While each of us does our Hishtadlus for our parnassa during the year, we know that everything within the realm of our finances is set between the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as the Gemara teaches (Beitza 16a):

Rav Tacḥlifa, brother of Ravnai Ḥoza’a, taught: A person’s entire livelihood is allocated to him during the period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur except for expenditures for Shabbasos, and expenditures for Festivals, and expenditures for the school fees of his sons’ Torah study

Besides our own personal prayers, we find a formal Tefillah for our parnassa in Avinu Malkeinu:

Our Father our King, write us in the book of parnassa and kalkalla.

But what exactly are we davening for? What’s the difference between the two terms, parnassa and kalkalla?

Let’s start with kalkalla. In the language of the Torah, a kalkalla is a basket (see Mishnah, Maasros 2:4): a vessel used to retain produce acquired by a person. What does this mean in the context of our finances? In the world of finance, we divide between income and expenses: how much we earn and the ability to retain the money for our needs at the end of the month are two separate things. The Tefillah for kalkalla is a request to have a healthy short- and long-term financial system in place. Only with this can we retain and enjoy the income we are blessed with in peace of mind.

What about parnassa? The word parnassa is connected to the word parnas. In the language of the Torah, a parnas is a person in a leadership position who is responsible for the welfare of others (See Yoma 22a). What does this connection teach us about parnassa?

When it comes to work, some people do their jobs to earn money. With this money, they are able to provide for their families and give tezedaka to others. This is one level of being a parnas.  Another level of being a parnas is what we’ve described in this column throughout the past year. This type of parnas is someone who views his role at work as an opportunity to help others through his job and to develop Hashem’s world by using his unique talents.  

When a boss considers the value of his employees, he’s naturally interested in an employee who is more excited by the impact he can make for the company than employees who are simply working to collect their paycheck. So, too, on Rosh Hashanah, as Hashem decides each one of our finances, we ask for parnassa. We ask that Hashem give us the opportunity, through our jobs, to be a parnas for others and to make the maximum impact to further Hashem’s plan for this world.

May Hashem bless all readers and their families, and the entire Jewish People, with both parnassa and lalkalla.