Ethical Teachings of the Torah

THE CHALLENGES OF MONEY

The degree, pattern and level of our wants and needs actually determine the parameters of our moral behaviour. Our ability to say that we have enough, or conversely, our belief that having more is always better than being satisfied with less, determine to what extent we can approach the standards of the godly man. Morality can easily be eroded by the desire for an ever rising standard of living and by the pressures for greater consumption. The individual man and woman often find it difficult to withstand such desires and pressures that lie at the heart of the economic yetzer. If this was true during the centuries of scarcity and poverty, how much must it be true in our modern age of unprecedented global wealth? It should not be surprising therefore to find that throughout the ages Jewish communities enacted varied and detailed sumptuary laws which by fixing communal standards and patterns of personal consumption, made it easier for the individual to live up to the standards of the chasid.

In order for these laws to be effective, communities have to have law enforcement powers and the ability to punish transgressors. Throughout the galut, autonomous Jewish communities had the status of mini-states, giving them the legal and moral authority to enforce halakhic business practices including restrictive patterns of consumption. In Western Europe, such communities were the norm until the end of the 18th century, while in Eastern Europe and the Sefardic world, they persisted even till later years. Our modern communities are basically voluntary and so lack to a large extent, the coercive power to enforce similar restrictions. This poses a problem for religious and lay leadership in solving the moral and spiritual dilemmas caused by rampant consumerism. In the modern world, the chassidic groups are the closest approximation to community in the classic sense. Some of them, such as Gur, have indeed successfully introduced limited sumptuary laws regarding family s’machot.

Even the most limited review of the communal enactments regarding limitations on consumption, will show the range and scope of Jewish attempts to curb the negative effects of consumerism on religion and spirituality. While to some extent these enactments were prompted by the need to avoid jealousy and anti-Semitism, basically they stemmed from intrinsic Jewish concepts and teachings. All of our prophets saw the connection between excessive demands for consumption and economic immorality, and foretold G-d’s punishment. Yeshayahu’s description of the need for luxurious clothing and jewellery of the daughters of Zion as a sin leading to the destruction of Israel (3:18-23), is only one example of a common prophetic theme. The call for modesty in everything we do re-echoes from all of them: “G-d has told you, O man what is good and what He demands of you, only that you do justice, love chesed and walk modestly with your G-d” (Micha 6:8). “The Talmid Chacham [the Jewish role model] provides for his family according to his means, yet without extreme devotion to this. His [and their] clothing should be neither of kings [fashion trendsetters] nor of the poor. Eating in public [expensive and conspicuous consumption] should be limited to seudot mitzva” (Hilkhot Deot 5:14-15).

It is within this tradition that we may learn from the following sample of enactments from various countries and from different periods of history, guidance for our own generation.

“No one may possess or wear cloaks of any colour other than black, sleeves may not have silk linings and garments of sable or expensively dyed material
may not be worn” (Synod of Italian Jews, 15th century). In 1728 the kehila of Furth prohibited the serving of tea or coffee, then expensive items of luxury, limited the number of musicians, and all festivities were to end by midnight. The weight, type and number of silver and gold ornaments, were limited by the community, not only for the citizens but even for their servants. Restricting the number of guests at s’machot was a common feature of communal enactments; some imposed fines for each additional guest while others linked this to the communal tax bracket of the hosts.

These and similar communal actions, free the individual from onerous borrowing and sometimes from being involved in unethical business practices to finance living beyond their means. Naturally this reduces social friction and class conflicts, so making a major contribution, not only to the individual’s peace of mind but also to religious and spiritual achievement.

• Other Ethical Teachings of the Torah
• Today is the Birthday of the World, whether as Children or as Servants [2] by Dr. Meir Tamari
• Funding Social Costs - Taxation [2]
• THE CHALLENGE OF MONEY - Funding Social Costs - Taxation [1]