The Rebbe strongly cautioned us to safeguard our money. He was very particular that we should take good care of our possessions.365Likutey Halakhot, Aveidah 3:10; ibid., Pikadon 3:2; ibid., Umnin 2:2; “His Wisdom” #193. He was very opposed to being careless and strongly ridiculed the schlimazelnick (hapless individual).
The Rebbe said, “A man takes time from Torah and prayer and struggles to earn some money to support his family. After he earns the money, he becomes a schlimazelnick and does not take care of it at all. Honest Jewish money must be guarded like the eyes in your head.”
Occasionally it happened that one of the Rebbe’s followers would lose his money while traveling and came to the Rebbe to complain. The Rebbe would berate him and lecture his followers to guard their money properly (cf. Tzaddik #547).
הָיָה מַזְהִיר מְאֹד שֶׁיִּשְׁמֹר הָאָדָם אֶת מָמוֹנוֹ בִּשְׁמִירָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמְעֻלָּה מְאֹד, וְהָיָה מַקְפִּיד מְאֹד עַל זֶה.
The Rebbe strongly cautioned us to safeguard our money. He was very particular that we should take good care of our possessions.365Likutey Halakhot, Aveidah 3:10; ibid., Pikadon 3:2; ibid., Umnin 2:2; “His Wisdom” #193. He was very opposed to being careless and strongly ridiculed the schlimazelnick (hapless individual).
וְהָיָה מִתְלוֹצֵץ וּמַקְפִּיד עַל אֵלּוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמִתְעַצְּלִים שֶׁקּוֹרִין בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז "שְׁלֵים מַזְלְנִיק", כִּי זְמַנִּים וְעִתִּים בִּטֵּל עַצְמוֹ מִתּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה וְטָרַח וְיָגַע בִּיגִיעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַרְוִיחַ מָמוֹן כְּדֵי לְפַרְנֵס בֵּיתוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ לוֹ הַמָּמוֹן הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה שְׁלֵים-מַזְלְנִיק וְאֵינוֹ מַשְׁגִּיחַ עָלָיו כְּלָל. כִּי מָמוֹן כָּשֵׁר שֶׁל אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי צָרִיךְ שְׁמִירָה כְּמוֹ עַיִן שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ.
The Rebbe said, “A man takes time from Torah and prayer and struggles to earn some money to support his family. After he earns the money, he becomes a schlimazelnick and does not take care of it at all. Honest Jewish money must be guarded like the eyes in your head.”
וּבְכָל עֵת שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן שֶׁאֶחָד מֵאֲנָשָׁיו נֶאֱבַד אֶצְלוֹ אֵיזֶה סַךְ מָמוֹן בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהָיוּ בָּאִים בְּקֻבְלָנָא לְפָנָיו, הָיָה מְבַזֶּה וּמוֹכִיחַ אוֹתוֹ מְאֹד עַל זֶה עַל שֶׁלֹּא נִזְהֲרוּ בִּשְׁמִירָתוֹ יָפֶה.
Occasionally it happened that one of the Rebbe’s followers would lose his money while traveling and came to the Rebbe to complain. The Rebbe would berate him and lecture his followers to guard their money properly (cf. Tzaddik #547).