BackThe Difference Between a Lot and Everything
By: Rabbi Barak Bar-Chaim
Parshat Vayishlach describes the first encounter between Jacob and Esau following more than three decades of separation. In an effort to appease Esau, Jacob sends messengers with lavish gifts to Esau prior to their meeting. When they finally meet, Esau says to Jacob, “I have a lot, my brother; let what you have remain yours.” Jacob responds to Esau, “Now take my gift, which has been brought to you, for God has favored me [with it], and [because] I have everything.”
The great 19th century biblical commentator Malbim notes that the terminology used by Jacob and Esau is subtly different. Esau says, “I have a lot.” Jacob says, “I have everything.” The difference is not merely semantic and coincidental but rather summarizes their respective relationships to material wealth and possessions. Esau is saying he has a lot of material wealth. But while he recognizes his abundance, he remains acutely aware of the wealth ‘out there’ that he still lacks. Like Esau, Jacob became a wealthy man with significant means. However, Jacob’s attitude to his material wealth is completely different from that of Esau. Jacob genuinely feels that he has everything. His mindset is “there is nothing ‘out there’ that I lack.” Esau deludes himself into thinking that there is some magic amount of money that will make him feel completely satisfied, happy and content. Jacob, on the other hand, does not rely on ‘things’ for his happiness. His life has meaning and significance totally independent of any material possessions. This enables him to enjoy the blessings of a material-rich life, and avoid the delusional cycle of “If only I had more I would be happy…”
This is the deep meaning of the teaching of our sages in Ethics of the Fathers: “Who is the the rich man, the one that is satisfied with his lot.” Being satisfied with one’s lot means feeling that one has everything. Being satisfied with one’s lot means focusing on the blessings in one’s possession, and not on the abundance ‘out there.’ Being satisfied with our lot means internalizing that ‘material things’ never provide lasting happiness. Let us choose the attitude of Jacob: “I have everything.”