It is the blessing of the LORD that enriches,
And no toil can increase it.

A parable will illustrate this (Deut. Rabbah 3:3). There is a story about Rabbi Simon, the son of Shetah, who purchased a donkey from an Ishmaelite. His pupils went and found a precious stone hanging from the donkey's neck. They said to him, "Rabbi, 'The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich' " (Prov. 10:22). He said to them, "I purchased a donkey; — a precious stone I did not purchase." So he went and returned the gem to that Ishmaelite. And the Ishmaelite called out concerning him, "Blessed is the Lord the God of Simon, the son of Shetah." There is a similar instance in the Jerusalem Talmud (Baba Mezi'a 2:5). Some mise men of old purchased wheat from heathens, and found in this wheat a bundle of money, and they returned the money to them, and the heathens said, "Blessed is the God of the Jews." And similarly there are many stories of people who restored an object to sanctify the name of God.

Wealth is rooted in the heart, as in “God’s blessing enriches, and no sadness is added to it” (Proverbs 10:22), and “and it saddened Him in His heart” (Genesis 6:6).

And since YHV"H, Blessed, showers all types of flow and emanation in the name Adona"y and in it there are all the treasuries of the King and every type of His riches, and to it they will enter, they will assemble and they will hide, and from there they will extend to fill the needs of every creature, and it is a resemblance of a pool that a river continues into, and from the pool there is enough water to satisfy the watering of the garden and drinking and all the rest of the needs, we name in the Torah the name Adona"y as a nickname of blessing, because the word blessing (brachah ברכה) comes from the word pool (berichah בריכה). And this is the name with which our father Ya'akov, peace be upon him, blessed his sons, [the name which] he inherited from Yitzchak our father, and Yitzchak from Avraham. And Hashem, Blessed, passed this name to Avraham our father, peace be upon him, to open the gates of Adona"y and to give all that he and the rest of the children of the world need, and He passed to his hand this blessing ברכ"ה. And this is the secret of "And I will bless you and make your name great and you, be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2); and He did not say "and you will be blessed", rather, "you, be a blessing," because behold the blessing is given in your hand, get according to your desire for all the children of the world, and this is "and through you all the families of the land will be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). That is to say, whoever wants to take whatever it is from this blessing only takes from your hand, since it is handed over to you and it is yours. And therefore our sages of blessed memory said that the first one to call Y"Y, Blessed, Adona"y, was Avraham our father, peace be upon him, when he said: "Adona"y YHV"H what will You give me" (Genesis 15:2) because from it he asked his needs to the Great Name. And after Avraham, Yitzchak inherited it, and here it is: "And it was, after the death of Avraham, E-lohim blessed Yitzchak his son" (Genesis 35:11). And it was over this blessing that Esav and Yaakov fought among themselves, and this is the blessing of the firstborn [בכורה] that Esav sold Yaakov, and Yitzchak reviewed and maintained the transaction when he sent him to Padan-Aram, and here it is: "Get up, go towards Padan-Aram, and E-l Shadda"y will bless you and will give you the blessing of Avraham, to you and to your seed with you" (Genesis 28:2). Behold this blessing became one with the inheritance, [given] only to Yaakov and his seed, when he said: "to you and your seed with you." And therefore when Yaakov was about to separate from this world, he opened this blessing for the 12 tribes, so that each tribe would get its part of this blessing as inheritance, and this is the secret of "All these are the tribes of Israel, 12 in number, and this is what their father said to them and he blessed them, each according to his blessing he blessed them" (Genesis 49:28). What is "each according to his blessing"? Lest you say that he blessed each according to his [Ya'akov's] own ideas!? It is not so, rather, for each and every tribe he gave the appropriate portion from this pool, and it was not from his own awareness, rather from the awareness of the blessing itself. And Moshe our teacher, pbu"h, blessed Israel before they entered the land from this blessing, and this is the secret of "This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before he died" (Deuteronomy 33:1). And it is found that the name Adona"y is the secret of this blessing, and this is the blessing that enriches those who cling to it without sadness/toil or worry, and this is the secret of "the blessing of Y"Y enriches, and he will not add sadness to it" (Proverbs 10:22). And since the name Adona"y is a resemblance of a treasury to receive the flow of all the blessings and all types of emanation, and it is a resemblance of a pool and a receptacle, therefore it comes from the expression of the sockets [adney] of the enclosure, through which the posts enter (see Exodus 27: 10 and Exodus 38:31). And you find that 100 sockets were made for the Mishkan. as it is written "100 sockets to the 100 talents, a talent a socket" (Exodus 38:27). And these 100 sockets/adney that were in the Mishkan are the resemblance of the 100 pools that are filled from the Great Pool that is called Adona"y. Therefore a person is obligated to bless 100 blessings every day (Menachot 43b) in order to continue from each and every one, and because 100 blessings ברכות come from the name Adona"y from those בריכות pools and if one of those blessings are missing, the person injures and blemishes [oneself]. And the secret is dependent on the secret 1-10-100/2-20-200 [אי"ק בכ"ר a subtype of a gematria called atbash], which is the secret of kohen-levi-israel (added on the Ramat Hasefer edition: Israel gives 10 - ma'aser - to the Levi, who gives 1 to the Kohen - trumat hama'aser; so Israel is 100, Levi 10 and Kohen 1), which is the secret nefesh-ruach-neshamah. And according to this principle David said: "Bless, o my soul, Y"Y" (Psalms 103:1). He hung the blessings on the soul in the secret of the three Upper Arrangements, and the soul needs to bless 100 blessings , which corresponds to Israel, and from that 10, which are the tithe, to ruach which corresponds to Levi, and from the ten of ruach, Levi gives one to neshamah, which corresponds to Kohen. And so you have found that if the soul of a person does not bless 100 blessings every day, a blessing does not reach neshamah, since 10 do not make it to Ruach, which is the secret of Levi'im, which take ma'aser from Israel, and in turn give one to the Kohen from the ten that they took, and this is the secret of the portion of the tithes of Levites and Kohanim that is written in the Torah, and therefore it says: "and to the Levites you will say: 'When you receive from the Israelites their tithes, which I have assigned to you as your share, you shall set aside from them one-tenth of the tithe as a gift to Y"Y'" (Numbers 18:26). And the secret of one tenth of the tithe is the secret of אי"ק 1-10-100, if there is no 100, there is no 10 and there is no 1. And therefore a person needs to be quick to bless 100 blessings, and one that is lacking makes a defect. And those 100 blessings are the resemblance of the 100 sockets of silver through which the flow of Adona"y spreads to all sides, to 100 pools (blessings on the Ramat HaSefer edition).

