Tithe From What Was Always His to Begin With

Pesikta Rabbati 25:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"You shall surely tithe all the produce of your seed that the field brings forth year by year" (Deuteronomy 14:22). Let our master teach us: may one move on the Sabbath a basket that has tithe in it? Thus our teachers taught: one may move doubtfully-tithed produce and pure heave-offering [and first tithe from which the heave-offering has been taken], but not untithed produce, nor impure heave-offering, nor first tithe from which the heave-offering has not yet been taken. And why does he not move the tithe on account of the heave-offering that is within it? Behold, you do move the heave-offering itself, yet the tithe that contains a tenth of heave-offering you may not move, because the tithe is forbidden to eat until its heave-offering has passed from it, and what is forbidden to eat is forbidden to move. But pure heave-offering, because the priests who eat heave-offering eat it on the Sabbath, may be moved on the Sabbath. A person must set his produce in order and not leave it untithed in his house out of doubt, for one of three things a person must say in his house on the eve of the Sabbath at dusk: "Have you tithed? Have you made the eruv? Light the lamp!" (Mishnah Shabbat 2). Thus, just as a person is obligated regarding the kindling of the Sabbath lamp, so must he be careful regarding the tithes. Rabbi Tanchuma opened: "Honor the LORD from your wealth [and from the first of all your produce]" (Proverbs 3:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I did not tell you to honor Me from what is yours, but from what is Mine. Honor the LORD from what He has graced you with. You are a member of My household; if I gave to you and there is something of Mine in your hand, give Me what is Mine. And so it says, "Who has anticipated Me, that I should repay him?" (Job 41:3). Who circumcised his son for My name, except that I first gave him a son? Who made a mezuzah or a parapet, except that I first gave him a house? Who sets aside firstborn animals and the first of the shearing, except that I first gave him a flock? Lest you say, "He multiplies commandments upon us," the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I asked nothing of yours; I asked only what is Mine. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Chanina: they voted in Usha that a person should set aside a fifth of his property for charity. There is the story of King Monobaz, who lavished his wealth on the poor. His brothers sent word to him: "What your fathers gathered, you are squandering!" He said to them: my fathers gathered in this world, but I have gathered in the world to come; my fathers gathered below, but I have gathered above; "and it shall be charity for you" (Deuteronomy 24:13). And there is the story of Rabbi Tarfon, who gave Rabbi Akiva a hundred and eighty hundredweight of gold and said, "Buy us an estate." Rabbi Akiva went and performed many commandments with it. After some days Rabbi Tarfon asked, "Where is the estate you bought?" He took him and showed him the verse: "He has scattered abroad, he has given to the needy; his righteousness endures forever, his horn shall be exalted in honor" (Psalms 112:9). Moses said to them: since the good depends on the tithes, be careful to set aside the tithes, so that good may come into the world.

Themes

CommandmentsCharityBlessing

Continue Reading

Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Eliezer Takes the Most Expansive Position in This DebateRabbi Eliezer takes the most expansive position in this debate. Like the sages, he rules that a person fulfills the matzah obligation with all types of dough anMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelThe Seventh … and You Shall Leave It So"And the seventh year you shall leave it", the Torah commands that the land be left fallow during the shemitah year. But the Mekhilta anticipates a well-intentiMekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben YochaiIf You Lend Money to My People and the Ban on Interest"If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do not be to him as a creditor; you shall not lay upon him interest" (Exodus 22:24). The word "if" usualSifrei DevarimRabbi Yossi in the Holy LandOur tradition, specifically in Sifrei Devarim 72, wrestles with just such a dilemma concerning the ma'aser sheni, the second tithe. Someone designates their secSifrei DevarimBestowing Gifts on a Freed Servant After Six YearsTake this one from Sifrei Devarim (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). It deals with releasing a Hebrew servant after six years of service, and the obligation to "bestow upoSifrei DevarimProphecy of Shammai" We confront it in our careers, our relationships. and even when it comes to giving gifts! The ancient rabbis did too. to a fascinating little corner of Jewish