Why The King Shouldn't Greatly Increase His Possessions

Why The King Shouldn't Greatly Increase His Possessions

וכסף וזהב לא ירבה לו מאוד

"And silver and gold he shall not greatly increase for himself” (Devorim 17:17)

The Torah forbids the king from greatly increasing three things: Horses, wives, and money. By two of them, the Torah gives a reason. By horses the pasuk (17:16) says: "So that he does not return the people to Egypt." And by wives the pasuk (17:17) says: "Lest his heart turn astray."

But the prohibition of increasing money is left without a stated reason and this demands explanation.

R' Yosef Sorotskin in his Meged Yosef suggests: The extra phrase: לא ירבה לו מאוד – "he shall not greatly increase" — contains the reason. Chazal have already established (Koheles Rabbah 1:13): “One who has one hundred desires two hundred; one who has two hundred desires four hundred.” Increased wealth intensifies the desire for wealth, as it is written (Koheles 5:9): “Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money."

Therefore, the king must not have to many possessions, for then the desire for wealth will overpower him, and he will desire מאוד more and more and devote all his time and energy to it, instead of engaging in Torah and ruling over Klal Yisrael.