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July 2, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The hallmark of a person

Abe Novick: Up, up, and aliya

July 1, 2009

Rabbi Avi Shafran: The Road Taken

The Kosher Gourmet by Marialisa Calta: Get into the holiday spirit with these Star-Spangled desserts

June 30, 2009

Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg: What makes a great parent?

Caroline B. Glick: Ideologue-in-Chief

June 29, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Beware of 'Caveat Emptor'

Steven Emerson: ACLU pushing for more money for Hamas

June 26, 2009

Rabbi Yoni Posnick: Learn the secret to a healthy marriage from a scriptural villain

Caroline B. Glick: Barack Obama vs. International Law

June 25, 2009

Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf: The Absurd Power of Truth

Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkle's strip: Everything's Relative

June 24, 2009

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Advancement of technology is a wake-up call for humanity

The Kosher Gourmet by Andrea Weigl: Summer on a stick: Making frozen treats can be easy, creative and fun

June 23, 2009

Martin M. Bodek: 'On Surnames': And so, We Begin

Caroline B. Glick: The Obama Effect

June 22, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Working for a corrupt firm

N. Richard Greenfield : Where are American Jews?

June 19, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Emotion v. intellect

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's rare opportunity

June 18, 2009

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sometimes it is more essential to define the nature of evil than good

Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkle's strip: Everything's Relative

June 17, 2009

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The Language of Confusion

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Nothing pleases Dad more than a thick, juicy onion-smothered steak. Add home-Baked Potato Chips and …

June 16, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Career v. Careersism

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's losing streak and Israel

Richard Z. Chesnoff: ‘Palestinians’: Never Missing an Opportunity …

June 15, 2009

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: How Judea and Samaria can become 'Palestine'

Daniel Pipes: Where Netanyahu's speech failed

June 12, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Some big thoughts about not acting so big

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's High Commissioner

June 11, 2009

Victor Davis Hanson: Our historically challenged President

Mitch Albom: Beware the True Believers

Lewis Grossberger: What we learn from the new Hitler photos

June 10, 2009

Mort Zuckerman: What Obama and his advisors won't -- or refuse to -- grasp about Israel and the Muslim world

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky Lotsa pasta: Tips, techniques and (amazing) taste

June 9, 2009

Anne Bayefsky: Obama's stunning offense to Israel and the Jewish people

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: America's first Muslim president?

June 8, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Merchant must take responsibility for careless shopper?

Mark Steyn: A superpower that feeds on mediocrity cannot survive for long on leftovers from the past

Richard Z. Chesnoff: How do you say 'kumbaya' in Arabic?

June 5, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: In quest of spirituality

Caroline B. Glick: Obama's Arabian dreams

Charles Krauthammer: The Settlements Myth

June 4, 2009

Paul Greenberg: The War Comes to Little Rock

The Kosher Gourmet by Judy Hevrdejs: Splash it on! Tap your inner jazz musician and improvise when stirring up a vinaigrette

June 3, 2009

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Should terrible teacher be exposed?

Jonathan Rosenblum: The Israel Lobby: Missing in Action

June 2, 2009

Dennis Prager: The Speech President Obama Won't Dare Give in Egypt

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Pressure on Israel raises war risk

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review August 6, 2007 / 23 Menachem-Av, 5767

Anti-aristocracy

By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir


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Understanding the Torah's obligation of tithing. It's more than fighting poverty.


http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Q: Is there still an obligation to tithe, as described in the Bible? How do we fulfill this obligation today?


A: Actually there is widespread misunderstanding of the Biblical tithing obligation. The Torah does not actually command a general tithe of agricultural produce for the poor. The "first tithe" described in the Torah actually goes not to the poor, but to the tribe of the Levites.


This tithe is a fascinating example of the anti-aristocratic element present from the very beginning of Jewish history. To the best of my knowledge, the institution of hereditary landed gentry was present in virtually every civilized land until only a few generations ago, yet was found in not a single organized Jewish community since antiquity. Indeed, an intensely debated program for so-called Jewish "improvement" at the beginning of the 19th century counted among Jewish "failings" the following: "No class distinctions". (1)


Instead of an aristocracy — a dominant, landed class that collects taxes from subservient tenants or serfs based on their ownership of land, the Torah presents the tribe of Levi as a model anti-aristocracy, a class of itinerant scholars who collect taxes from free citizens based on their own lack of ownership of land. "Don't abandon the Levite in your gates, for he has no portion and inheritance among you" (Deuteronomy 14:27).


More precisely, their inheritance is spiritual, not material: "Therefore, Levi has no portion and inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your G-d spoke to him" (Deuteronomy 10:9). The first tithe, which is given to the tribe of Levi, is meant to free them and compensate them for devotion to G-d's work: "And to the children of Levi I have given the tithe in Israel as a portion, in return for the service they serve, the service of the Tent of Meeting" (Numbers 18:21). As Maimonides explains, the service in the Tabernacle is only an example; the Levites are meant to devote themselves to learning and teaching Torah.


Thus, the first tithe was designed to advance enlightenment, not domination.


The second tithe also was not devoted solely to the poor. The agricultural cycle in the land of Israel is seven years in duration. In the seventh, or Sabbatical year, all produce is freely available to all. In the third and sixth years, there is a second tithe given to the poor. In the remaining four years, the farmer himself takes the second tithe, or its value, and consumes it in Jerusalem together with his family, taking due care to share it also with the less fortunate.


The second tithe is not collected and redistributed by some central authority; rather, it is distributed by the farmer individually. In the first, second, fourth and fifth years he has to actually meet and endow the poor; in the third and sixth year he is expected to actually invite them to join him in his good fortune. "And the Levite, who has no portion and inheritance with you, will come; and the stranger, and the orphan and the widow in your gates; and they will eat and be satisfied, so that the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do" (Deuteronomy 14:29).


Thus this tithe was meant not only to support the poor but also to advance social solidarity by creating a meaningful interface and interaction between haves and have-nots.


The Biblical tithing obligation applies only to agricultural produce in the land of Israel. But for hundreds of years it has been customary to donate a portion of our income to charity, and the most accepted amount is one tenth of after-tax income. The Shulchan Aruch (authoritative Code of Jewish law) states that the average person should give one-tenth of his income to charity, and that anything less is considered stingy. (3)


This custom retains the spirit of the original agricultural tithe. The personal element is maintained, as this tithe is distributed according to individual discretion and is in addition to regular taxes, including communal levies, which are administered by the community as a whole. (4)


Likewise, the custom keeps the focus on enlightenment. While the main recipients of charity funds are the poor, a Midrash states that the foremost recipient of tithes should be "Those who labor in the Torah," (5) and Torah scholars and Torah education are given a high priority. And when giving to the poor, the highest level of charity is that given to enable a person to earn an independent living. (6)


We see that the original tithing obligation of the Torah, and its modern-day equivalent, are far more than a simple "poor tax"; they are a tool not only to fight poverty, but also to increase enlightenment, equality, and social solidarity.

SOURCES: (1) See Amos Elon, The Pity of It All, pg. 114 (2) Maimonides Code, Laws of Shemitta 13:12 (3) Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 249:1 (4) Turei Zahav commentary on Yoreh Deah 249:1 (5) Midrash Tanchuma, Deuteronomy 14:22 (6) Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 249:6

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JWR contributor Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, formerly of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Reagan administration, is Research Director of the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem, Jerusalem College of Technology. To comment or pose a question, please click here.

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