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A Change of Environment and a Change of HeartAggadot from Hamivtar by Rav Yitzchak BlauR. Mani used to attend the lectures of R. Yitzhak ben Elyashiv. Once R. Mani said to him: "The rich members of my father-in-law's household harass me." R. Yitzhak ben Elyashiv said: "Let them become poor," and they became poor. After a while, R. Mani came back and said "They now press me to support them. R. Yitzhak ben Elyashiv said "Let them become rich again," and they became rich again. R. Mani said: The person on my household (i.e. my wife) is not satisfactory to me. R. Yitzhak ben Elyashiv said: What is her name?" R. Mani answered: "Hannah." R. Yitzhak decreed: "Let Hannah become beautiful," and she bacame beautiful. R. Mani ret urned and said: "She has become overbearing to me." R. Yitzhak ben Elyashiv said: "Let Hannah revert to her plainness," and she reverted to her plainness (Taannit 23b).This story includes several different ideas. Firstly, it says something about knowing what to ask for. We need to ask for Divine help in the truly important matters rather than becoming caught up in who has money or who has the best looking spouse. Secondly, it points out that we sometimes desire things that are very much a mixed blessing. The petty jealousies and family squabbles that often come together with having more wealth than one's friends and relatives should make us question our aspirations for great riches. We can certainly both reject poverty as a religious ideal and still understand the pitfalls of wealth. Yet there may be a third level of meaning here. We often think that we can make changes in our lives by shifting the circumstances that surround us. If our surrounding environment were only different, then things would be much better. This story suggests that an authentic approach to improvement demands looking within rather than without. Modern man tends to think of improving society via changes in the political structure. But the success of any political structure truly depends on the nature of the human beings who reside within it. As Andre Gide wrote in his critique of communism "Man cannot be reformed from the outside - a change of heart is neccessary."
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