First Fruits, First Priorities: How Ancient Wisdom Can Transform Your Finances

First Fruits, First Priorities: How Ancient Wisdom Can Transform Your Finances

Picture this: it’s payday. The money lands in your account, and almost instantly the list of expenses starts calling your name — bills, groceries, school fees, that new gadget you’ve been eyeing. For many people, the cycle repeats every month: earn, spend, and hope something is left over to save or give. But what if we flipped the script?

This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, opens with the mitzvah of Bikkurim — the offering of the very first fruits harvested in the Land of Israel (Devarim 26:1–11). Farmers were commanded to bring these first fruits to the Temple as a declaration of gratitude and dedication before enjoying their own harvest. The message is timeless: our first allocations reveal our true priorities.

Bikkurim wasn’t about leftovers. It was about saying: Before I enjoy the results of my work, I acknowledge a higher purpose.

Modern financial wisdom echoes this principle. In George Clason’s classic, The Richest Man in Babylon, he teaches a simple rule:

• 10% to charity/tithes – a reminder that wealth is also a vehicle for giving.

• 20% to investments – planting seeds today that will grow into tomorrow’s abundance.

• 70% for living expenses – cultivating discipline and freedom from lifestyle inflation.

In other words: give first, invest second, spend third.

Why This Works

1. Gratitude and perspective – Giving first reframes wealth as a blessing and responsibility, not just personal gain.

2. Wealth creation – By investing before spending, you guarantee growth rather than relying on “whatever’s left.”

3. Lifestyle clarity – Living on 70% forces focus and intentionality. It shifts spending from automatic to purposeful.

Your Modern Bikkurim Ritual

Think of each paycheck as your “harvest.” Before the bills and shopping lists, set aside your bikkurim:

• Transfer 10% into a dedicated charity account.

• Move 20% into an investment or wealth-building account.

• Plan your lifestyle around the remaining 70%.

Over time, this ritual becomes more than financial management. It’s a declaration — just like in the Temple thousands of years ago — that your life is guided by higher values, discipline, and purpose.

Closing Thought

The Torah’s wisdom isn’t locked in history. Ki Tavo reminds us that blessings flow not only from what we earn, but from how we direct them. By treating our income like bikkurim — allocating the first fruits for greater purpose and growth — we create lives marked by generosity, stability, and abundance.

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About the author:

Elimelech Levy is a Rabbi and Coach based in Sydney, Australia, where he runs Chabad Youth NSW — a youth organisation dedicated to providing Jewish enrichment that is educational, fun, social, and affordable. Elimelech received his MBA from Macquarie University in 2021 and went on to become a Results Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), helping people take control of their lives through establishing goals and working towards them.

In 2023, he founded the Knei Lecha Chover program, which connects Rabbis worldwide and equips them with tools to coach each other regularly — enabling access to mentorship and support without the significant costs of professional coaching.

Beyond his work in education and coaching, Elimelech is also passionate about property development, seeing it as a practical avenue to create value, stability, and opportunities that align with his broader vision of growth and contribution.

He can be reached via his website elilevy.com.au

Building Guardrails for the New Me

In this week’s parsha, Ki Seitzei, the Torah tells us: “When you build a new house, you shall make a guardrail for your roof” (Devarim 22:8)

On the surface, it’s a simple law of safety. In those days, people spent time on their flat rooftops, and a guardrail prevented accidents. But like so many mitzvos, the Torah is also speaking to us on a deeper, personal level.

As we move through the month of Elul, preparing for the Jewish New Year, many of us are thinking of building a “new house” — a new version of ourselves. We’re making resolutions: to grow, to be more present with our families, to learn more, to live more healthily, to be more thoughtful in our actions.

But resolutions on their own are fragile. Good intentions without structure can easily collapse. That’s where the mitzvah of the guardrail comes in. The Torah is teaching: don’t just build something new — protect it.

Guardrails in personal growth are the systems, habits, and boundaries that keep us from falling.

• If you want to learn more Torah, set a fixed time with a study partner.

• If you want to be more present with your family, make “phone-free dinner” a non-negotiable.

• If you want to exercise, put your gym sessions in the calendar before the week begins.

