Daf Yomi, Marriage Counseling, Psychotherapy, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Torah and Psychology
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the famous principle of Rabbi Yochanan:
“By Torah law, giving money effects the acquisition of movable property with no need for pulling the object. And what is the reason that the Sages said that pulling effects acquisition? It is a rabbinic decree lest the seller, once he receives the money, be unconcerned about the welfare of the movable property that he has sold, and, for example, not protect it from fire, so that he will say to the buyer: Your wheat was burned in the upper story of my house and I have no responsibility for it. Therefore, by requiring a hands-on acquisition, those situations will be avoided.”
Likutei Halachos (Laws of Buying and Selling, Choshen Mishpat, 2.3 and Laws of Gifting 4.3) sees this through a mystical lens. Likutei Halachos notes the example given by the rabbis, “wheat burned in the upper story.” Why give an example of the wheat being in the upper story? They could have said the wheat was in a storage shed or some other location. The choice of words (upper story) is evocative of a higher plane.
In general, money represents a concentration of desire for physical objects. Psychologically and mystically money is not an object of intrinsic value, rather a representation of the means to acquire objects of value. Therefore, it represents pure desire. To illustrate, any other object has a utility function as well, and does not represent raw desire. For example, an article of clothing or a vehicle serves a function that might be necessary and therefore cannot be seen as an object of pure gratification of desire, because it also serves a utilitarian function, even if the closing or vehicle are luxury style. On the other hand, money is useful solely for the purpose of purchasing a desired object. From a spiritual perspective, anything that is so powerful it must have a Godly presence. Yet, because of that it has potential for powerful evil or good, depending on how it is utilized. Raw desire, or money, comes from God and represents either the deepest longing for the most meaningful attachments, that is attachment to God, or it could be the deepest longing for physical lust and indulgences. The process of human choice to use this powerful urge in a proper manner removes the “shells” from the physical matter and allows the spiritual force to fully unfold and manifest itself in this world.
This drive and desire must be managed properly. The idea that according to Torah law, money alone can make an acquisition is also recognizing that money has this power within it, the sum of human longing and desire. However, the rabbis saw that people could not handle such high voltage without some kind of insulation. This is what they mean by the phrase “the wheat burned in the upper story.” That is to say that the person could not handle the raw power and urges within the money. It had great spiritual potential (upper story) but could not be translated properly (burned).
The enactments requiring hands-on touch and pulling the object toward the person instead of just using money serve as a reminder that the desire for things and objects must be moderated and applied with wisdom. Think of it as similar to the general function of reciting a blessing on food or washing hands before food. While these rituals have deeper meanings in a specific way, in a general way, they encourage a person to pause and be mindful when eating. This turns eating into something beyond just gratification of appetite, but also being thankful for God’s blessings and thinking how to utilize one’s strength and health for service of God. So too, having to go through an additional process to acquire an object instead of just simply handing over the money or “swiping the credit card” can lead to mindfulness about what one does with money and desire, and how one lives within this world to fulfill God’s purpose and liberate this spiritual force from the physical shells.
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Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com