סימן לא סעיף ז
וְכֵן כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, אוֹ בִּמְלָאכָה לְהִשְׂתַּכֵּר בָּהּ, לֹא יְהֵא בְּלִבּוֹ לִקְבֹּץ מָמוֹן בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא יַעֲשֶׂה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ לְפַרְנֵס בְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ, וְלָתֵת צְדָקָה וּלְגַדֵּל בָּנָיו לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר, חַיָּב אָדָם לָשׂוּם עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ עַל דְּרָכָיו, וְלִשְׁקֹל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו בְּמָאזְנֵי שִׂכְלוֹ. וּכְשֶׁרוֹאֶה דָּבָר שֶׁיָּבֹא לִידֵי עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה יַעֲשֵׂהוּ, וְאִם לָאו לֹא יַעֲשֵׂהוּ. וּמִי שֶׁנּוֹהֵג כֵּן, נִמְצָא עוֹבֵד אֵת בּוֹרְאוֹ כָּל יָמָיו, אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁעַת שִׁבְתּוֹ וְקוּמוֹ וְהִלוּכוֹ וּבִשְעַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּאֲכִילָתוֹ וּשְׁתִיָּתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁוֹ וּבְכָל צְרָכָיו. וְעַל עִנְיָן זֶה צִוּוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה וְאָמְרוּ וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יִהְיוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמָּיִם. וּבַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה זָקֵף רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו לְמַעְלָה בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָתוֹ וְאָמַר, גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁלֹּא נֶהֱנֵיתִי מֵהֵם אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמָיִם (אוֹרַח חַיִּים סִימָן רל"א ורמב"ם פרק ג).
Similarly, when you are engaged in business or in a trade [or profession] to earn a livelihood, you should not aspire merely to accumulate wealth, but pursue your work in order to support your family,5A very rich man whose family is amply provided for, when pursuing his business affairs should have in mind that his great wealth should enable him to give more charity, to provide employment for many of his fellow Jews and to establish others in businesses of their own, thereby fulfilling the Torah command “You must come to his aid” (Leviticus 25:35). (Mishnah Berurah 231–8) to give charity, and to raise your children to study the Torah. The general principle [that should guide all your actions] is: It is the duty of every person to consider his ways judiciously,6Literally, “to place his eyes and his heart on his ways.” and to weigh his deeds on the scales of reason; and if he sees something that is conducive to the service of the Creator, on high, he should do it, otherwise, he should not do it. If you lead [your life according to] this rule, you will be serving God all your days, even when sitting, getting up, walking, and doing business, even when eating and drinking, yes, even when having marital relations and performing all your bodily functions. With regard to this way of thinking our Rabbis of blessed memory said:7Avos 2:17. "Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven." And in the same manner Rabbeinu Hakodesh raised his fingers heavenward when he was dying, and said:8Kesuvos 104a. "It is obvious and known to You that I derived no [personal] benefit from them.9I.e., from the labor of my hands. [All I have done was] only for the sake of Heaven.
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)