תהלים, פרק מ״ט, פסוק י״ט

Throughout life, every person faces a fundamental choice: whether to dedicate their time and resources to their temporary physical body or to enrich their eternal soul. There are two primary ways to understand how people navigate this reality. One perspective views this through the behavior of a wicked person who flatters himself, constantly reassuring his own mind that he will have peace and that no harm will ever come his way, even though no one else offers him any praise [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Conversely, another approach reads this as positive guidance. In this view, blessing oneself means actively increasing goodness. A person should invest their main energy and resources into elevating their soul through wisdom and good deeds, while only giving the physical body what it needs for basic survival [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

When a person chooses the path of wisdom and focuses on their true, long-term benefit in the World to Come, society takes notice. If an individual straightens their path and secures their spiritual future, people will ultimately praise and recognize them [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. This recognition comes especially from other wise individuals who truly understand the lasting value of such choices [רד״ק]. The only genuine good a person can achieve is what they do for their soul, as these spiritual accomplishments remain with them forever, standing in sharp contrast to material wealth that is eventually left behind for strangers to inherit [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Furthermore, achieving this ultimate self-benefit is not limited to the wealthy who have money to distribute to others. A poor, righteous person who struggles simply to support himself is also viewed as performing the highest level of kindness and charity for his own soul. He earns immense praise, because providing for his own well-being under the heavy burden of poverty is considered an even greater merit than a rich person giving charity to others [אלשיך].