Lessons of Wealth and Poverty

The evil Turnus Rufus was a Roman governor, who oversaw the plowing up of the Temple Mount after the destruction of the Second Temple.

He had several discussions with Rabbi Akiva, where he mocked the Jewish religion. In one such discussion, he asked why Hashem allowed poverty among His people if He loves them so much.

Rabbi Akiva explained that Hashem had his reasons in creating both the poor and the wealthy.

In the case of the poor, sometimes it becomes necessary to suffer the indignity of being reliant upon others. This helps shape the individual. When this period of dependence ends, and one achieves success, he will not forget what it was like to be at the mercy of others.

Rabbi Akiva taught this as a parable regarding a king, who wished to teach values to his son, the prince. This experiencing poverty would make him a better and more compassionate king.

Being wealthy had its own challenges. The test of being wealthy was more difficult than that of being poor. Generosity was always mandatory, as he needed constant reminding that his money was not his own, but all was from G-d. He also needed to overcome the trait of haughtiness and arrogance. Often, one’s wealth might make him less tolerant of others, as he lets his good fortune go to his head.

Rabbi Akiva succeeded in answering Turnus Rufus. Unfortunately, it did not stop him from becoming an enemy of the Jewish people. Their dialogue was meant more to teach us the lessons of wealth and poverty and how we should be able to overcome the challenges they present to us.