Is Materialism Antithetical to Spirituality? After forty years of living a sheltered life in the desert, a life devoted to spirituality and Torah study, the Jewish people emerged from the desert and came face to face with civilization. The meeting was a colossal failure. The Jewish people were tempted by the sounds and sights of what they encountered, strayed after the pagan women of Moab, and adopted their idols. Against that background, the Torah, toward the conclusion of the Book of Numbers, introduces the laws of vows, whereby a person can prohibit something upon themselves, giving it the force of a biblical prohibition. While the goal of Judaism is not asceticism but rather the sanctification of the material, a person does have the ability to create boundaries for themselves, to say no before they can say yes. Before a person can sanctify pleasure, wealth, or success, he must first possess the discipline to use the material in a way that is productive and healthy and not let it take over, thus leading to a self-destructive outcome. The Torah offers a path to "undo" the vows. That represents the ability to grow from a place where materialism was a threat to a holy lifestyle, to a place where the material can be incorporated within holiness and ultimately lead to greater spiritual growth. But what is the process, and what are the necessary spiritual tools to be able to “undo the vow” and defuse the potential destructive lure of the material? The answer is alluded to in the phrase Moses employs when introducing the concept of vows and their nullification. Moses says, “Zeh Hadavar”, this is the matter. “Zeh”, this, referring to a Divine communication, is very unusual. In general, prophets use the term “Koh”, which means “so”, as in “So says the Lord”. Moses is the only prophet who prophesied with the word “Zeh”, this. Chasidic philosophy explains that “koh”, so, refers to an approximation; the prophecy is not vivid and clear. Whereas “zeh”, this, represents something one can point at, not abstractions, but a concrete reality. So long as spirituality and G-d remain an interesting but abstract idea, materialism will remain a spiritual threat and a challenge to our ethics and values. But, in this week’s Torah portion, Moses empowers us to experience a reality, not of “koh” but of “zeh”, not of “so” but of “this”. Moses invites us to deepen our perception of reality, broaden our awareness, and recognize G-d as the true reality. This will allow us to discover the true essence of the material, not a substance that conceals the Divine creative energy that is within it, but rather as an expression of the Divine creative power. As King Solomon states in the book of Proverbs: “in all your ways know Him”, realize that every material possession you have is a means to know and grow closer to the creator. Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe, Matos Masei 5721
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