About Money, Values, and Wise Financial Choices
Shavuot Weekly Learning Unit
Activity Overview
Target audience: Grades 9–12
Estimated time: 45 minutes (can be extended for deeper discussion)
Goal: To spark open conversation and encourage personal reflection on the values that guide us and the role money plays in our lives, drawing on the Book of Ruth and additional Jewish sources.
Opening
Start by asking the group:
Who would like to receive a significant sum of money right now? And if your parents currently cover your expenses, why would you need money of your own?
Open a brief discussion around the desire for personal financial independence, including the freedom to make choices your parents might not make for you. Is that a legitimate aspiration?
The goal here is simply to get people thinking. Later in the session, we will explore some important principles and perspectives on the topic.
Part A: What Does It Mean to Be Truly Wealthy?
The Meaning Behind the Word
Ask the group:
Does anyone have an idea why money is called what it is?
Collect responses, then share this reflection:
One fascinating interpretation is that the Hebrew word for money, kesef, shares a root with the word for longing and yearning. By nature, people dream, aspire, and strive to grow and succeed. Money is one of the central tools we use to turn those dreams into reality. We yearn for money in order to reach our deeper aspirations. It is a means, not an end.
The Mishnah: Who Is Truly Wealthy?
Ask the group:
You may know the teaching from Pirkei Avot: ‘Who is wealthy? One who is satisfied with what they have.’ If that is true, then it seems like all of us are doing the opposite! Why push so hard for a better job, more education, or greater skills? Shouldn’t we just be happy with what we already have?
Facilitator note: The goal of this question is to spark some pushback and lively debate. It runs counter to everything young people see around them: academic ambition, career aspirations, social media influencers, and the constant pressure to have and achieve more. The livelier the discussion, the more engaged participants will become.
You can deepen the conversation by asking:
- If you had everything you currently want, what would you want next? Why that thing before something else?
- Has anyone heard a new idea from a classmate just now that made them think differently about what they would choose?
The Book of Ruth: A Story About Wealth and Responsibility
Ask the group:
How does the Book of Ruth begin?
Collect responses, then share:
‘In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the fields of Moab with his wife and two sons.’ (Ruth 1:1)
This man, Elimelech, was wealthy. During a famine, the people around him expected him to take responsibility and care for those in need. Instead, he chose to leave. The story then tells us he and his two sons died, and the narrative continues with Ruth and Naomi.
But here is an interesting tension: if ‘the wealthy person is the one satisfied with their portion,’ then maybe Elimelech was not truly wealthy after all, even with all his possessions. And perhaps those around him also had something to examine in their own expectations.
Mid-Session Summary
Briefly recap the ground covered:
- We explored why young people might want their own money even when their basic needs are met.
- We looked at the concept that money connects to deep human longing and aspiration.
- We encountered the Mishnaic teaching about genuine wealth.
- We connected these ideas to Elimelech’s story in the Book of Ruth.
A Quick Biblical Trivia Round
Read out the following verses and ask participants to identify who is being described:
“He was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.” [Abraham] (Genesis 13:2)
“He planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.” [Isaac] (Genesis 26:12)
“The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.” [Jacob] (Genesis 24:35)
“He did not become wealthy except through the fragments of the tablets, as it is said: ‘Carve out for yourself’ the carvings are yours.” [Moses] (Talmud, Nedarim 38a)
Share this reflection:
It is no coincidence that the Patriarchs, Moses, King David, King Solomon, and many other revered figures were described as people of great wealth. The tradition teaches that abundance, whether in money or wisdom, is something to aspire to. In tractate Nedarim, quoting Rabbi Yochanan: ‘The Holy One rests the Divine Presence only on one who is strong, wealthy, wise, and humble, and all of these qualities we learn from Moses.’
Then ask:
So what is actually right? Should we aspire to financial success, or should we simply be content with what we have?
Part B: Between Aspiration and Reality
What Would You Do With Financial Freedom?
Ask the group:
Imagine you received a significant sum of money. What would you do with it?
Collect the range of answers, which will likely span purchases, savings, experiences, and giving. Then ask:
Why did you choose those particular things?
You can probe further with these clarifying questions (avoid judgmental framing; keep it curious and open):
- If you had what you just described, what would that give you?
- After you had that, what would you want next? Why that thing first?
- Did hearing someone else’s idea just now make you rethink your own choice?
- Do you think you would actually feel wealthy after all of that?
Understanding What Shapes Our Choices
From the responses shared, we can identify the key forces that drive our financial decisions:
- Social pressure
- Influencers and content creators
- Social media
- Advertising
- Knowledge and awareness
It is worth understanding the difference between a need and a want:
A need is something fundamental that everyone requires. For example: shoes to wear, a place to live, a phone to stay connected.
A want is the specific way we choose to meet that need. For example: you can buy comfortable, quality shoes for a modest price, or you can buy a designer brand at ten times the cost.
