Reply To: Over the Top Lifestyles in Lakewood

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There is a Halacha, admittedly that is disputed, that limits tzedakah to 20% of income. However, one should not be gavadik and “show-off” one’s wealth.

A larger issue is that people feel they MUST be wealthy and too many achieve their wealth through less-than honest business practices.

That being said, these questions are almost always raised by the less fortunate seeking to influence the financially successful into giving away much more money.

To those I say the following: do not judge those who are financially successful as you may never know and can never appreciate their intense yetzer hora to use their largess for physical satisfaction. Those who give of their time and money for klal are often fighting an internal battle that we cannot comprehend which is why, despite some obvious character flaws in some of those who make up the rich, we must still appreciate that they are spending time energy and money to benefit the Klal.