The Day a Beggar Was $1 Billion Richer Than Donald Trump - Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair

The year was 1991. Long before politics, long before anyone imagined he'd one day become [music] president of the United States, Donald Trump was one of the most recognizable businessman in America. His name was everywhere. >> [music] >> Towering skyscrapers, luxury hotels, massive developments, and high-profile [music] business ventures carried the Trump name. Considered the definition of the American dream. One morning, Trump was hurrying through Manhattan with his wife on his way to a crucial bank meeting. As they made their way down the street, they passed a beggar sitting on the corner. Trump stopped and said, "You see that beggar? That man is $1 billion richer than I am." His wife looked at him in disbelief. "What do you mean?" >> [music] >> Let's take a look at what was going on. At that moment, Trump was in one of his darkest financial periods. The Taj Mahal in Atlantic City had [music] filed for bankruptcy. Creditors were chasing him, and banks were demanding payment. Trump still recalls that period as [music] his darkest financial chapter. But now, think about this for a moment. Imagine you were standing there that day on the street, and someone offered you a choice. Would you rather be the beggar with nothing, or Trump with $1 billion in debt? [music] Now, on paper, the beggar was worth much more. Yet, nobody would choose to trade places with the beggar. >> [music] >> Why not? Because a person's true value is not determined by his current circumstances. Trump may have been $1 billion in debt, but he still possessed something far more valuable. He had knowledge, he had experience, he had relationships, he had determination, and more importantly, he had the ability to rebuild. [music] His present situation did not define his true worth. Sometimes, we look at ourselves and only see the balance sheet. We see our shortcomings, our failures, our missed opportunities. Sometimes, we look at ourselves spiritually as a pauper. That's not the bottom line of the ledger. We must realize although the world wants us to believe we're a beggar within us we possess infinity, [music] infinite ability to rebuild, infinite potential. That's in the heart and soul of every Jew. We must realize that no matter the past our potential is limitless and we have the ability to rebuild no matter what the world tells us, no matter if we're made to believe we are just spiritual [music] beggars like the rest of society, we have to realize we possess [music] a strength unique to the Jewish people. So the next time we're challenged, we must realize [music] we're inherently bigger, stronger, taller.