Our Gemara on amud beis rules that according to Rabbi Yochanan, by Torah law, money effects acquisition. It is only a rabbinic mercantile protection that required an additional physical acquisition beyond payment for material objects, as the seller might be negligent of the merchandise, while it is still in his possession, since it was fully acquired now by the purchaser. Therefore, the rabbis enacted a protective measure that ownership does not commence until it actually physically changes hands.

Pele Yoetz (192) sees this allegorically: Through Torah, money is acquired.  That is to say, we cannot be sure that we can hold onto any of our monetary possessions.  As it states in Tehillim (49:18): “For when he dies he can take none of it along; his goods cannot follow him down into the grave.” However, through Torah, money helps us acquire. Meaning, if we use our money for mitzvos, Hashem will repay. A person’s earnings are preordained, save for what he spends for mitzvos (Pele Yoetz is saying something similar and paraphrased from Beitzah 16a which refers to expenses for Shabbos and Yom Tov, and it seems he holds that it is the same idea, and there other statements in Chazal that support this idea.)

This can be hard to believe and follow, but many religious people report from experience how spending money on Torah and tzedakah yields more financial success, not less, and numerous accounts attest to the transformative power of investing in spiritual endeavors. In the end, it is not the size of our bank accounts that define our legacy, but rather the depth of our commitment to the enduring values of Torah and righteousness.    

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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