בראשית, פרק י״ד, פסוק כ״ג

In the aftermath of a massive and victorious war, a triumphant leader stands before a rescued king and completely rejects any material reward. He raises his hand in an oath, swearing not to take a single thing [ספורנו, רד״ק, שד״ל, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. This absolute refusal reflects a burning faith that God alone provides blessing, alongside a deep aversion to relying on mortals or exploiting a miraculous military victory for personal gain [תורה תמימה, פרדס יוסף]. Legally, the spoils belonged to him by right, as he had saved the king from the enemy, but his refusal was an act of extreme piety [העמק דבר, תורה תמימה]. By taking an oath, he effectively consecrated the property to Heaven, rendering it forbidden for his own use [הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי]. Furthermore, he refused to benefit in any way from the wealth of a wicked ruler [הטור הארוך, פענח רזא].

His declaration is divided into two distinct rejections. First, he refuses to keep anything from the spoils of war, down to the most insignificant items. Second, he clarifies that he will not accept any reward or gift from the king's private treasuries either [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Commentators offer various perspectives on the imagery used to describe the smallest items he refused. The simplest view is that he refers to the most basic everyday objects, like a sewing thread and a leather shoe strap [אבן עזרא]. Others suggest this imagery covers a person from head to toe, with the thread acting as a woman's hair ornament and the strap as foot jewelry, while the footwear itself might even allude to a glove covering the hand [שד״ל, הטור הארוך, הכתב והקבלה, חזקוני]. In a military context, the thread represents a sword belt and the strap signifies a warrior's marching gear [הדר זקנים, בכור שור]. A broader interpretation views these terms as representing all categories of property: the thread stands for the plant kingdom, the strap for the animal kingdom, and the king's private wealth represents inanimate objects like silver and gold [רבנו בחיי, מחוקקי יהודה].

The central reason for this sweeping refusal is to prevent the king from ever claiming that he was the source of this newfound wealth. God had already promised prosperity and blessing. Allowing a mortal king to boast about enriching him would diminish the honor of Heaven and detract from the reality that his success stemmed exclusively from Divine providence [רש״י, חזקוני, גור אריה, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, the king might use such a gift to create a sense of obligation, expecting future military protection [קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. Because the king was known to be stingy, he would view the wealth as a personal favor, and the victor wanted no fellowship with him [העמק דבר, אור החיים]. This absolute rejection contrasts sharply with his later willingness to accept gifts from other foreign rulers. Gifts given out of respect fulfill the Divine blessing of honor, whereas this wealth was born of war, captivity, and distress. Profit derived from tragedy cannot be considered a true Divine blessing [גור אריה, ברכת אשר].

This unwavering moral stance yielded a lasting spiritual reward for future generations. Because he refused the simplest thread, the Israelites later merited the Commandment of the blue thread in their fringes and the red thread that encircled the altar. Because he refused a basic shoe strap, they merited the leather straps of the phylacteries, the rituals involving footwear, and the Commandment to eat the Passover sacrifice with their shoes on [רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, העמק דבר, מנחת עני]. These Commandments serve as far more than symbolic rewards; they are vital spiritual tools designed to protect the Israelites from the moral dangers that often accompany material wealth, such as pride, the pursuit of desires, the fear of death, and the forgetting of God [מנחת עני].