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Bamidbar: Share the Wealth

There is a Medrash that explains why Seder Bamidbar starts with discussing the desert: כל מי שאינו עושה עצמו כמדבר הפקר, אינו יכול לקנות את תורה. לכך נאמר, במדבר סיני
“Anybody who does not make themselves hefker like a desert cannot acquire Torah.”

R’ Shimon Schwab explains that this הפקרות means one should freely share the Torah that they learn and develop with others. Furthermore, it should not bother a person if the ideas that they develop are later said over שלא בשם אמרו, without being attributed to him.

Rav Dessler shares a similar idea. He writes that everything we have is not truly ours. Rather, it is a פדון that Hashem has entrusted us with, and He has charged us with using it to benefit others.

But Rav Dessler adds this is not only true by physical belongings. Any spiritual wealth and wisdom that we are lucky enough to attain should be regarded the same way – as Hashem’s gifts that He has leant us for the purpose of helping others.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום