Maaser and Remembering God
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5777
Well known fact, Jews are supposed to tithe their income. 10% of your net income goes to charity. We have an obligation to help those in need. Jews have an inherent understanding of the value of tzedaka!
While I would not disagree with any of the above sentiment, I am not sure that it is 100% accurate and I think a close read of this morning’s parsha might uncover another aspect of tithing, of Maaser that is actually quite different from the mitzvah of tzedaka.
Towards the beginning of our parsha we find Yaakov afraid. He turns to God and makes a deal: If you take care of me and cloth me and feed me and return me home safely-
בראשית פרק כח
כב) וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽך
This stone that I erected as a monument shall be a house of God and everything that you give to me I shall surely tithe.
You certainly have to wonder, firstly – why does Yaakov suggest tithing as corresponding to Hashem taking care of him? Not that helping the unfortunate is bad, but how is that specifically connected to what Hashem did for him?
Secondly, what does it have to do with building a house for God? How are those two items connected?
To make matters more complicated, when you look at the commentators you will find that not a one refers to maaser as we understand it.
Rashbam writes that I will tithe all that you give me means; I will bring it as a sacrifice on the altar. That clearly connects to building a house for God, but why is that his definition of maaser?
The majority of the commentators focus on the phrase, I will tithe “all that you give to me” and read it literally not just in reference to assets but to children as well.
It kind of works out as follows, as best as I can understand it: Yaakov has twelve male children, and then you add Menashe and Ephraim, of whom the Torah says, they shall be to me as Reuven and Shimon. If we count them we get 14 male children. We then subtract the four firstborns who are sanctified to begin with and that leaves us with 10. One of those 10, namely Levi is considered the tithe, the tribe dedicated to Hashem.
There are numerous difficulties one encounters here, the most glaring is that if we count Menashe and Ephraim, there are actually 5 first borns but leave that for another time. Again we encounter an explanation for maaser that does not fit with our model. It is not a financial gift; it is dedicated service and not helping the needy!
I was pretty sure of the correct approach, the answer and message but it is always nice to see it in print from a respected traditional source.
First my idea, then I will share the source.
I think that Maaser in the biblical text is not simply about helping other people. That is clearly what the mitzvah of tzedaka is about- when the poor open their hands, you shall surely give.
Maaser is about remembering where your money comes from and seeing God’s hand in providing your sustenance.
That idea answers all of our questions.
If you take care of me now says Yaakov, I will always remember that you are the one taking care of me and providing for me. How do I remember that? By taking 10% of what I bring in and giving it back to you, not to others.
That explains why the Rashbam says – that the maaser is given as a sacrifice! Given right back to God to remember.
That explains the connection between building a house for God and maaser, their purpose is one and the same.
That should also explain the focus on the tithing of Jacob’s children and the appointing of Levi. The Kohen’s job is to serve God, help us serve God and teach us Torah!
Where is my source? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on our parsha refers us to his commentary 14 chapters earlier.
There we find that after Avraham defeats the kings in battle he encounters malkitzedek. There we read:
בראשית פרק יד
יט) וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּר֤וּךְ אַבְרָם֙ לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ
כ) וּבָרוּךְ֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּ֥ן צָרֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִכֹּֽל
19. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth;
- And blessed be God the Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him a tenth of all.
Avram is victorious, Malkitzedek blesses him and acknowledges that Hashem provided protection to Avram and he gave him a tithe of everything.
רש”ר הירש בראשית פרק יד פסוק כ
הרי זו הפעם הראשונה, שנזכר מעשר במקרא. הנותן מעשר לכהן או ללוי, מביע על ידי כך: האל שאתה קורא בשמו, נתן לי את הנכסים האלה. וכך, בתת אברהם מעשר למלכי – צדק הרי הוא אומר: אל עליון, שמלכי – צדק קורא בשמו, הוא שהנחיל לי את הנצחון
Hirsch writes that this is the first time that Maaser is mentioned in the Torah, the giving of a tithe to a priest. He demonstrates by doing this – that Lord that you call out in his name, is the one who gave me these possessions. And so, when Avraham gives the tithe to Malki Tzedek, he is proclaiming – the mighty God that you call his name, he led me to victory!
In that context as well the tithe comes as a reminder that God is taking care of us.
I would argue that we should see our tithing and giving in this light as well. We take 10% of our monies and donate them, do good things with them, not only to help the recipient but to help us recognize that Hashem is our provider.
That is one of the harder things for us to see and lessons for us to really internalize. Hopefully our giving can help instill that in us as well.
