Why Israel Sank Into Poverty in the Days of the Judges

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR BROTHER BECOMES POOR, etc. This is what Scripture says (Ps. 106:43): MANY TIMES HE DELIVERED THEM, etc., [AND THEY BECAME POOR THROUGH THEIR INIQUITY]. You find that in the days when the judges judged, Israel was serving idolatry, and they were enslaved into the hands of the nations of the world, as it is said (Judges 3:7): AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID EVIL, etc. And what did they do? (Judges 3:9:) AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED OUT TO THE LORD, AND THE LORD RAISED UP A SAVIOR FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [AND HE SAVED THEM], namely Othniel ben Kenaz. Immediately they repented and were redeemed. So too another time, [as it is said] (Judges 3:12): AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AGAIN DID EVIL, AND THE LORD STRENGTHENED EGLON, etc. [Immediately they repented,] and He raised up for them a redeemer, Ehud [ben Gera, and they were redeemed through him]. And again they served idolatry, and they were sold into the hand of Sisera, as it is said (Judges 4:3): AND HE OPPRESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WITH MIGHT. What is the meaning of WITH MIGHT? R. Shimon ben Levi said: With revilings and with blasphemies, as you say (Mal. 3:13): YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY AGAINST ME. Once they repented, He raised up for them as redeemers Deborah and Barak, [and they were redeemed through them]. Thus (Ps. 106:43): MANY TIMES HE DELIVERED THEM, etc., AND THEY BECAME POOR THROUGH THEIR INIQUITY. What is the meaning of AND THEY BECAME POOR THROUGH THEIR INIQUITY? That they became impoverished among the nations, as it is said (Judges 6:6): AND ISRAEL BECAME VERY IMPOVERISHED, etc. What is the meaning of AND ISRAEL BECAME IMPOVERISHED? R. Yitzchak and R. Levi: one said that they became impoverished of good deeds, and one said that they did not have enough even to bring a poor person's offering, as it is said (Lev. 14:21): AND IF HE IS POOR [AND HIS MEANS DO NOT SUFFICE, etc.]. Thus, AND THEY BECAME POOR, for they became impoverished.