Commentary for Shabbat 50:6

ת"ר איזה עשיר כל שיש לו נחת רוח בעשרו דברי רבי מאיר: סימן מ"ט ק"ס: רבי טרפון אומר כל שיש לו ק' כרמים ומאה שדות וק' עבדים שעובדין בהן רבי עקיבא אומר כל שיש לו אשה נאה במעשים רבי יוסי אומר כל שיש לו בית הכסא סמוך לשולחנו

Our Rabbis taught: Who is wealthy? He who has pleasure in his wealth: this is R. Meir's view. (Mnemonic: <i>MaT KaS</i>).<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 110, n. 1. R. Meir, R. Tarfon, R. Akiba, and R. Jose. ');">¹⁵</span> R. Tarfon said: He who possesses a hundred vineyards, a hundred fields and a hundred slaves working in them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The most famous dictum on wealth is in Ab. IV, 1: Who is wealthy? He who rejoices in his portion. Nevertheless, other Rabbis took a more material view of wealth, as here. Maharsha suggests that R. Tarfon intentionally states his case in an exaggerated form, to intimate that one who seeks wealth can never really attain it, unless he is satisfied with what he possesses. On that view R. Tarfon's statement really agrees with that in Aboth. Actually R. Tarfon was very wealthy, and Judaism is not opposed to wealth in principle. 'Despise not riches. Honour the wealthy if they are benevolent and modest. But remember that the true riches is contentment'. — Sefer Ma'aloth Hammidoth, quoted by M. Joseph in Judaism as Creed and Life, p. 388. ');">¹⁶</span> R. Akiba said: He who has a wife comely in deeds.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He spoke from personal experience: his wife stood out as a model of fidelity and trust, and it was she alone who enabled and encouraged him to attain his high position (Ned. 50a). ');">¹⁷</span>

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