It’s Not the Government’s Job To Put Aside Money for Your Old Age; It’s Yours!
Accruing Affluence
The Maharsha[1] writes that a person should put aside money for his old age.
We can learn from Yosef’s actions — save from the years of plenty for the years of scarcity.[2] Likewise, a person should accrue money when he is younger for the future time of his old age. This is proper hishtadlus, just as a person would do hishtadlus for other matters the Torah requires.[3]
An allusion to this can be found in the words, b’zei’as apecha tochal lechem, by the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread.[4] This can be interpreted as b’zei’as apecha, work, so that tochal lechem, you will have sustenance when you are older. Most people reach a juncture in their life when they live off the work they did when they were younger.
[1] Chidushei Aggados, Nida 65a, s.v. kivan.
[2] Breishis 41.
[3] Incidentally, there is a saying, “Don’t let money run your life. Let money help you run your life better.”
[4] Breishis 3:19.
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