9 to 5 Jobs: A Blessing or a Curse?

In the Jewish tradition, it is said that one needs to take care of their basic necessities before embarking on spiritual work. This doesn’t imply that you shouldn't work on yourself, aim for a spiritual life, or live one until you have all your physical needs met. It means that one should never neglect physical needs in favor of a spiritual life because our bodies are the only tools available to us to create spiritual moments or spiritual ecstasies.

We need to feed and move our bodies, not worrying about having a roof so our emotions, intellect, and psychology can be in place to do the spiritual work. Now comes the question of how to make money, or enough to alleviate constant worries about keeping a roof over your head and food on the table. The concern about housing and nourishment takes away the inner space necessary to attract the Higher Refined divine energy.

If you have a 9 to 5 job that generates sufficient income to cover all expenses and save at least 20%, eventually, you will have enough money invested in real estate or the stock market, providing passive income. This security allows inner space to seek something higher. If your 9 to 5 job doesn’t cover expenses and 20% in investments, consider reducing expenses or increasing income.

Another question to ponder is whether you enjoy your 9 to 5 job. Since the pandemic, many people working remotely questioned the quality of their office 9-5 life, with some dreaming of working for themselves. Working for oneself allows the use of creativity and talents, but it requires hunting for clients, and the income is not always consistent. However, in some cases, the income is higher than a paycheck, albeit with potentially longer working hours.

The third option is building a system for passive income, a dream for many to dedicate time without financial worries. Nobody should worry, as any form of worry detracts from the spiritual path. Passive income can be generated from real estate rentals, selling ads in a blog, and many other ideas. Usually, some extra money is needed initially to invest in passive income.