Chizkiya Hamelech's Decrees and the Holy Snake

ת"ר ששה דברים עשה חזקיה המלך על שלשה הודו לו ועל שלשה לא הודו לו גירר עצמות אביו על מטה של חבלים והודו לו כיתת נחש הנחשת והודו לו גנז ספר רפואות והודו לו 

This Gemara shows us a very deep insight into Chizkiya Hamelech and how he challenged the status quo. Bnei Yisrael were leaning too far towards Segulot and rather than recognizing that everything comes from God, which was the original goal of the "Nachash Hanichoshes", Bnei Yisrael started believing that the "Nachash Hanichoshes" was the actual healer. This gets very close to Avoda Zara. Chizkiya went out on a limb and destroyed this very valuable relic and a fundamental piece of Jewish History, something that Moshe Rabenu created, because Chizkiya felt that it was detrimental towards focusing on Hashem himself. Interestingly, this Nachash Hanichoshes" was actually accomplishing the exact opposite affect during Chizkiya's time as opposed to what the  Nachash Hanichoshes"was accomplishing for during Moshe Rabenu's generation. Then, by Moshe Rabenu, it facilitated a focus on God and now, during Chizkiya, it facilitated the opposite. This same instrument that during Moshe Rabenu's generation  was an object of Kedusha, a holy instrument became an object of Chillul, an instrument that needed to be destroyed. There is nothing inherent in an object, it all depends on the purpose it serves at any given moment. The same can be said for a Rabbi's shtender or any other inanimate object. The Meshech Chachma contemplates a similar idea with regard to Moshe breaking the Luchos. The Meshech Chachma says that when Moshe came down from the mountain he realized that the reason the Bnei Yisrael made the egel was because they felt that they needed a deity to lead them now that Moshe seemed to be gone. Why would they need a deity to lead them? It must be that they had attributed some kind of Godliness to Moshe. Moshe wanted to demonstrate that the only thing/object/person that can have Godliness was God. Not even the Torah in its purest form, the Luchos, and even though Oraysa Vekudsaha /Brichu Chad, there was still no inherent Godliness or Kedusha in the Luchos. Only God is Godly and everything else is dependant on purpose and intent. Everything can change to gain or lose Kedusha. That is why Moshe broke the Luchos. As if to say;Although I led you for forty years in the desert and spoke the word of God, I am inherently just a man and the same with the luchos which were given by God are just two stones and if you make an egel the Luchos are in fact nothing. 

However, Chizkiya, didn't want Bnei Yisrael to stray to far from the idea that they must look beyond the natural world for healing and medicine. Chizkiya was looking to find the right balance between being too naturalistic and too miraclistic. Man should look to God to help him but utilize natural means as a medium. When man assumes that the natural means are the cure and he doesn't need God, that too is a problem. Chizkiya, with the assent of the sages, decided to banish the "Sefer Refuos". Interestingly he only was "Gonez" the sefer refuos, he didn't destroy it like he destroyed the Nachash Hanichoshes for the Sefer Refuos would possibly come in to use at a later date once Bnai Yisrael strengthened their Emuna and it wouldn't cause them to lose faith but the Nachash Hanichoshes had no further utilitarian value, it was a nice museum piece possibly but could only cause harm, it was a Michshol- a stumbling block. 




Chizkiya Hamelech felt it would be best to demean his father so that it would ultimately help him even though everybody else was just running around saying Kaddish for their parents.  

Investing...Perspective on Investments

The Gemara in Pesachim 54: says that there are a number of things that are concealed from the human consciousness.

 ת"ר שבעה דברים מכוסים מבני אדם אלו הן יום המיתה ויום הנחמה ועומק הדין ואין אדם יודע מה בלבו של חבירו ואין אדם יודע במה משתכר ומלכות בית דוד מתי תחזור ומלכות חייבת מתי תכלה 

One of the things is ואין אדם יודע במה משתכר The Maharsh"a says that if a person knew what/where he would make his money then everybody would be rushing to that specific industry/investment and the prices would inflate. 

I believe that this Marshaa"a is explains a very interesting investment phenomenon. In most areas of life, individuals pursue interests based on individual goals. This allows ski resorts and beaches to operate without getting overwhelmed as personal taste rules with regard to vacation. In all life's goals the fact that all individuals have different goals and everybody pursues disparate goals allow for an even distribution of world resources. Shuls don't all get filled up neither do yoga studios etc. 

However when it comes to investing, everybody's goals are similar, to return as much money as possible based on the amount invested (obviously we have to take into account certain parameters such as risk profile, time horizon of invested capital and such) all investors with the same profile should be running to the same investments. Investors typically don't care exactly what kind of industry that they are investing into as long as it produces a healthy return. Employment is also similar, many people have a specific affinity to a certain type of employment. However, within a specific type of employment all potential employees have basically one goal... To make money and get paid well. 

Why then are there so many different investment philosophies within the same industry and so many people pursuing so many different employment opportunities within the same industry? . This stuff is not rocket science?

The answer is the Maharsha. אין אדם יודע במה משתכר is one of the phenomenons that God planted in the creation of mans consciousness. That he will not be able to see clearly how he will be making his money. What seems like a great investment to one industry professional looks like a terrible investment to another and vice versa. 

We all hear stories of start-ups that go to 200 venture capital meetings only to be told that their idea is horrible until one vc agrees to invest and they become the next billion dollar company. What did the last group see that the others didn't? Why didn't the company stop when many many smart industry professionals told them that what they are doing cannot make money? The reason is that there is a special דעת given to people regarding ואין אדם יודע במה משתכר. Its almost totally out of our hands. We use the דעת That we were given but it almost certainly not going to match another persons דעת. God set it up that way possibly so that there can be an even distribution of resources in the world.