Patricia Kluge has been all over the news. The woman who was once known as "the wealthiest divorcee in history", has reportedly filed for chapter eleven.
Forbes is always busy compiling lists, from the world's richest people, to the richest people in America and the world's billionaires. Obviously, it's worth their while as the magazines sell like hot cakes. Likely, not so quickly to those that have made the list rather to those who anxiously wait to see who did and can only dream of getting on there someday.
A quick search on 'list of the richest people' quickly led me to a site where I can enter my income and click 'show me the money' where it will show me where I rank on 'the list'.
But is that it? Is it that simple? What's if I sold my car, my house, my clothing? Is there somewhere to click for the age of my children? Surely, a two year old doesn't cost as much as an eighteen year old, which would leave me, I guess sixteen years richer - until I needed to pay for another car, more expensive schooling and I'm sure plenty of more teenage surprises.
If calculating net worth was so uncomplicated I suppose many estate lawyers were be out of business.
A favorite story of mine tells of a most generous man. Known worldwide for his incredible philanthropic tendencies. He was also an adored father. On his final days he gave his children an envelope to be read just upon his demise but before the burial and another to be read during the shiva - the traditional seven day mourning period.
As soon as the man passed, the children hurriedly opened the first note as instructed and were astonished to find but a modest if not strange request. In his letter, their father described to his children how he had a most favorite pair of cotton socks, if only he could be buried wearing these cotton socks he would be forever at peace.
Try as they might, the children could not find a Rabbi to permit them to carry out their father's final wish. A Jew cannot be buried wearing anything but the traditional burial shroud and there are no exceptions. Their father was a pious Jew, he surely knew the laws, if he made this request they were sure there was a source. Yet, they could find none.
At last, with broken hearts they laid him to rest without his beloved socks.
As they sat down for the shiva, the family opened the second note. It was short but said more than one can learn in a lifetime. "You are now beginning the shiva and I am surely not buried with my cherished socks. Because you see my children, when you leave this world you can take nothing with you, not even a pair of cotton socks."
What a person does take with him are the good deeds he did while he walked the earth and his net worth not measured by the houses he owned or the jewels that he purchased but by the charity he gave away.
Because as much as money comes and money goes you can never lose the money given to Tzedakah.
So, before being so quick to plaster Patricia Kluge's name declaring her the woman who 'lost it all', perhaps you'd get a more accurate picture of her net worth doing a search on how many people she helped and how much charity she gave in her better days.