Our tradition is filled with stories that suggest it might. Today, we're diving into a few tales from Devarim Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, that explore just that.
The verse that kicks things off is from Deuteronomy: "When the Lord your God will expand your border." But the Rabbis, in their brilliant way, connect it to a verse in Proverbs (18:16): "A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great." What does it mean, "a man's giving expands for him?" Let's find out.
The first story features Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, two prominent sages, who were on a fundraising mission, collecting tzedakah, or charitable donations, to support other rabbis. According to the text, they were looking to collect donations to support those who "toil in Torah." They found themselves near Antioch and sought out a man named Abba Yudan, known for his generosity. But alas, Abba Yudan had fallen on hard times.
He saw the rabbis coming and, feeling ashamed that he couldn't give, hid from them. His wife, however, a woman who clearly valued mitzvot (good deeds), wouldn't let him off the hook. "Don't we have one field left?" she asked. "Sell half of it and give the money to them!" He did just that, selling half his field for five gold pieces and giving it to the rabbis, asking for their prayers. They blessed him, saying, "May the Omnipresent restore what you have lost."
The story doesn't end there. Abba Yudan plowed the remaining half of his field and discovered a hidden treasure! He became wealthier than ever before. When the rabbis returned, they inquired about him. At first, they were told that Abba Yudan was so rich now, he was practically unapproachable. But eventually, he heard they were looking for him, and he came to them, giving them one thousand gold pieces! "Your prayer bore fruit," he said. The rabbis responded, "We were aware of your good deeds and placed you at the head of the list." The Sages read in his regard: "A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great."
Isn't that incredible? A simple act of generosity, even when it felt impossible, led to unexpected abundance.
But that's not the only story Devarim Rabbah offers.
Next, we hear about Rabbi Ḥiyya, who was holding a fundraising campaign in Tiberias. A man pledged a litra of gold – a huge sum! Rabbi Ḥiyya honored him by seating him next to him and reciting the same verse: "A man’s giving expands for him [and will guide him before the great]." The commentary, Etz Yosef, explains that Rabbi Ḥiyya was implying that just as the end of the verse (being seated among prominent people) had been fulfilled, so too should the beginning – by actually giving generously and making good on his pledge.
And there's more!
The text then tells of Reish Lakish, who visited Basra and encountered a man named Avin Ramaa. Now, rama'a can mean "swindler," but in this case, it means he was cunning – specifically, cunning when it came to mitzvot. He would let everyone else pledge first, then he would match the entire congregation's donation. This either encouraged people to give more in the first place, or ensured that the collection would be a success. When Reish Lakish held a fundraising campaign, Avin Ramaa, true to form, matched everyone's donations. Reish Lakish, like Rabbi Ḥiyya, honored him by seating him next to him and reciting, "A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great."
Finally, Rabbi Abahu asks, why do we need Proverbs? Why look elsewhere when the Torah itself teaches this? He points to the verses in Deuteronomy. First, "Beware lest you forsake the Levite" (Deuteronomy 12:19), followed by, "When the Lord your God will expand your border, as He spoke to you." (Deuteronomy 12:20). By taking care of the Levites, who had no land of their own, the Israelites would be rewarded with expanded borders. Generosity, in other words, leads to prosperity.
These stories aren't just about money, are they? They're about the principle of giving, about recognizing the needs of others, and about trusting that generosity, in its many forms, creates a ripple effect of blessing. They suggest that giving isn't just a nice thing to do, but a fundamental principle that shapes our world and our own lives.
“When the Lord your God will expand your border” – this is what the verse said: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great” (Proverbs 18:16). What is [the meaning of] “a man’s giving expands for him”? There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua who went out to collect for the matter of a mitzva for our rabbis.12They sought to collect donations to support the rabbis. They went to the environs of Antioch and there was a certain man there who was called Abba Yudan, who was accustomed to giving generously to our rabbis. That Abba Yudan had become poor. He saw that Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua had come there to collect, and he concealed himself from them and entered his house. He spent a day there, and a second, and did not go down to the marketplace. His wife said to him: ‘Why did you not go down to the marketplace these two days?’ He said to her: ‘Our rabbis came to collect for the matter of a mitzva for those who toil in Torah. I do not have enough to give them and I am embarrassed to go down to the marketplace.’ His wife, who was very fond of mitzvot, said to him: ‘Do we not have one field remaining? Sell half of it and give [the money] to them.’ He went and he did so. He sold half of the field for five gold pieces and gave them to our rabbis. He said to them: ‘Pray on my behalf.’ They prayed on his behalf and said to him: ‘May the Omnipresent restore what you have lost.’ Our rabbis went on their way to collect elsewhere. That Abba Yudan plowed half the field and found a large hidden treasure. He became wealthier than he had been previously. When our rabbis were returning, they passed through that same place. They said to someone: ‘As you live, arrange a meeting for us with Abba Yudan.’ That man said to them: ‘Who can arrange a meeting – with the king and not with him.’13It is easier to meet the king than to meet with Abba Yudan. They said to him: ‘We seek only to ensure that he will not find out that we passed here and did not inquire after his wellbeing.’ Abba Yudan found out and came to them and gave them one thousand gold pieces. He said to them: ‘Your prayer bore fruit.’ They said to him: ‘We were aware of your good deeds and placed you at the head of the list.’ The Sages read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great.” Another matter, there was an incident involving Rabbi Ḥiyya, who held a fundraising campaign in the great study hall in Tiberias and a certain person pledged a litra of gold.14This was a very significant sum of money. Rabbi Ḥiyya took him, seated him next to him, and read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him [and will guide him before the great].”15Rabbi Ḥiyya was indicating that, just as the end of the verse had been fulfilled, as he had been seated among prominent people, he should fulfill the beginning of the verse, by making good on his pledge and giving generously (Etz Yosef). Another matter, there was an incident involving Reish Lakish who went to Basra. There was a certain person there who was called Avin Ramaa. It is not that he was, God forbid, a swindler [ramai], but rather, he would employ cunning [merameh] regarding mitzvot. The entire congregation would pledge, and then he would pledge a sum corresponding to that of the entire congregation.16At first he would abstain from making any pledge, leading others to think he would not participate. Therefore they would pledge more money, so that the charity collection would meet its goals. Only afterward would he pledge as much as everyone else donated together. Alternatively, the people would know that he would match their donations and therefore they would pledge more, knowing that their donation would lead to even greater gain for the charity. Reish Lakish held a fundraising campaign there and he gave corresponding to the entire congregation. Reish Lakish took him, seated him next to him, and read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great.” Rabbi Abahu said: Why do I need another place, derive it from its own place.17Why do I need to derive from a verse in Psalms that if someone gives charity generously he will be rewarded materially, when this can be derived from the Torah itself? What is written prior to it? “Beware lest you forsake the Levite” (Deuteronomy 12:19) and then, “when the Lord your God will expand your border, as He spoke to you.”18The juxtaposition of the verses indicates that if the Israelites take care of the Levites, who did not have ancestral property, God will expand their borders.
