אות - ד

Now, in these times, it is very, very difficult for a kosher person to have money, because it is necessary for him to have a very great descent Heaven forbid until he attains money. And even after the descent Heaven forbid from His devotion blessed He, still not everyone attains money. Because even the wicked and the frivolous of the world — not everyone attains money. However, a truly kosher person, it is extremely remote that he should have wealth.[22]

Because know, that from the day the Temple was destroyed the wealth fell to the depths of the klipos (husks, exterior evil forces),[23] in the aspect of: "and she fell wondrously [pla-im]" [Lamentations 1:9] — 'pla-im' {wondrously} are the letters 'alaphim' — thousands. That is, that the monetary thousands of wealth fell wondrously, that is, a great and wondrous descent.[24] Therefore, it is ineluctable that he should have Heaven forbid a very great descent before coming to wealth,[25] that is, thousands in cash, and it is still uncertain as explained above.[26] However, a truly[27] kosher person — it is extremely difficult for him to have wealth. And even though there are also found tzadikim and kosher people that have money,[28] however, it is very, very onerous and difficult. And also, the wealth that the tzadikim have, it damages them in their devotion.[29] Also, in reality, even though they have a little wealth, however, even still they do not have great wealth ready at their disposal as do the frivolous of the world, who have thousands and tens of thousands of adumim (a valuable gold coin) cash. Because now it is extremely difficult and onerous for kosher people to have wealth as stated above.

And like they say in the name of my grandfather Rabbi Nachman[30] o.b.m., who said[31] on what our Sages o.b.m said (Shabbos 63a), "Length of days is on/with its (the Torah's) right" [Proverbs 3:16], and our Sages o.b.m. said, "Length of days there is, wealth and honor there isn't?" And they said: "All the more so (there is) wealth and honor!" And Rabbi Nachman (the grandfather of Rabbainu) o.b.m. said, that it is just an "all the more so," that is, that certainly it is an a fortiori and an "all the more so" that they will have wealth and honor, however not explicitly.[32] Because even still they do not have ready at their disposal many thousands of adumim (valuable golden coins), as explained above.