Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Sept 24, 2005 8:04:56 GMT -8
Ki Tavo “When you come”- Devarim (Deuteronomy) 26:1- 29:8
20 Elul 5765 – Sep. 24, 2005
The following is a commentary by Rabbi Yaakov benYosef. Enjoy!
"The
describes the tithe and the offering differently. The offering was voluntary and the tithe was mandatory. This distinction between tithes and offerings is understandable, considering that HaShem expected tithes and offerings to be used for different purposes. In HaShem’s plan the offering was used for special purposes that allowed individuals to voluntarily serve HaShem. Shemot 35:4-5 states “Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD”. HaShem makes it clear to Moshe that he should only collect offerings from individuals who were willing of heart. HaShem’s desire is that all offerings are given because of a heart-felt conviction. Even when individuals brought offerings for sacrifice, HaShem wanted them to bring the offerings voluntarily. This was even true with the complete burnt offering. As a Corban offering, the complete burnt offering was set-aside exclusively for HaShem. However, the offering was not acceptable to HaShem unless it was offered voluntarily. We can see this in Vayikra 1:3 which states “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.”
The tithe was mandatory. This is because the indicates that the tithe was used to support ministries that had already been established. For example, tithes were given as upkeep for the Levitical priesthood as Bamidbar 18:24 states “But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.” However, there are also other accounts of HaShem using tithes for ministries other than Levitical. B’resheet 14:18-20 states “Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” It is clear that tithes were always given to ministries that currently existed. Ki Tavo specifically addresses how HaShem used the first-fruit tithe and the tithe of the increase to continue His ministry to the Children of Yisrael.
Upon entry into the land the Children of Yisrael were required to take the first of all of the produce to the Levites. Devarim 26:1-3 states “it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD thy God gave you for an inheritance, and possesses it, and dwell therein; that thou shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shall bring of thy land that the LORD thy God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. You shall go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD swore unto our fathers for to give us.” HaShem required the Children of Yisrael to give the first-fruits of the land as a tithe. Therefore, HaShem was requiring the Children of Yisrael to fulfill the commandment in Vayikra 27:30 which states “all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.” HaShem wanted the Children of Yisrael to recite the deliverance narrative as they presented the first fruits to the priest. The first-fruit tithe was a remembrance of how HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from Egypt. After the completion of tithing, the entire camp used the tithe to rejoiced and celebrate in HaShem’s presence. Therefore, everyone could witness the joy that came, when HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from bondage as Devarim 26:11 states “you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given you, and your household, you, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.” HaShem used this tithe as a tool for making real the story of the Exodus to each successive generation. Therefore, this tithe became a teaching ministry to future generations who had not personally experienced the Exodus.
The second tithe Ki Tavo describes is the tithe of the increase. Devarim 26:12-13 states “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; Then thou shall say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:” The tithe of increase is also mandatory. However, the tithe of the increase is based on the increase that HaShem provides. The tithe of the increase is based on the amount of blessing that an individual receives. If an individual’s crops, livestock, or other means of support fail to increase, the individual does not have a tithe to give. The tithe of the increase is unique because it is only collected from an individual every third year. HaShem commanded that the tithe of increase be specifically set-aside for the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. The Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow were considered unable to provide their own increases. The Levite’s had no inherited land and therefore relied on others for their sustenance. The stranger is not under the blessings of HaShem. The fatherless was no longer covered by the increase of his or her father. The widow was no longer covered by the increase of her husband. HaShem wanted everyone to share in his bountiful blessings. Therefore, HaShem used the tithe of increase to support those that would not have other wise experienced an increase.
In the, offerings and tithes are considered differently and used for different purposes. The two primary differences are voluntary and mandatory. HaShem desired offerings to be given from a heart-felt conviction. Therefore, offerings are voluntary. As a result, offerings were used for special projects and personal sanctification. HaShem realized the importance of continuing ministries that already existed. Therefore, tithes were mandatory, and set aside for the upkeep of ministries. Two tithes that HaShem used for outreach were the tithe of first-fruits and the tithe of increase. The tithe of the first-fruits was used to teach future generations about the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The tithe of the increase was used share HaShem’s blessings with less fortunate individuals. As a result, all of Yisrael was able to partake of the blessings of increase that HaShem provided. It is clear that HaShem wants us to understand that both duty and conviction are required to support His work."