The guardrail is not the goal itself, but it protects the goal from being derailed. Without it, one slip can undo all the effort. With it, your “new house” stands strong.

Elul is the time for building. Rosh Hashanah is just weeks away, the day we step into the next chapter of our lives.

The question is not just: Who do I want to be this year? but also: What guardrails am I putting in place so that I stay true to that vision?

This week, take one resolution you’ve been thinking about for the New Year. Then ask yourself:

• What’s the guardrail I can build around it?

• How can I make it harder to fail, and easier to succeed?

Because sometimes we forget: building the “new me” is wonderful. But it’s the fences we build around that “new me” that will keep it standing strong when life inevitably tests us.

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About the author:

Elimelech Levy is a Rabbi and Coach in Sydney Australia where he runs Chabad Youth NSW, A youth organisation that's focused on providing Jewish enrichment that's educational, fun, social ​& affordable. Elimelech received his MBA from Macquarie University in 2021 then chose to use his studies and experience to become a Results Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF)  helping people take control of their lives through establishing goals and working towards them. In 2023, Elimelech established the Knei Lecha Chover program focused on matching pairs of Rabbis around the world and providing foundational tools for them to coach each other regularly, helping them to avoid significant fees needed for professional coaching sessions.

Elimelech can be reached via his website elilevy.com.au 

True leadership is service, not status

Parshat Shoftim

When we think of kings or CEOs, we picture privilege: palaces, power, people waiting on them. And yes, in Judaism too, a king carries great honor. But the Torah makes one thing clear: the essence of kingship is not privilege but responsibility. The king must write his own Torah, carry it with him, and remember daily that he is accountable to something higher than himself. Leadership is not about the perks — it is about the burden.

In this week’s parsha, Shoftim, the Torah commands the Jewish people to appoint a king. But unlike the monarchies of the ancient world, the Torah’s vision of a king is radically different. He is not above the law. In fact, he is bound more tightly to it than anyone else. He must constantly remind himself that he serves the people and serves God.

The Torah sees the king as the ultimate public servant. His crown is not a symbol of entitlement but a reminder of responsibility.

It is striking that in Jewish history, the greatest leaders often resisted leadership.

• Moshe Rabbeinu argued at length that he was unfit.

• King David was overlooked even by his own family, content as a shepherd.

• Many prophets and sages carried their role with reluctance rather than ambition.

This is not a coincidence. Judaism teaches that true leadership is not about seeking the job but answering the call. Those who grasp for titles are often the least suited to carry the responsibility. Those who prefer to live quietly, serving God and community in humility, are often the ones best prepared to lead when needed.

Leadership today doesn’t necessarily mean ruling a nation. It might mean guiding your family, leading a team at work, mentoring a student, or even being the steady friend who others look to.

The question is: how do we view that leadership? Is it a platform for recognition? Or is it a responsibility to serve others?

The Torah reminds us that leadership is not about being “above” others. It is about being with them — listening, guiding, lifting, and carrying them when needed.

This week, take a moment to reflect:

• Where in my life have I been called to lead, formally or informally?

• Do I see that role as privilege, or as responsibility?

• What is one way I can lean into service rather than status?

Even small adjustments — listening more carefully, giving credit to others, taking on responsibility quietly — can shift our leadership from ego-driven to service-driven.

Parshat Shoftim reminds us that the Jewish model of leadership is not about glory or status. It is about humility, service, and accountability. The greatest leaders were those who never chased the role, but when the call came, they answered it.

And so the real measure of leadership — whether in a palace, a boardroom, or at the family table — is not the perks you receive but the responsibilities you embrace.

About the author:

Elimelech Levy is a Rabbi and Coach in Sydney Australia where he runs Chabad Youth NSW, A youth organisation that's focused on providing Jewish enrichment that's educational, fun, social ​& affordable. Elimelech received his MBA from Macquarie University in 2021 then chose to use his studies and experience to become a Results Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF)  helping people take control of their lives through establishing goals and working towards them. In 2023, Elimelech established the Knei Lecha Chover program focused on matching pairs of Rabbis around the world and providing foundational tools for them to coach each other regularly, helping them to avoid significant fees needed for professional coaching sessions.

Elimelech can be reached via his website elilevy.com.au