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