By God’s cessation of all work on the seventh day, it became the most sanctified and essential of all the days; through it God bestows blessing on the six days and on the world as a whole. So too the Jews, by ceasing all work on the seventh day and connecting to the holy source of blessing, understand the great value of every different type of work done in order to build up the world, and thus they draw down blessing upon themselves. This is as the Sages state: “The verse ‘The blessing of the Lord will enrich’ (Mishlei 10:22) refers to the Shabbat blessing” (y. Berakhot 2:7). They also state that by honoring Shabbat one merits wealth, because Shabbat is the source of blessing (Shabbat 119a).

Hew these two tablets (Exod. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich (Prov. 10:22). This refers to Elisha’s prayer for water, when he said: Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not see rain, neither shall ye see wind, yet that valley shall be filled with water (II Kings 3:17). What else is written there? And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of making the offering (ibid., v. 20). One who says in the morning also says “the time of the morning offering.” R. Tanhuma said: A rain storm occurred in the south and the water reached (the Temple) at the time the offering was made. Hence, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and toil addeth nothing thereto (Prov. 10:22). Though they did not experience either the rain or the wind, the valley was filled with water.

LECHEM PANIM’ (SHOWBREAD). “It is called lechem panim [which literally means ‘bread of faces’] because it had ‘faces’ [surfaces] looking in both directions towards the sides of the House [Tabernacle or Sanctuary]. The loaf was set lengthwise across the breadth of the table with its sides standing up exactly in a line with the edge of the table.” This is the language of Rashi. This conforms with the language of the Mishnah: “Ben Zoma says: lechem panim — [it is so called] because it is to have surfaces” [looking in both directions]. But all this is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage who says: “How did they make the showbread? Like a case broken open.” But according to the Sage who says that it was shaped “like a rocking boat,” then it could not have been [called lechem panim because of the parallel surfaces looking in both directions, as it had none]! And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that it is called lechem panim because it is before Me always.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], when you will understand the word l’phanai (before Me) you will understand its name [i.e., why it is called “the bread of panim”] and its secret, for because of that [the table] was placed on the north side [of the Tabernacle], seeing that the blessing of the Eternal maketh rich, similar to what is said, in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee. I have already alluded to this.
Where shall be found the wisdom embodied in the candelabrum, its cups and knops and flowers, seeing that it is so hidden from the eyes of all living! But as to the reason for its being of beaten work, with the six branches coming out of the seventh, and upon them the lamp of G-d and all [six lamps] to give light over against it — all this you can understand from our words that we have written in another place. This is the intent of the saying of the Sages that Moses found difficulty with the candelabrum.

