Paying it forward denotes that you are attributing to someone else's success without probing for anything in return, regardless of how large or small the success may be. Paying it forward is a blessing because it creates positive energy for the individual fulfilling the mitzvah. It also enables the upliftment of individuals during challenging times. Helping one individual does not give me the sense of paying it forward without the idea of a community forming around one action that leads to another and causes a chain reaction where giving occurs. This permits the fostering of mutual care within the community and ultimately society. An instance where someone had paid it forward to me was a Jewish youth group that had helped me cover the cost of my trip to the remarkable country of Israel. I have never seen such beauty and sense of elevation ever in my life. When I arrived at the Kotel I felt like my soul was raised and became closer to God which has carried through my life today. The culture I seasoned in Israel gave tears to my eyes as to how a country so beautiful is a polarizing nation to others. To this day, I have not disregarded the deed that was done to help me financially see the beautiful state of Israel and I pay it forward to others by fostering a community of mutual care by doing small actions such as: donating to charity, helping someone out with their mental or physical health, or even lending out a pencil in class whenever I can. The action of paying it forward does not necessarily need to always involve money whatsoever. I have a strong moral that if I can help someone without harming another individual or myself I will always always seize that opportunity. I do not seek anything in return, rather I do it out of genuine desire. This reminds me of the Hebrew phrase "tikkun olam" which means to repair the world. It is my obligation to mend this world together even if I am contributing a small fraction to the reparation as it compounds itself with the help of the rest of the communities that strive to help repair the world as well. From the small experiences or large opportunities that have been offered to me so far in my life, I am eager to pass it forward and help the next as it is not only the right thing to do, but I feel so much better as a human when I can contribute to society as it sets my ego aside and selfishness and allows me to become a better person.

Money. Is it the source of all wickedness or virtue? Does money have an intention in the way it affects societies, mankind, and man himself? Can money change a person if they let them to? These are all inquiries that arise when you constantly ponder about money when it's not stable in your household. The way and the amount of money you receive can change your mindset. As well as how desperately you need it. I agree with the statement that money does not buy happiness, but it sure does buy security, knowing that you can wake up in the morning and not have to think of what you could spend today and how much should be preserved. Although it is an inconvenience to manage your finances daily, it certainly builds advantageous habits of wise money spending in me that have become etched into my personality. Finding jobs to help my family is not a choice, whether I want to go and work, rather it is an unexplainable discipline to get up and help add to the pot for the support of my parents and my siblings. I don't need to think twice about helping my family. Fortunately, my parents raised me in a way that throughout any hardships in life, the most vital item is to stick together as a family. From sleepless nights to finishing my homework after long after-school shifts. It teaches me that I care about my education and am committed to attaining a higher education after high school. With all of the adversity that comes to my family and I, there is something about the burning desire in my soul to obtain a future, a path to pursue a more elevated education, and to show my family that throughout all of the hardships it was worth it in the end. With the right accessibility to funding a brighter future for my family and I, I would value a way of displaying to my family that they have brought me here for a reason. For the attributes and qualities they have instilled in me to become the individual I am. I thank them. While many of my peers and classmates inhibit laziness and no commitment in their classes during the school year, I spend countless hours in libraries discovering new concepts from books that open my perception of becoming a multifaceted individual. Reading from categories of psychology, history, and many more I further my learning experience to help me navigate through life. As even with the conversations amongst individuals, memories of excerpts from books seep from my subconscious into the conscious resulting to furthering intellectual conversations. I want to further an influence amongst my peers to learn and to truly pursue what they are passionate about. I was told at a very young age that "knowledge is power." I believe furthering my education is a must, but it is a shame that my education has a strong reliance on paper printed by the government. Paper that not everyone could attain enough of or paper that society works day and night for to bring food, education, and amenities to the table. The same paper that the Dalai Lama found fascinating that "[man] sacrifices his health to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health." Ultimately, when we consider money being used properly, it can bring food to the table and further an education. Juxtaposing this concept, money can cause the demise of an individual.