God informed Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved in a foreign land, but they would leave b'rechush gadol—"with great wealth."
What was this great wealth?
The straightforward answer, the one most people assume, is gold, silver, and fine Egyptian garments—the valuables the Israelites collected on their way out of Egypt. But the Sages, always looking beyond the obvious, taught that the true treasure was something far greater: the Torah, given at Sinai.
Which leads to an obvious question: If the real treasure was the Torah, why did God command the Israelites to take material riches from the Egyptians? Why fill their hands with silver when their true reward was yet to come?
The Maggid answered this, naturally, with a parable.
The Disappointed Worker
Twelve-year-old Johnny had just landed his first job—nothing glamorous, just some odd tasks at the local store. The shopkeeper promised to pay him four silver dollars for each month he worked.
Johnny worked hard—sweeping floors, stacking boxes, fetching whatever was needed. At the end of the month, the shopkeeper, impressed with the boy’s diligence, decided to reward him. Instead of four silver dollars, he set aside the coins and, with a smile, handed Johnny a crisp check—double the agreed amount.
To the merchant’s surprise, Johnny didn’t look pleased. In fact, his face fell. He mumbled a quick “Thanks,” shoved the check into his pocket, and bolted from the store, eyes glistening with disappointment.
The next day, Johnny’s father came to see the shopkeeper.
“I want to thank you,” he said warmly. “You’ve been very generous to my son.”
The shopkeeper waved a hand. “He earned it.”
“Yes,” said the father, “but you see, he’s just a boy. He doesn’t understand the value of a check. All month, he’s been dreaming of the heavy clink of silver in his pocket, of running his fingers over shiny coins. And instead, he got—well, paper. He knows, in theory, that it’s worth more. But he feels like he left empty-handed. If you could, just for his sake, give him part of his wages in coins, he’d be able to appreciate your generosity now—not years later when he finally understands monetary wealth and bank accounts.”
A Treasure They Could Appreciate
The great wealth that God promised Abraham was, in truth, the Torah. But to the Israelites, newly freed from slavery, this was an abstract concept—an eternal gift, yes, but one they could not yet appreciate. They needed something tangible, something they could hold in their hands, something that felt like wealth.
So God, knowing the hearts of His people, told them to ask the Egyptians for gold, silver, and garments—not because these were the true riches of their redemption, but because, in that moment, it was what they could grasp. It reassured them that they were not leaving Egypt empty-handed.
Only later, with wisdom and time, did they realize that the real treasure was not the gold they carried, but the Torah they received—a priceless inheritance that would sustain them, guide them, and illuminate their path for all generations.
Because sometimes, the greatest gifts are the ones we only come to recognize with time.
(Adapted from The Maggid and his Parables, pp. 212-213)
