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Money worries keep most of us up at night, especially since the pandemic upended global economics. But what if our anxious pursuit of wealth is actually the problem? 

Diving into the thousand-year-old wisdom of Rabbeinu Bachia's "Gate of Trust," we explore three eerily modern scenarios of wealth gone wrong: the rich person who falls ill from overwork only to awaken and find their fortune stolen; the unethical businessperson whose wealth vanishes leaving only a tarnished legacy; and perhaps most tragically, the workaholic who accumulates properties and possessions they're too busy to enjoy. Each cautionary tale feels ripped from today's headlines despite being written in medieval times.

At the heart of this teaching is a radical proposition: your annual income is divinely determined once yearly, and adding more work, stress, and side hustles is like adding extra spigots to the same barrel—it doesn't increase the volume of water, just divides the same amount in different ways. This perspective doesn't encourage laziness but rather a balanced approach to life where money assumes its proper place alongside health, relationships, community, and spiritual growth.

As economic uncertainty continues worldwide, this ancient wisdom offers a surprisingly practical framework for approaching finances with both diligence and faith. When we understand the true source of our sustenance, we can work appropriately while still enjoying the wealth we have rather than endlessly chasing more. Share this episode with someone who needs this timeless message about the proper place of wealth in a well-lived life.