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Parashat Vayishlah tells the famous story of Yaakob’s fight against an angel that confronted him and attacked him as he made his way to meet his brother Esav. The incident itself is fascinating and requires in-depth analysis, but the background to this episode is also significant and worthy of study. The Torah tells that as Yaakob traveled, he and his family came upon the Yabok river, and Yaakob moved his family and all his belongings across the river. But then, for some reason, he was left alone on the opposite side. It was there, as Yaakob stood alone, that he was unexpectedly assaulted by the mysterious man who turned out to be an angel.

What was Yaakob doing alone on the other side of the river? After he brought over his wives, children, servants and belongings, why didn’t he join them on the other side and continue traveling?

The Midrash explains that Yaakob went back across the river to retrieve "Pachim Ketanim" – "small jugs" – that he had forgotten to bring over. He took the time to cross the river, and stood all alone in the dark of night, in order that he would not lose a number of small items that were left on the other side. The Sages of the Midrash make an astonishing comment on the basis of this incident: "The Sadikim – their money is as dear to them as their souls." The effort that Yaakob exerted to retrieve small, inexpensive possessions reflects the importance to which he – and Sadikim in general – afford their material goods.

This statement appears to directly contradict the most elementary notions of Torah values and piety. We are always taught that the more righteous a person is, the less interest he has in material possessions, as he instead invests his time, thought and energy into the pursuit of spiritual excellence. The Sadik is the one who sacrifices a life of material comforts for spiritual greatness. What, then, do the Sages mean when they say about the Sadikim, "Their money is as dear to them as their souls"?

The story is told of an indignant man who owned next to nothing. He could not even afford a cup for Netilat Yadayim, and it troubled him that he could not fulfill this Misva. One night, before he went to sleep, he prayed to God with all his heart to provide him with a washing cup. Sure enough, the next morning, he found a washing cup on the floor near his bed, with a note that read, "Here is the cup you requested. Sincerely, God."

The man was exuberant. Besides receiving something that he desperately wished for, he had also received a special, personal gift directly from God. He cherished that washing cup from that day on, realizing that it was a personal gift from the Almighty.

Years later, the man’s fortunes were reversed, and he became wealthy. He was finally able to move into a large house, and he hired movers to transport his belongings to his new residence. As he unpacked, he realized that his beloved washing cup was missing. He called the movers, and it turned out that they didn’t bother bringing the washing cup.

"It’s just an old, plastic cup, and we figured you didn’t need it anymore," he was told.

Of course, the man was dismayed. It may have been just a simple plastic cup, but it meant the world to him. It was a clear expression of God’s unique love for him, and he wouldn’t want to give it up for anything in the world.

This is why the Sadikim love their money. They view everything they have, even the smallest items in their possession, as direct gifts from God. When one approaches his material assets from this perspective, he exercises extreme care not to waste or squander even a penny. Every morsel of food and every small gadget in his home was given to him by God Himself as an expression of love, affection and concern for his needs. How can he give it up? He wants to hold onto it forever!

And when we view our possessions from this perspective, we also immediately recognize that everything we have is given to us for a spiritual purpose. If we would wake up in the morning and find some money on the ground with a note by God telling us He gave it to us, we would, without doubt, donate all of it to charity. After all, if God gave it to us, it must be for a lofty purpose. So why are the rest of our possessions any different? They, too, are given to us as a personal gift from Hashem, and we must therefore assume that they have been given to us for a lofty purpose, to serve God. The basketball net in our driveway is to help our children grow and have an outlet to enable them to learn. The treadmill in the basement is there so we can be healthy and able to serve Hashem. Our fancy chinaware is in our cabinets to give honor to Shabbat and the holidays. The fine clothing in our closets serves to give us a dignified appearance and thereby bring honor to God, the Torah and the Jewish people.

This is why Yaakob afforded such importance to the "Pachim Ketanim." He understood that if God gave him these jugs, then they must serve some purpose, and he therefore was not prepared to let them go.

Everything we have has been given to us for a purpose. Our challenge is to determine that purpose, and ensure to direct all our material assets towards that goal.