SO ESAU DESPISED HIS BIRTHRIGHT. Who so despiseth the word shall suffer thereby. But, indeed, Scripture has already explained the reason that Esau consented to the sale. This was because he was in mortal danger from his hunting animals, and it was likely that he would die while his father was alive, and the birthright carried with it no distinction except after the passing of the father. So of what benefit was the birthright to him? This then is what Scripture says: And he did eat and drink, and he rose and went, and he despised, for, after having eaten and drunk, he returned to his hunt in the field which was the cause of the despising of the birthright. For there is no desire in fools except to eat and drink and to fulfill their momentary desire, not giving a care for tomorrow.
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has erred here exceedingly by saying that Esau despised the birthright because he saw his father destitute of wealth. Now, [continues Ibn Ezra,] many wonder about Isaac’s poverty since Abraham left him with great wealth. But have they never seen a person who was wealthy in his younger years and became poor in his old age? An indication that Isaac was indeed poor is the fact that Isaac loved Esau because of his venison. Furthermore, had there been abundant food in his father’s house and he [Esau] “the honorable one in his sight,” he would not have sold his birthright for pottage. Also, if his father ate savory meat every day, what reason was there for him to say to Esau, “Bring me some venison?” Why did Jacob not have costly garments as Esau had? Why did his mother not give Jacob some silver and gold for his journey when he fled to Haran so that he had to say, And He will give me bread to eat, and a garment to put on? Why did she not send him some money — since she loved him — so that he was required to tend Laban’s flock? The verse which states, Thus the man grew [in wealth], must refer to the period before he became old. Now ignorant people think that wealth is a great distinction for the righteous. Let Elijah prove the contrary. These ignorant people further ask, “Why did G-d cause Isaac to lack wealth?” Perhaps they could also inform us why He caused Isaac’s vision to be diminished? And let them not dismiss me with a reply based upon a d’rash for there is indeed a secret in the matter, and we must not probe since the thoughts of G-d are deep and no man has the power to understand them. All these are Abraham ibn Ezra’s words.
Now I wonder who has blinded Abraham ibn Ezra’s reasoning in this matter, causing him to say that Abraham left Isaac great wealth, and he lost it just prior to this event, [that is, the sale of the birthright], and for this reason, Esau despised the birthright, for this matter of the sale of the birthright took place when Jacob and Esau were still young, before Esau married, as Scripture tells, and after the sale of the birthright, Isaac again became wealthy in the land of the Philistines until he became very great… and the Philistines were jealous of him. Following that, [according to Ibn Ezra, we must say that Isaac] again became poor, and he desired the venison of his son Esau and the savory meats. All this is laughable. Furthermore, the verse says, And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that G-d blessed his son Isaac. Now the blessing refers to increase of wealth, possessions and honor, but where was His blessing if he lost the wealth of his father and became impoverished? Afterwards it says, And I will be with Thee, and I will bless thee, [but according to Ibn Ezra you will have to say that Isaac] became rich and then poor! And if it be true that in matters of wealth, There are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, this does not apply to those righteous men who have been expressly blessed by the Holy One, blessed be He, since the blessing of the Eternal maketh rich, and no sorrow is added thereto. Rather, the patriarchs all were as kings before whom kings of the nations came and with whom they made covenants. Now it is written concerning Isaac and Abimelech, And they swore one to another. But if Isaac had suffered bad fortune and lost his father’s wealth, how did [Abimelech, King of the Philistines, and Phichol, the head of his army], say, we saw plainly that the Eternal was with thee, when he was already in financial difficulty? Rather, Esau’s disdain of the birthright was due to his brutal nature.
