To be or not to be? That is the question! - Shakespeare
To be satisfied or not to be satisfied? That is the question!
In 1795, a young genius visited Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the “Alter Rebbe”, in Lyozna, who told him that the answer is that you should do both.
Our sages say: who is rich? he who is happy with their lot. When talking about physical needs and material matters one should be satisfied with what they have.
Do not be satisfied when it comes to your spirituality and connection with Hashem! Furthermore, being complacent in spirituality leads one to fall spiritually.
The nature of the human is to strive for more! Curiosity is a healthy trait. Try to learn how to do better and never be complacent. When we use this drive for our material matters, we will never be satisfied. There is always someone who has more than us.
We see this in this week’s Torah portion. Despite the Jews having had all their needs met; the manna from heaven, no need to work, no need to bake, premade food, they still complained: “we have nothing at all, besides this manna” (11:6).
In the words of Rabbi Yonatan Eibeschutz: “A person derives pleasure from material things only in comparing what he has to what his neighbors have. So although they could enjoy every taste in the world in the manna, they derived no pleasure from it, since everyone had it . . .”
So should you be satisfied? In material matters one should always look at he whose situation is lower than one's own, and thank the good G‑d for His kindness to him.
In spiritual matters one should always look at he who is higher than oneself, and plead with G‑d to grant him the intelligence to learn from the other and the ability and strength to rise higher.
Have an amazing Shabbos!
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman