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VERSE: Dt14-23a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt14-23a Dt14-27a Dt14-28a Dt14-29a
Dt14-29b Dt26-12b
================= THE TITHE LAWS ======================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
There are 4 chapters on Tithes. They each say something
different. They appear to be contradictory. Rashi
resolves them using the Rabbi Ishmael contradiction
method--Rashi assigns each tithe command to a different
time period. The results are as follows
-Nu18-21:31 commands giving Levites tithe Every year
-Dt14-22:27 commands giving yourself tithe most years
-Dt14-29 commands giving the Poor tithe in year 3
-Dt14-28*1 commands removing leftover tithes(year 3)
Rashi resolves the contradictions by using ALIGNMENT
TODAYS LISTS
------------
There are 4 lists
- the 1st list summarizes how tithes are given
- the 2nd list summarizes the 4 chapters & how they
are resolved
- the 3rd list shows the alignment of the chapters
and how each discusses different types of tithes
- the 4th list summarizes half a dozen Rashis
on this topic, where they are and what they say
TODAYS RULES
------------
THE RABBI ISHMAEL CONTRADICTION RULE
-------------------------------------
When two chapters seem to contradict each other we
can resolve them by assuming they refer to different
aspects of the same thing. For example if one chapter
says give LEVITES tithe while another chapter say give
YOURSELF tithe they we assume that there are 2 ASPECTS
to the tithe laws--a LEVITE tite given to the LEVITES
and a PERSONAL TITHE given to oneself
THE ALIGNMENT RULE
------------------
But how do we know what properties each tithe has.
To find this out we use the alignment rule. We go
to each chapter and ask
-- WHOM is getting the tithe
-- WHERE is it eaten
-- WHEN is it eaten
By ALIGNING the chapters against these parameters we
view the chapters as COMPLEMENTARY vs CONTRADICTORY
=======================================================
Item % FROM LeftOver To Whom
=============== ======= ======= ======== ==============
Big Terumah*1 2% 100% 98% Priest
1st 10th*2 10% 98% 88.2% Levite
2nd 10th*3 10% 88.2% 78.38% Poor or self
NOTES
-----
*1 The list is sequential. The person harvests.
He gives 2% of 100% of his produce to the priest
He has left over 100% -2% = 98%
*2 The person now gives 10% of the LEFTOVER.
10% of 98% is 9.8%. He gives this to the Levite.
The person now has left 98% - 9.8% or 88.2%
*3 The person now gives 10% of the leftover in stage
2 to either the poor or himself. On years 1,2,4,5
he gives to himself (but must eat it in Jerusalem)
While in years 3,6 he gives to the poor.
There are no tithes in year 7.
You can compute the average amount given to
others per year in each year--it comes out to
about a 1/7
=======================================================
================== The contradictions ==========================
This list summarizes the 4 different chapters on Tithes
The contradiction between these chapters is resolved by
assigning each chapter to a different period as shown
in the CONTRADICTION RESOLVED column.
=================================================================
Verse Give tithes to Contradiction Resolved
=========== ============================= =======================
Nu18-21:31 Levites Every year
Dt14-22:27 Yourself & eat in Jerusalem Every year but 3rd
Dt14-29 Poor(Widows, etc) 3rd year
Dt14-28*1 Remove tithes*2 3rd year
NOTES
-----
*1 Also indicated in Dt26-12
*2 There are various laws on exactly WHAT is removed and WHAT
is done with it. This is not the subject of this posting
and will be covered in a future posting. Suffice it to
say that these verses refer to tithes that are leftover
from previous years
=================================================================
======================== ALIGNMENT OF TITHES ====================
We compare the verses dealing with
- the Levite tithe
- the poor tithe
- the personal tithe
- the leftover tithes
Each verse or set of verses is compared on 3 parameters
- WHOM ate it
- WHERE could it be eaten
- WHEN was it eaten
Footnotes provide textual support
=================================================================
Type of Tithe To Whom? Where? How often Exception?
