Our tradition teaches us that something else holds even greater worth: a good name. And it's not just about reputation, but about the power and blessing inherent in a name earned through righteous action.
Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, explores this very idea. It opens with a powerful statement: "A name is preferable [nivḥar] to great wealth" (Proverbs 22:1). To illustrate this point, the text compares Moses's name to the wealth of Korah, the infamous rebel. Remember Korah? He challenged Moses's leadership and was swallowed up by the earth along with his followers (Numbers 16). The Midrash points out that Korah possessed immense riches. It mentions "two hundred and fifty firepans" (Numbers 16:17) which, according to Maharzu, Korah himself provided, a testament to his vast fortune. Yet, as it says, "Were it not for Moses His chosen one [beḥiro]” (Psalms 106:23), and “I have known you by name” (Exodus 33:17). God knew Moses by name. The Holy One, blessed be He, essentially says: "So you're haughty because of your wealth? Moses’s name is preferable to all your silver and gold!"
The Midrash continues with another compelling comparison: the name of Pinḥas versus the wealth of Zimri. Zimri, a prince of the tribe of Simeon, brazenly brought a Midianite woman into the Israelite camp, defying God's law and Moses's authority. As Proverbs 21:29 says, "A wicked man is insolent." Zimri's arrogance was staggering. He even tried to argue with Moses in front of everyone, claiming that he was greater because his tribe came before Moses's! (Levi was the third son of Jacob, Simeon the second). The text recounts that Zimri challenged Moses, asking if this woman was forbidden or permitted. When Moses confirmed she was forbidden, Zimri accused him of hypocrisy, implying that Moses's own wife, being Midianite, was similarly forbidden. “Before the eyes of Moses,” the people were weeping, as it says: “And they were weeping” (Numbers 25:6).
The story takes a dramatic turn with the introduction of Pinḥas. Seeing Zimri's open defiance and the resulting plague that afflicted the Israelites, Pinḥas was torn. Should he act? Could one man stand against such brazen wickedness? The Midrash says Pinḥas began saying to himself, "What will I do? Two can prevail over one; can one, perhaps, prevail over two?" But as Proverbs 24:10 says, "You faltered on a day of trouble." God, in essence, urged him to act, reminding him (Proverbs 24:11), "Deliver those taken to death."
In a moment of courageous action, Pinḥas acted decisively, killing Zimri and the Midianite woman. This stopped the plague and earned him God's favor. Rabbi Yosei says that Pinḥas expounded, saying that if a horse gives its life for its owner in battle, how much more so should he give his life for the sanctity of God's name. As it says, "Pinḥas stood and he prayed" (Psalms 106:30). Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, summoned Moses and said to him, "Come and I will inform you who preserved the descendants of Abraham." That's why it is stated: "A name is preferable to great wealth" (Proverbs 22:1).
The final anecdote contrasts Mordechai's name with Haman's wealth. Haman, the villain of the Purim story, offered Ahasuerus a vast sum of money to destroy the Jewish people. But as Proverbs 22:1 says, "Good grace [ḥen] is preferable to silver and gold." Rabbi Yoshiya said that Haman took out all the silver and gold that he had and gave it to Aḥashverosh. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "By your life, ‘good grace [ḥen] is preferable to silver and gold’ (Proverbs 22:1)." The grace of Esther, as it is stated: "Esther found favor [ḥen]" (Esther 2:15), is preferable. When the wicked one came with the money, the king said to him: “The money is given to you” (Esther 3:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "Is this how you are selling Mine for what is Mine?" Mordechai's righteousness and Esther's grace ultimately triumphed over Haman's wealth and evil intentions.
These stories, drawn from Shemot Rabbah, offer a profound lesson. They remind us that true value lies not in material possessions, but in the kind of name we build through our actions, our courage, and our commitment to what is right. It's a powerful reminder to focus on earning a good name, a name that resonates with righteousness and echoes in eternity, long after wealth has faded away. So, what kind of name are we building? What legacy will we leave behind?