The Power of a Good Eye: Another Person’s Success Does Not Take Away From Yours

One of the followers of the holy Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin once came to him and poured out his heart.

“I have a shop from which I earn my livelihood,” he said. “On the street right next to mine there is another store just like it. Yet my neighbor’s shop is always full of customers. There is never a quiet moment there. Many times I even see a long line stretching outside. Naturally, he earns substantial profits every single day.

“But in my shop, there is barely any movement. Only a few people come in. I have already tried everything to improve things. We both sell exactly the same products. I even went into his shop to try to discover the secret of his success, but nothing changes. For a long time now, I have barely been able to bring home a livelihood.”

The tzaddik calmed him and said, “I bless you, and I even promise you, that you too will have abundance and livelihood in plenty — but on one condition.

“The next time you see customers waiting in line at your neighbor’s store, say to yourself: ‘Thank God that he has abundant livelihood.’ At first it will be difficult for you to say it, and certainly you will not truly feel joy in his success, because the evil inclination misleads you into thinking that he is taking your customers and damaging your livelihood.

“But after you say it many times, the words will slowly enter your heart.

“With time, you will begin to feel genuine satisfaction that he is prospering, and the jealousy will lessen. Then my promise will be fulfilled: the gates of abundance will open for you as well, and livelihood will begin to flow to you in plenty.”

Aaron’s Greatness: Rejoicing in Another’s Rise

This quality of generosity of spirit and a good eye shines most beautifully in the conduct of Aaron.

God asks Moshe to become the leader of the people. He will be the one to redeem them from Egypt, to stand before Pharaoh, and to perform signs and wonders. Later, he will be the only one to ascend the heavens and speak with the Creator for forty days and nights without food, drink, or sleep.

It is an extraordinary privilege, yet Moshe hesitates.

He says to God: “Please send by the hand of whom You will send.”

The sages explain that Moshe was referring to Aaron.

Moshe feared that perhaps his older brother Aaron might be hurt by the fact that his younger brother is suddenly being elevated above him and appointed supreme leader.

But Aaron responds in an entirely different way.

God tells Moshe: “Aaron your brother… behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart.”

Aaron does not merely accept Moshe’s greatness, but he genuinely rejoices in it. With his pure and generous heart, there is not even a trace of jealousy. More than that, he is truly happy that his younger brother has become the great leader of Israel.

This is the essence of a good eye — to rejoice sincerely in the success of another.

Another Person’s Success Is Not at Your Expense

For some reason, many people instinctively feel that when someone else succeeds in life — whether in Torah, money, career, family, or any other area, it must somehow come at their expense.

If your friend suddenly prospers, earns a large sum of money, buys a new home, or drives an advanced car while you have none of these things, does that mean it came at your expense? Did he take something from you? If he were to lose all his wealth tomorrow, would that money suddenly pass to you? Of course not.

There is no connection between his success and your lack of success. He can succeed, and you can also succeed. He can fail, and you may still remain exactly where you are.

One who lives with faith in the Creator understands that every person has their own channel of abundance. The flow that comes to your friend does not take even a single drop from the abundance destined for you.

Once we truly reflect on this, jealousy begins to appear deeply irrational. Not only does it fail to improve our situation, but it actively harms us. Jealousy will not transfer even one coin from the person you envy into your own pocket. The jealous person loses twice: they do not gain materially, and they lose their joy as well.

The Story That Reveals the Damage of Jealousy

The classic mussar work Orchot Tzaddikim tells a striking story that captures this truth.

A greedy man and a jealous man once stood before a king.

The king said to them, “One of you may ask for anything, and I will give him exactly what he requests. To the second person, I will give exactly double what I gave the first.”

The jealous man refused to ask first, because he could not bear the thought of his friend receiving twice as much.

The greedy man, for his part, would have preferred to receive both his own portion and his friend’s as well. But the king insisted that one of them ask immediately.

Finally, the jealous man was forced to speak.

Yet he absolutely could not allow his friend to receive more than he did, so he came up with a terrible solution.

He said to the king: “Please blind one of my eyes.”

That way, his companion would lose both eyes. The point was not what he gained, but that the other should not have more.

This is the destructive absurdity of jealousy.

The Freedom of a Good Eye

Another person’s blessing does not block your own and their abundance is not taken from your share.

When we train ourselves to bless the success of others, as Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin taught, we begin to free ourselves from one of the most painful burdens of the heart.

A good eye creates peace, restores joy, and perhaps most importantly, it opens the heart to receive its own blessings.

Sometimes the key to abundance is first learning to say: Thank God that they are blessed.