================= ========== ========= ========= ==============
Levite Tithe(1st) Levite*1 Anyplace 1 @ Year None
Self Tithe(2nd) Self*2 Jerusalem 1 @ Year except 3rd*3
Poor Tithe Poor*4 Your City 1 @ 3 yr None*5
Tithe Leftovers Remove*6 From you 1 @ 3 yr None
NOTES
-----
*1 -It is given to the Levites--Nu18-21 Nu18-24 Nu18-26
-It is eaten anywhere--------Nu18-31
-It is given every year------Dt14-22
-No exceptions---------------Dt14-27*10
*2 -It is eaten by oneself----Dt14-26
-It is eaten in Jerusalem--Dt14-26
-It is eaten every year----Dt14-22
*3 There is no PERSONAL TITHE in the 3rd year because it
explicitly states in Dt14-28
------------------------------------------------
In the 3rd year REMOVE THE TITHES from your house
and let the Levites and Widows come and eat
------------------------------------------------
*4 -It is eaten by the poor --- Dt14-28 & Dt26-12
-It is eaten in any city --- Dt14-28:29(In your gates...)
-It is eaten on 3rd year---- Dt14-28
*5 Technically there is a rest from tithes every 7th year
We have omitted mention of the tithes in this section
*6 This is stated in both Dt14-28 and Dt26-12
The contrast of Dt14-26 vs Dt14-28:29 suggests that
the PERSONAL tithe is eaten in Jerusalem every year
except the 3rd when the POOR tithe is eaten.
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------------
*10 In other words the PERSONAL TITHE (Eaten in Jerusalem)
is not a REPLACEMENT for the Levite Tithe but rather
a SUPPLEMENT to it (Both tithes must be given)
The fact that it is given every year without exception
is inferred from Dt14-27
-----------------------------------------------------
(But even though you give PERSONAL TITHE and eat it
in Jerusalem) nevertheless, dont forget the Levite
-----------------------------------------------------
Sifsay chachamim also brings down the following
alignment
----------------------------------------------------------
Dt14-26:27 You eat the tithe Dont forget the Levite
Dt14-28:29 Remove tithe Levite,widow eat to saiety
----------------------------------------------------------
Thus
-- in most years YOU EAT (personal tithe) & Levite(TITHE)
-- in 3rd year YOU DONT EAT; LEVITE & POOR eat
===============================================================
=================== The Rashis ================================
This list contains 6 Rashis dealing with Tithes and the
way Rashi resolves the contradictions. Footnote *10
gives a delicious etymology of Rashi with a surprise defense
===============================================================
RASHI POINT OF RASHI
========== ====================================================
Dt14-23a Contrast of PERSONAL TITHE vs LEVITE TITHE
Dt14-27a Personal tithe BESIDES the levite tithe
Dt14-28a Obligation to remove leftover tithes
Dt14-29a Levite gets tithe in 3rd year
Dt14-29b 2nd tithe goes to Poor not to Ones self
Dt26-12b The 3rd year is the Year of (LEFTOVER TITHES)*10
NOTES
-----
----------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*1 The Biblical text states that
-----------------------------------------------------
Dt26-12b When you finish titheing in the 3rd year
THE YEAR OF TITHES
-----------------------------------------------------
Perhaps a simple approach to WHY the 3rd year is called
the Year of tithes is because all the leftover tithes
are taken care of in that year (So therefore it is
the year of tithes).
Rashi however does not say this. He rather states
-----------------------------------------------
It is called the Year of the Tithe because ONLY
ONE Tithe is given in that year (The Levite tithe)
The personal tithe is not given in that year but
rather is given to the poor.
So because ONLY ONE TITHE is involved we call it
the YEAR OF TITHE
-------------------------------------------------
This etymology of Rashi appears strange and more complex
than the simple approach we adopted above.
A possible support for Rashi comes in the following obscure
controversy between Rashi and Ibn Ezra on the word EthMOOL.
Ibn Ezra holds it means YESTERDAY like ETHMOL. Rashi differs.
On Isa30-33 Rashi explains
------------------------------------------------------------
Ethmool comes from the word Ethmol meaning YESTERDAY.
Hence ETHMOOL means YESTERDAYDAY or MONDAY since Monday is
the first day in the week which has a yesterday(SUnday has
no yesterday!)
Thus the verse Isa30-33 is translated as
--------- HELL IS PREPARED FROM MONDAY FOR THE WICKED
And this is the source that Hell was created on Monday
------------------------------------------------------------
This Rashi gives credence to an etymology which names
something by a uniqueness of property. In a similar manner
Rashi believes that the YEAR OF THE TITHE is the YEAR
with only the LEVITE TITHE (But not the personal tithe).
Still there are difficulties with this approach since
the poor receive a tithe in the 3rd year.
I therefore argue that the correct etymology is that
THE YEAR OF THE TITHE is the YEAR of LEFTOVER TITHES
(The only problem left is why Rashi deviated from
this simple approach)
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: MULTIPLE
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 14 Number 24
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 14 Number 24