אות - קצג

He said regarding money: a person must have all the powers that exist regarding eating. For there are several powers in a person regarding eating — for there is the receiving power, and the detaining power so that the food does not immediately exit, and the digesting power, and the distributing power that distributes the food to all the limbs of the body — to the finest brain, and similarly to the heart, and similarly to all the remaining limbs — to each one as is fitting. And the expelling power that pushes out the waste — as all this is explained to the wise physicians. Similarly all these powers are needed for the matter of money. For one must have the detaining power — not to scatter his money immediately (as is the way of people who at first greatly desire money and spend their days on this — and immediately when they acquire the money they scatter it immediately) (376). And similarly the distributing power — that his money should be distributed to the places that need it — to each one as is fitting as mentioned above regarding eating — meaning that the finest reaches charity, and similarly the rest of the money, each one to its fitting place as mentioned above regarding eating. And the expelling power — meaning the waste exits. Meaning as mentioned above, for there is money that needs to exit to the gentiles and to horses and the like. And as is told of the Baal Shem Tov o.b.m. — that he said regarding the matter of receiving money from wicked people — that the money when it comes to his hand distributes of itself. And money he received from worthy people — those monies go out for the expenses of hospitality of righteous guests who come to him and the like. And money that came from one who is not worthy — that money goes out for the expenses of his horses and his gentile servant and the like — meaning without his intention it would come to be that way. And this is the aspect of the distributing power mentioned and the expelling power — meaning as mentioned — for there is money that needs to exit for the uncircumcised ones and horses and the like. And he said: the primary desire for money — is for one who has no vessel to receive it. Just as regarding the desire for eating — for certainly one who can eat etc. And the primary desire beyond measure is the same regarding money. I have a vessel etc. 376. RAK: See Chayai Moharan, Service of Hashem, 107.