In Devarim Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a fascinating connection between looking after the Levites – members of the tribe of Levi who served in the Temple – and experiencing prosperity. It starts with the verse "Beware lest you forsake the Levite" (Deuteronomy 12:19), immediately followed by "when the Lord your God will expand your border." What’s the link?
Rabbi Levi explains with a parable. Imagine a person asking for a loan of one gold piece. The lender is hesitant, unsure of their creditworthiness. "Test me," the borrower pleads. The lender agrees, the borrower repays promptly, and suddenly, the lender is willing to offer twenty, thirty gold pieces! "What changed?" the borrower asks. "You proved you were good for it!"
That, Rabbi Levi suggests, is how it works with us and the Divine. The Levites, they weren’t landowners. They relied on the generosity of others, on the tithes – the ma’aser – given from the harvest. Taking care of them wasn't just a nice thing to do; it was a crucial part of the system. And Devarim Rabbah implies that when we fulfill our obligations, when we show that we are trustworthy with what we have, then… our borders expand.
It's not about blind charity. It's about demonstrating a commitment to the system, a willingness to participate in the flow of abundance. It’s about showing the universe (or God, however you want to frame it) that you’re responsible, that you understand the interconnectedness of things. That you’re not just taking, but also giving back.
The text puts it succinctly: "according to your gift, your own [property] is expanded."
It’s a powerful idea, isn’t it? That our own generosity, our own willingness to share, directly impacts our capacity to receive. It flips the script on scarcity. It suggests that abundance isn’t a limited resource to be hoarded, but a flowing river that grows as we let it pass through us.
So, maybe the universe is testing us. Maybe it is watching to see how we handle the little things before entrusting us with more. Maybe, just maybe, the key to expanding our borders lies not in grasping, but in giving.