20 Elul 5765 – Sep. 24, 2005
The following is a commentary by Rabbi Yaakov benYosef. Enjoy!
"The
describes the tithe and the offering differently. The offering was voluntary and the tithe was mandatory. This distinction between tithes and offerings is understandable, considering that HaShem expected tithes and offerings to be used for different purposes. In HaShem’s plan the offering was used for special purposes that allowed individuals to voluntarily serve HaShem. Shemot 35:4-5 states “Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD”. HaShem makes it clear to Moshe that he should only collect offerings from individuals who were willing of heart. HaShem’s desire is that all offerings are given because of a heart-felt conviction. Even when individuals brought offerings for sacrifice, HaShem wanted them to bring the offerings voluntarily. This was even true with the complete burnt offering. As a Corban offering, the complete burnt offering was set-aside exclusively for HaShem. However, the offering was not acceptable to HaShem unless it was offered voluntarily. We can see this in Vayikra 1:3 which states “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.”The tithe was mandatory. This is because the
indicates that the tithe was used to support ministries that had already been established. For example, tithes were given as upkeep for the Levitical priesthood as Bamidbar 18:24 states “But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.” However, there are also other accounts of HaShem using tithes for ministries other than Levitical. B’resheet 14:18-20 states “Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” It is clear that tithes were always given to ministries that currently existed. Ki Tavo specifically addresses how HaShem used the first-fruit tithe and the tithe of the increase to continue His ministry to the Children of Yisrael. Upon entry into the land the Children of Yisrael were required to take the first of all of the produce to the Levites. Devarim 26:1-3 states “it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD thy God gave you for an inheritance, and possesses it, and dwell therein; that thou shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shall bring of thy land that the LORD thy God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. You shall go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD swore unto our fathers for to give us.” HaShem required the Children of Yisrael to give the first-fruits of the land as a tithe. Therefore, HaShem was requiring the Children of Yisrael to fulfill the commandment in Vayikra 27:30 which states “all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.” HaShem wanted the Children of Yisrael to recite the deliverance narrative as they presented the first fruits to the priest. The first-fruit tithe was a remembrance of how HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from Egypt. After the completion of tithing, the entire camp used the tithe to rejoiced and celebrate in HaShem’s presence. Therefore, everyone could witness the joy that came, when HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from bondage as Devarim 26:11 states “you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given you, and your household, you, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.” HaShem used this tithe as a tool for making real the story of the Exodus to each successive generation. Therefore, this tithe became a teaching ministry to future generations who had not personally experienced the Exodus.
The second tithe Ki Tavo describes is the tithe of the increase. Devarim 26:12-13 states “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; Then thou shall say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:” The tithe of increase is also mandatory. However, the tithe of the increase is based on the increase that HaShem provides. The tithe of the increase is based on the amount of blessing that an individual receives. If an individual’s crops, livestock, or other means of support fail to increase, the individual does not have a tithe to give. The tithe of the increase is unique because it is only collected from an individual every third year. HaShem commanded that the tithe of increase be specifically set-aside for the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. The Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow were considered unable to provide their own increases. The Levite’s had no inherited land and therefore relied on others for their sustenance. The stranger is not under the blessings of HaShem. The fatherless was no longer covered by the increase of his or her father. The widow was no longer covered by the increase of her husband. HaShem wanted everyone to share in his bountiful blessings. Therefore, HaShem used the tithe of increase to support those that would not have other wise experienced an increase.
In the
, offerings and tithes are considered differently and used for different purposes. The two primary differences are voluntary and mandatory. HaShem desired offerings to be given from a heart-felt conviction. Therefore, offerings are voluntary. As a result, offerings were used for special projects and personal sanctification. HaShem realized the importance of continuing ministries that already existed. Therefore, tithes were mandatory, and set aside for the upkeep of ministries. Two tithes that HaShem used for outreach were the tithe of first-fruits and the tithe of increase. The tithe of the first-fruits was used to teach future generations about the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The tithe of the increase was used share HaShem’s blessings with less fortunate individuals. As a result, all of Yisrael was able to partake of the blessings of increase that HaShem provided. It is clear that HaShem wants us to understand that both duty and conviction are required to support His work."
