A Rabbi Gets Surprisingly Honest About Money

Rabbi Simon Jacobson has spent decades teaching people how to live a meaningful life. But how does he think about money? We started with a question most people wouldn’t dare ask a rabbi: How much money do you make every year? To our surprise, he answered. And that opened the door to a much bigger conversation about why we’re so uncomfortable talking about money, why wealthy people sometimes go to great lengths to hide what they have, and how easily our bank accounts become tied to our sense of self-worth. In this episode of Kosher Money, Rabbi Simon Jacobson gets remarkably candid about his own finances, buying his first home with almost no money, raising funds for the Meaningful Life Center, and the fears that have sometimes held him back from growing his organization. We also explore why he calls money one of the most powerful drugs, how wealth can tear families apart, and why having more money doesn’t necessarily mean having more peace of mind. Then the conversation takes an unexpected turn: artificial intelligence, Elon Musk’s predictions about the future of wealth, and Rabbi Jacobson’s fascinating belief that technology may be preparing us for a world where earning a living is no longer the center of our lives. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about money, emunah, ambition, generosity, AI, and what makes a life truly meaningful. Learn more about Rabbi Simon Jacobson and the Meaningful Life Center at https://www.meaningfullife.com/ or explore his AI-powered resource at https://simonjacobson.ai/ ✬ SPONSORS ✬ ► COLEL CHABAD: And speaking of using money for what actually matters, we want to thank Colel Chabad for partnering with us on this episode. For more than 200 years, they’ve been helping families across Israel with much-needed resources: https://ColelChabad.org/KosherMoney ► COACH SHMUEL SHAYOWITZ: A lot of financial stress comes from making a big decision before fully understanding the numbers. Whether you’re thinking about buying a home, refinancing, an investment property, or business financing, Shmuel helps you understand your options. Visit https://CoachShmuel.com/LSJ to schedule a conversation. ► BF DESIGN: If you’re building a home, a nursing home, an assisted living facility, a development, a school, a shul, or other commercial space, the early planning matters a lot more than people realize. BF Design focuses on making projects practical, buildable, and efficient from the start, helping clients avoid expensive mistakes later on. They’ve planned over 50 million square feet and work on projects across New Jersey, Florida, and beyond. Visit https://BFDesign.com ✬ Helpful Resources ✬ ► KOSHER DEBT HELP – Honest, agenda-free help for people dealing with debt and financial pressure. Visit https://www.kosherdebthelp.com/ ► LIVING SMARTER JEWISH – Free financial coaching and guidance for the frum community. Visit https://LivingSmarterJewish.org/ Follow Kosher Money on TikTok & Instagram: @koshermoneypod Visit our website: https://www.livinglchaim.com/ Call-in Hotline:USA: 605-477-2100UK: 0333-366-0154Israel: 079-579-5088 WhatsApp feedback: 1-914-222-5513 #KosherMoney #RabbiSimonJacobson #SimonJacobson #MeaningfulLifeCenter #JewishMoney #MoneyMindset #PersonalFinance #Wealth #Happiness #Emunah #Bitachon #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Judaism #JewishWisdom #JewishBusiness #FrumLife #JewishPodcast #EliLanger #LivingLchaim #KM