Rashi Moed Qattan 24b
העני מצטער על [פטירת] בניו יותר מן העשיר, לפי שאין לו שמחה אחרת.
The poor suffer [the loss of] their children more than do the rich, because the poor have no other joy. [translation by Mechon Hadar]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. What are the benefits and dangers of thinking this way?

2. Rashi says this explaining the Talmud's statement that while the children of rich families are only mourned if they are older than five when they die, the children of poor families are mourned from age three. Do you think there is anything special about the ages 3-4, in which a family's wealth might be particularly important in influencing the parents' relationship to their children?

Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)