א"ל רב לרב המנונא בני אם יש לך היטב לך שאין בשאול תענוג ואין למות התמהמה ואם תאמר אניח לבני חוק בשאול מי יגיד לך בני האדם דומים לעשבי השדה הללו נוצצין והללו נובלין
Rab said to R'Hamnuna, 'My son, according to thy ability<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'if thou hast'.');"><sup>13</sup></span> do good to thyself, for there is no enjoyment in she'ol nor will death be long in coming. And shouldst thou say: "I would leave a portion for my children" - who will tell thee in the grave?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whether it is being put to good use.');"><sup>14</sup></span> The children of man are like the grasses of the field, some blossom and some fade'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Eccl. XIV, 11f, 15f, 18. vhuk');"><sup>15</sup></span>
Iggeret HaGra
Always focus your attention on these matters and not on others, because all else is trivial. For man can salvage nothing from his labor to take with him (see Koheles 5:14), except two white garments (shrouds). Also (Tehillim 49), "A man will not redeem his brother...Fear not when a man grows rich...For when he dies, he shall carry nothing away...." Don't say, "I will leave a portion for my children" - who will tell you in the grave? The children of man are like grasses of the field, some blossom and some fade (Eruvin 54a). Everyone is born under his constellation and Divine Providence. They are glad when he dies and he goes into the nether world. [At his death] Resh Lakish left his children a kav of saffron, and he applied to himself the verse (Tehillim 49:11), "...and they leave their wealth to others" (Gittin 47a). Woe to all who plan on leaving [wealth] to their children! The only reward from sons and daughters is through their Torah and good deeds. Their sustenance is fixed for them. It is also known that women earn merit by making their children learn Torah etc. (Berachos 17a)
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