THE BAIS HAVAAD'S PARSHA PERSPECTIVES PARSHAS TOLDOS Jews and Money: A Match Made in Heaven

There is no way out of it. For better or for worse, correctly or incorrectly, Jews have always been associated with wealth. In truth, Judaism and wealth go back a long way. The first Jew, Avraham Avinu, was fabulously wealthy. The pasuk states, “And Avram was very heavy with livestock, silver and gold.” (Breishis 13,2) In this week’s Parsha, we hear of Yitzchak Avinu’s wealth. The pasuk states, “And Yitchak planted in that land and he found in that year a hundred-fold harvest and Hashem blessed him. And the man [Yitzchok] became great and he continually increased [in wealth] until he was very great. And he had flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, and many enterprises, and the Plishtim envied him.” (Breishis 26, 12-14). We will see in next week’s Parsha that with regard to Yaakov Avinu, the pasuk states, “And the man [Yaakov] became exceedingly prosperous, and he had flocks of fertile sheep, and maid-servants, and man-servants, and camels and donkeys.”