It is possible that the law of double portion to which the firstborn is entitled according to the statutes of the Torah was not in effect in ancient times. [At that time the birthright] was only a matter of inheriting the pre-eminence of the father and his authority so that he [the firstborn] would receive honor and distinction in relation to his younger brother. It is for this reason that Esau said to Isaac, I am thy son, thy firstborn, meaning to say that he is the firstborn who deserves to be blessed. Similarly, [Joseph said to his father, Jacob], For this is the firstborn; put thy hand upon his head, thereby meaning that Jacob should give him precedence in the blessing. Perhaps the firstborn also took slightly more of the inheritance since the law of double portion is an innovation of the statutes of the Torah. And as for the venison in his mouth which Isaac desired so strongly, this is in keeping with the custom of princes and kings. They prefer venison above all food, and out of fear, all nations bring them gifts of venison. Esau flattered his father by bringing him all the venison so that he may always eat of it to his heart’s content, and the love of a father for his firstborn is easily understood.
As for Isaac’s saying that he would bless Esau after he had prepared the savory meats for him, that was not a reward or a recompense for the food. Instead, he wanted to derive some benefit from him so that his very soul would be bound up in his at the time that he brought him the food so that he would then bless him with a complete desire and a perfect will. Perhaps Isaac discerned in himself that following the meal his soul would be delighted and joyous, and then the Ruach Hakodesh would come upon him, [as was the case with Elisha the prophet, who said], ‘But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Eternal came upon him.
And as for not giving wealth to Jacob, that was [not due to Isaac’s poverty but rather] because Jacob was fleeing for his life. He left the country alone without his brother’s knowledge, and had he been given along wealth, servants and camels, they would have increased his enemies’ jealousy and resulted in their ambushing him and killing him. Our Rabbis do indeed say that Jacob was robbed [at the outset of his journey of whatever possessions he had].
And who has told Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra that Jacob had no costly garments, fine linen and silk and embroidered robes? Rather, Scripture states that when going to the field to hunt, Esau would change his garments for his hunting clothes, and due to the fact that [because of his dim eyesight], Isaac always touched his son and his clothes with his hands, Rebekah clothed Jacob with them lest he recognize him by his clothes. You see that this is precisely what Isaac did: And he smelled the odor of his garments because he had put them among calamus and cinnamon, even as it is written, Myrrh and aloes, and cassia are all thy garments. The spices grew in the Land of Israel, and it is for this reason that Isaac said, The odor of my son is as the odor of a field. Because he was a man of the field his garments had the odor of the field or that of the blossoms of the trees, just as our Rabbis explained it: As the odor of a field of apples.
And as for the question raised above concerning the quality of Isaac’s lack of vision, it is a question raised by the ignorant, for if it was brought about especially by G-d, it was in order that Isaac bless Jacob, this being the purport of the verse, And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, he called Esau. And in line with the natural meaning of Scripture, this was but a manifestation of old age, the explanation of the verse being as follows: And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim in his old age, he called Esau. Now of Jacob himself it is said later on, Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. Of Achiyah the Shilonite it is also written, Now Achiyah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age, and concerning Moses our teacher it is related with wonder that his eye was not dim.