Poor man's tithe: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Tenth of produce grown in the third and sixth years of the seven-year sabbatical cycle}}

The '''poor tithe''', or '''poor man's tithe''' ([[Hebrew]]: {{Hebrew|מַעְשַׂר עָנִי}} ''ma'sar<!--"ma'sar"–(NO double “a” – the ע has a Shva, not a ḥaṭaf pataḥ) as in וְכָל-מַעְשַׂר הָאָרֶץ (Lev. 27:30)--> ani''), also referred to as the '''pauper's tithe''' or the '''third tithe''', reflectsis ana obligationlaw toin set[[Judaism]]. asideIt requires that one tenth of produce grown in the third and sixth years of the seven-year [[Sabbatical year (Bible)|sabbatical]] cycle forbe the benefit ofgiven the [[Levites]] and the poor, both, during the days of the [[Temple in Jerusalem]], and after the Temple's destruction.<ref>Sirach, scrolls, and sages'' p185 ed. T. Muraoka, John F. Elwolde - 1999 "and honouring God was expressed, ''inter alia'', by paying one's dues to the priesthood and by setting aside the 'pauper's tithe'"</ref>

The commandmentlaw toapplies giveduring the ''poordays manof the [[Temple in Jerusalem]], and after the Temple's tithe''destruction. It applies only to those crops that are harvested in the [[Land of Israel]], but during the [[Shmita|Seventh Year]], also applies to those crops harvested in Jordan and Egypt, so that the poor of Israel mightwould be stayed therebysupported in the Seventh Year.<ref>[[Mishnah]], (''[[Yadayim]]'' 4:3)</ref>

[[File:Grapes and barley.jpg|thumb|Grapes and barley]]

== In the Hebrew Bible ==

The poor tithe is discussed in the [[Book of Deuteronomy]]:

:At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall lay it up inside your gates; And the Levite, because he has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.” ({{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|14:28|JPHE}})

:When you have finished tithing all the tithes of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give them to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that they can eat to satiety in your cities. ({{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|26:12|JPHE}})

Thus, the ''poor man's tithe'' is separated from homegrown crops during the 3rd and 6th year of the seven-year cycle.

The early rabbis, the [[Tannaim]] and [[Amoraim]], understood these texts as describing two separate tithes: the [[first tithe]] (Hebrew: {{Hebrew|מעשר ראשון}} ''ma'aser rishon'') to be given to the Levites and the [[second tithe]] (Hebrew: {{Hebrew|מעשר שני}} ''ma'aser sheni'') in [[Leviticus]] {{Bibleverse-nb|lev|27:30|JPHE}} to be kept by its owner and to be eaten in Jerusalem, except in the third and sixth years of the sabbatical cycle, when instead of separating the second tithe, the poor tithe (''ma'sar ani'') was separated and given to the poor.<ref>David Instone-Brewer ''Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament'' Page 321 2004 "The rabbis understood these texts as describing two separate tithes: the first tithe (''maaser rishon'') which was for the Levites and the second tithe (''maaser sheni'') which was for eating in Jerusalem except every third year when it became the poor tithe (''maaser ani''). The passage in Leviticus 27 is traditionally interpreted as referring to second tithe because it speaks about redeeming the tithed produce, which was necessary only for second tithe."</ref> The medieval commentator [[Rashi]] also interprets Deuteronomy 26:12 as referring to the third year, when the first tithe was given to the Levite and the poor tithe was given to "the stranger, the orphan, and the widow".<ref>{{cite wikisource |author=Rashi |title=Commentary on Deuteronomy 26:12 |wslink=קטע:רש"י על דברים כו יב |wslanguage=he}}</ref>

== In the Works of Flavius Josephus ==

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== In the Talmud ==

The Babylonian Talmud states in [[Eruvin (Talmud)|Eruvin]] 29a:

“The:The general rule is that the produce [that one sets aside for the Poor Tithe] should be enough to provide two meals”meals<ref>[[Eruvin (Talmud)|Eruvin]] 29a</ref>

The Babylonian Talmud also records:

:Come, learn: two brothers; two partners; a father and son; a teacher and his student; can redeem ''ma'aser sheni'' one for the other and can feed one another ''ma'sar ani''. But if you say "from the son", this one will be found paying his obligation from the poor... Rabbi Yehudah says, "May a curse befall one who feeds his father out of Paupers' Tithe:.” (<ref>Kiddushin 32a)</ref>

indicating that while the''ma'sar poor manani''s tithe technically could be used to feed one's poor father, one should not feeddo his poor father ''ma'sar ani''so, so as not to embarrass one's father. The son should try his best to care for his father out of his other property. The exchange is recorded in the context of a discussion of the [[Honor your father and your mother|commandment of honoring one's parents]].<ref>Talmud of Babylonia: An American translation : Volume XXIV ed. Jacob Neusner - 1992 "... not been removed, from which poor tithe also had not been removed, is flogged."</ref>

The Jerusalem Talmud [[Gemara]] to Tractate [[Pe'ah]] 1:1 (which does not have a Gemara in the Babylonian Talmud) discusses the maximum amount of one's income/money one can give to the poor and determines that one should not give more than one fifth of his possessions so he does not become poor himself. This Gemara and a discussion in Sifrei are quoted extensively by later Jewish sages who discussed an ancient custom of tithing 10% of one's income for charity. This tithe, known as ''ma'sar kesafim'', has become a universal obligation in Jewish Law.