Q&A: Brains or Money
Brains or Money
Question
A well-known story goes like this:
A philosopher, an upright and straightforward man, rubbed a lamp very vigorously, and suddenly a handsome genie emerged from it.
“I am at your service, human,” said the genie.
“I have the power to grant one wish. What would you like—great intelligence or lots of money?”
The philosopher didn’t hesitate and shot back immediately: “Money, of course.”
“Poof,” the genie waved his finger and poured a huge amount of wisdom into the philosopher’s brain.
At once the philosopher’s face fell: “Ahhhh. I should have chosen the money.”
A personal question I ask a lot of people:
If they invented a very expensive pill that greatly boosts intellectual ability—whoever takes it effectively becomes like Rabbi Akiva Eiger and Newton and all the smartest people in history—
and the other option were to own half of all the assets in the world,
what would you choose?
Okay, it’s not as deep a question as what people here usually ask you, but maybe just for sport the Rabbi will answer 🙂
Answer
At first glance I thought I’d choose wisdom. After all, money I have in fairly short supply, and where is wisdom to be found? But on second thought I’d choose the money, because added wisdom via a pill is “not wisdom.” The challenge is to try to understand as much as you can with your own tools.
Discussion on Answer
It’s hard to define, but I don’t think so. When extra wisdom is injected into me and I understand something, it’s artificial. It’s not me who understood, but someone else. I’m not sure the point is the challenge. Maybe it’s the self-identity of the one who understands. I don’t know.
I’m not talking about the degree of enjoyment in it, but about the value of the intellectual achievement.
With God’s help, 14 Av 5781
The wisest of all men, who asked, “And give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil,” already taught us that the main thing is knowledge—not merely bare intellectual knowledge, but the capacity for judgment and correct choice, “between good and evil.”
And his Creator agreed with him: “And God said to him: Because you have asked for this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor asked for yourself riches, nor asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to hear judgment—behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart… And also what you did not ask I have given you as well, both riches and honor…”
And not for nothing did the composers of the prayer place “Who graciously grants knowledge” first among the requests, as they explained in the Jerusalem Talmud: “If you have acquired knowledge—what do you lack? If you lack knowledge—what have you acquired?” One who has understanding to make proper decisions and do what is good and upright in the eyes of God and man—he will succeed in all his ways.
With blessings,
Simcha Fish”l HaLevi Plankton
A wise person can make money if he wants to.
Challenge—who even mentioned that? The experience of clear knowledge is the goal, not the flash of insight. If I understood it through my own powers or someone explained it to me, that’s not such a big difference. Isn’t that so?