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To
My Dear Students,
We
live in "the affluent society."
A few years ago someone calculated that America,
with only 10% of the world's population, has 52%
of its food, 75% of its clothes, 95% of its autos,
and 99% of its television sets.
Amidst
all this opulence, and in this economy of abundance,
are we happy? Do we feel rich? No,
definitely not. Our society constantly
craves more and more. The more we have,
the more we want. We even have a whole industry,
advertising and marketing research, devoted to
increasing our appetites and multiplying our wants.
The
one who is always unhappy with what he has is
miserably poor no matter what his financial worth
really is. The Midrash defines the word
"evyon," "a pauper," as deriving
from the word "ta'ev," "a man of
desires," he who has an insatiable appetite
for everything he sees.
On
Sukkot, as we sit in the humble, flimsy booth,
we are reminded that we can find happiness, contentment,
serenity, and meaningfulness not in physical riches
but in G-d, family, faith, and Torah.
Chag
Sameach!
Your
Rabbi
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