Talmudic Insights for Financial Stability

I am reaching out to inquire if there are any sources in the Talmud or Bible that discuss performing specific mitzvot as a means to merit financial stability. I am currently facing significant financial difficulties and would greatly appreciate your guidance on this matter.

Thank you for your question.

Yes! I know that there are subscribers to this website who have been inquiring about this subject, so this is an opportunity to share the different sources that tell us how certain mitzvot are a segulah (merit) to improve one's livelihood and be blessed with prosperity.

This is especially important at this time of year as we approach Rosh Hashanah. It is written in the Talmud, Megillah, Rosh Hashanah is the day when Hashem judges all people and allocates the amount of money each person will earn throughout the year. It says, "A person's sustenance is allotted to him from Rosh Hashanah until Rosh Hashanah." So, it’s an opportune time to strengthen ourselves with mitzvot and Ma’asim Tovim (good deeds).

Ha’gaon Harav Fried she’lita has brought together six sources from the Talmud and Halachic seforim on this subject;

Source #1 – Ma’aser (Tithing):
The Talmud, Ta’anit 9a brings a verse from Deuteronomy (Perek 14 Passuk 22):

דברים פרק יד פסוק כב

עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר אֵת כָּל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה שָׁנָה שָׁנָה

"You shall tithe all the produce of your crops, that comes forth from the field year by year."

The Talmud explains that the double wording, "עשר תעשר," hints that if you take a tithe, you will prosper and become wealthy, as the word תעשר can also be read as "wealth." From this, we learn that one who gives a tithe of his earnings to charity will be blessed with prosperity.

Tosafot adds a story illustrating that when one gives ma’aser, they acknowledge that Hashem is the source of their wealth. Through giving ma’aser they make Hashem like their partner, and Hashem says, "For My part, I only ask 10 percent to be given to charity." However, if one does not give ma’aser, then Hashem withholds the blessing and the owner will then only receive ten percent of the original amount, like the amount he should have given to charity.

This is the story:

A man owned a field that produced a thousand kor (a measure of weight used in the time of the Talmud) each year. He would separate for ma’aser one hundred kor every year.
On his deathbed, he told his son, "This field yields a thousand kor each year. Be careful to set aside one for charity one hundred kor as I have done." After his death, the son took over the field, but in the second year, he decided not to tithe. Consequently, the field's yield decreased to only one hundred kor. His relatives then explained to him, "Initially, you were the owner, and Hashem was the 'priest' who received the tithe. Now that you have withheld the tithe, Hashem has become the owner, and you only receive the ten percent."

The laws of how to take ma’aser can be found on our website.

Source # 2 – Netilat Yadayim

The Talmud, Tractate Shabbat 62b, writes that one who washes his hands for bread with a full cup of water will be blessed with prosperity. This is the quote:

. תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף סב;

דאמר רב חסדא: אנא משאי מלא חפני מיא, ויהבו לי מלא חפני טיבותא.

Rav Chisdah said: Just as I have washed my hand with a full cup of water same too Hashem will bless me with a full cup of goodness.

Source #3 – To honor your wife

It is written in the Talmud, Tractate Bava Metzia 59a , as follows:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת בבא מציעא דף נט עמוד א

אמר ר' חלבו: לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בכבוד אשתו, שאין ברכה מצויה בתוך ביתו של אדם אלא בשביל אשתו, שנאמר ולאברם הטיב בעבורה. והיינו דאמר להו רבא לבני מחוזא: אוקירו לנשייכו כי היכי דתתעתרו.

Rav Huna said: A person should always be careful to honor his wife, for blessings are found in a person's home only because of his wife, as it is said, "And it went well with Avraham because of her (Sarah his wife)."
This is what Rava said to the people of Me’chuza (A Babylonian town): Honor your wives so that you will become wealthy.

Source #4 - Being Honest in Business

By being honest in business, one brings blessings into his life and will help him prosper. We find this in the Rambam, Hilchos Se’chirus, (Perek 13, Halacha 7): Ya'akov looked after the flocks of sheep belonging to his father-in-law, Lavan. Even though Lavan was a deceiver, Ya'akov served him honestly. As it is said, he never took anything from Lavan, and as a result, Hashem blessed him with great prosperity. The Midrash writes that when Ya'akov left his father-in-law's home, he had 600,000 flocks of sheep

רמב"ם הלכות שכירות פרק יג הלכה ז

כדרך שמוזהר בעה"ב שלא יגזול שכר עני ולא יעכבנו כך העני מוזהר שלא יגזול מלאכת בעה"ב ויבטל מעט בכאן ומעט בכאן ומוציא כל היום במרמה אלא חייב לדקדק על עצמו בזמן שהרי הקפידו על ברכה רביעית של ברכת המזון שלא יברך אותה, וכן חייב לעבוד בכל כחו שהרי יעקב הצדיק אמר כי בכל כחי עבדתי את אביכן, לפיכך נטל שכר זאת אף בעולם הזה שנאמר ויפרץ האיש מאד מאד .

Source #5 - Prayer.

The Talmud Tractate Niddah 70b:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת נדה דף ע עמוד ב

מה יעשה אדם ויתעשר? אמר להן: ירבה בסחורה, וישא ויתן באמונה. אמרו לו: הרבה עשו כן ולא הועילו! אלא: יבקש רחמים ממי שהעושר שלו. שנאמר לי הכסף ולי הזהב. מאי קמ"ל? דהא בלא הא לא סגי,

What should a person do to become wealthy?" He replied to them: "He should increase his work and conduct business faithfully." They said to him: "Many have done so and it did not help!" Rather, "He should seek mercy from the One to whom wealth belongs," as it is written, "Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold, said Hashem” What does this teach us? That without seeking mercy, the other efforts will not suffice.

Source #6 - Birkat Hamazon:

This is brought in the Mishnah Berurah (Siman - 185):

משנה ברורה סימן קפה

כתב בספר החינוך כל הזהיר בבהמ"ז מזונותיו מצויות לו כל ימיו בכבוד. והמדקדק יזהר לברך לכתחלה תוך הספר ולא בע"פ.

It is written in the Sefer HaChinuch : "Anyone who is careful with Birkat HaMazon will have their sustenance readily available to them all their days with honor."
The Mishnah Berurah continues, that Le’chatchilah one should be careful to recite the blessing from a written text, not by heart.

Having learned about these special segulot, it is important to remember that ultimately, we serve Hashem faithfully and to the best of our ability. This is our main purpose in life. We trust that whatever happens, Hashem is looking after us, and everything He does is for the good, even if our limited understanding cannot always perceive it.

Wishing you a kesivah Ve’chasimah Tova.

1. Talmud, Ta'anit 9a
2. Deuteronomy Perek 14, Passuk 22
3. Shimusheh ve'limudah page 126
4. Talmud, Shabbat 62b
5. Talmud, Bava Metzia 59a
6. Rambam, Hilchos Se'chirus, Perek 13, Halacha 7
7. Talmud, Niddah 70b
8. Mishnah Berurah, Siman 185