When it comes to wants, there is no right or wrong answer. It is a space for personal choice and individual priorities. How much we spend on any given item is a personal decision that varies from person to person, and reflects our own values.
As social beings, we naturally tend to absorb the choices of those around us. The first four factors listed above (social pressure, influencers, social media, advertising) all generate desires that lead to decisions. Sometimes that desire is rooted in a genuine need. Other times it is entirely disconnected from one. Commercial companies invest enormous resources to get us to buy their products.
Invite participants to reflect quietly: When did I make a decision that was truly my own? When did I simply adopt someone else’s choice?
The Gap Between What We Want and What We Have
Ask the group:
What fills the space between our aspirations and our current reality?
Collect responses and then introduce this teaching:
In gematria (Hebrew numerology), the word for ‘desirable’ has a value of 306, and the word for ‘available’ has a value of 146. The difference is 160, which is also the numerical value of the Hebrew word for money. The gap between what we want and what we currently have is filled, quite literally, by money.
A Teaching From Pirkei Avot
“Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said to his students: Go and see which is the right path a person should follow. Rabbi Eliezer says: A generous eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yose says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who foresees consequences. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach over all of yours, for his words include all of yours.”
“He also said: Go and see which is the path that a person should avoid. Rabbi Eliezer says: A miserly eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A bad friend. Rabbi Yose says: A bad neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who borrows and does not repay — one who borrows from another is as one who borrows from the Creator, as it is written: The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are generous and giving. Rabbi Elazar says: A bad heart. He said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach over all of yours, for his words include all of yours.” (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 2)
Unpacking Rabbi Shimon’s Teaching
Ask the group:
What did Rabbi Shimon identify as the right path? What did he identify as the wrong path?
Collect responses and then explain:
The right path: One who foresees consequences. Someone who lives with an eye on the future, taking stock of what they have now and what they still need, and building a clear set of priorities. A person can choose to be genuinely wealthy and content.
How? Imagine someone sets aside a sum of money for something they really want in the future, even if it means continuing to save. That means choosing not to spend it on other things in the meantime. That is what it means to foresee consequences. Such a person is satisfied with what they have, because they have made a conscious choice about what matters most.
When we have a plan and a purpose, outside influences like social pressure and advertising lose much of their power over us. We stay in control. And when we feel in control of our choices, that sense of agency extends far beyond money. It touches every area of life. That is why Rabbi Shimon identifies this as the right path.
The wrong path: One who borrows and does not repay. Rabbi Shimon recognized that borrowing is a normal part of financial life. The question is not whether to borrow, but whether we do so wisely.
Ask the group:
Is borrowing money a good or bad thing? If you have money you spend it, and if you do not, you simply do not buy. Why borrow at all?
This is a great opportunity for an open discussion about the smart use of credit. Then share:
Borrowing can be a legitimate and even necessary tool for financial progress. Most major milestones in life, whether in business or in personal finances, involve some form of credit. Rabbi Shimon is not saying never borrow.
What he is saying is that borrowing without a realistic plan for repayment is a serious mistake. When someone takes money knowing they have no way to pay it back, that reflects poor judgment and a failure to foresee consequences. It is the opposite of seeing ahead.
If we find ourselves wanting something we cannot afford and the temptation is to borrow from friends or use credit without a plan, that is the moment to pause and reset. Work for it. Save for it. Buy it when you are ready. The satisfaction of reaching a goal through your own effort and discipline is something money alone cannot buy, and it will carry you forward in ways that impulsive spending never will.
Set your goals. Work hard. Save with intention. And above all: see ahead.
Picture a parent imagining their child before birth, envisioning exactly who they will be. That same capacity for forward vision is available to all of us. Dream. Plan. See your goals clearly. You will get there. There will be setbacks and disappointments along the way. That is part of the journey. You are at the beginning of the road. Embrace this way of thinking and it will take you far.
Conclusion
Money is a powerful and positive force when used with wisdom and integrity. When we handle it honestly, when we engage in financial decisions with good faith, and when we are willing to share what we have with others in need, we develop the capacity to see beyond ourselves. We learn humility. We learn to ask for guidance and to receive advice graciously.
Money serves us best when we understand that it is a tool, not a destination. It helps us realize our aspirations, build our lives, support those around us, and contribute to something larger than ourselves. It is never the goal in itself.
In the Book of Ruth, everything Ruth does stands as a quiet correction to Elimelech’s choices. She has nothing, yet she sees Naomi, her mother-in-law. She looks ahead. From her acts of loyalty, modesty, and selfless care, an entire royal lineage grows. King David himself descends from her. The dynasty is born not from wealth or power, but from asking the right question: not ‘What do others think of me?’ or ‘What do I have or not have?’ but simply: ‘What is right and good to do?’
That is the question worth carrying with us.
