatta dishmaya (divine assistance) that helps them make ends meet in a near-miraculous manner. If they were to begin budgeting carefully and keeping close track of their income and expenditures, they would likely come to the realization that their finances just don’t add up according to logic, and this might cause them to leave kollel. Therefore, people conclude, bene Torah should not adopt the idea of budgeting or look too closely at their finances, and should instead have bitahon (trust) that Hashem will provide their needs. Indeed, Rabbenu Bahya, in his classic work Hovot Halevovot (Introduction to the Sha’ar Habitahon section), states clearly that a ba’al bitahon – person who relies on Hashem – will be provided for at all times. Moreover, the requirement to have bitahon and believe that Hashem is the Provider applies to all Jewish people – members of the workforce and bene Torah alike. It could therefore be argued that for believing Jews, budgeting is totally unwarranted. If a person believes that Hashem will provide for him, why should he have to think about how much he is earning or spending? The flaw in this argument is that intellectual beliefs and spoken declarations of faith do not necessarily make a person a ba’al bitahon . The litmus test of a ba’al bitahon is his lifestyle. True ba’ale bitahon live on an elevated spiritual plane in which material possessions and physical desires have no place. They are satisfied with whatever Hashem has given them, even if it is the bare minimum. Regardless of their physical circumstances, they have no fear or worries. They do not need, desire or enjoy material luxuries. Their luxury is living according to Torah ideals while relying on Hashem to provide for them. These ba’ale bitahon can be secure in the knowledge that they will always have what they need and never be lacking. For them, it is true – budgeting is not necessary. So what’s the problem? Today, people are bombarded with advertisements, special offers and a dizzying display of products and services. At the same time, banks and credit card companies offer them instant access to money that is not theirs. How is anyone to withstand these material enticements if not by making careful calculations of their income and expenditures and being aware of just how much they are actually able to spend?  Some bene Torah and their families are truly ba’alei bitahon and are capable of withstanding material enticement and living with just their basic necessities. Other bene Torah , however, do not possess as great a degree of bitahon and are unable to live on this standard of minimum subsistence. The Torah does not prohibit people from having more than the bare minimum. However, people who wish to live with more – whether or not they are bene Torah – have an obligation to make sure that they can afford to pay for what they want or feel they need. Bene Torah and their family members are not required to reject all forms of luxury, but if aspects of their lifestyle reflect less than absolute bitahon , they are required to carefully scrutinize their finances to ensure that they do not spend more than they have. There are many bene Torah who switched to better-paying kollelim or took on side tutoring jobs after better understanding their expense and income patterns, and were thus able to enhance their ability to provide for their families without affecting the quality of their learning. However, we do not know of a single case of a ben Torah who left kollel as a result of measuring his expenditures against his income. In fact, many bene Torah have reported that their Torah study improved dramatically after they adopted careful budgeting practices.  It is unquestionably true that bene Torah merit special siyatta dishmaya that enables them to devote their energies exclusively to Torah learning. For individuals who are on high levels of bitahon , as evidenced by their modest lifestyle and their contentment with that lifestyle, the siyatta dishmaya they receive eliminates the need for living with a budget. But for the vast majority of bene Torah , budgeting is not only appropriate, but a requirement. And when people do what is required of them, their siyatta dishmaya is not diminished, but increased . Mesila is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families and businesses in Israel, the US, Canada, and England achieve financial stability and independence. For further information please contact us at info@mesilainternational.orgs .