Maaser Rishon

The Maaser Rishon, meaning "First Tithe" in Hebrew (derived from the word "eser", meaning tenth), is the setting aside of one tenth of income and produce each year, as a tithe given to the Levites. The tithe is discussed in the Priestly Code, [Numbers 18:21-26; Leviticus 27:30-33] according to which a tenth of the tithe was required to be turned over to the priests, with the other Levites being given only the remaining part of the tithe. [Numbers 18:26]

Tithing was traditionally seen as one of the main mechanisms by which one could obtain desires from God, as well as escape the punishments that would otherwise have been suffered by the wicked in the underworld. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] According to classical jewish folklore, complying with the tithes would cause rain (beneficial in the dry climate of the Levant), while non-compliance would trigger drought, and hurricanes. [ibid] .

Regulations

The Priestly Code instructs that the tithe should be of corn (in the sense of "grain"), wine, olive oil, fruit, and cattle. [Leviticus 27:30-33] Unlike Heave offerings given to the priests, the Maaser Rishon was not regarded as sacred, and as a result did not have to be ritually pure, neither was it required to be eaten in any particular location or state. Once received by the Levites, it was regarded simply as ordinary property, and they could pass it on to non-Levites, or sell it, as they wished.

Traditionally tithes were calculated for the produce of each whole year, however Classical and Medieval Rabbinical Literature indicates that there was much debate as to when this "tithing year" should begin and end. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] "Tithing year"s had different starts and ends depending on the particular crop in question; land crops began their "tithe year" on the first of Tishrei - Rosh Hashanah; according to Eleazar Kalir and Simeon bar Yohai the first of Tishri was also the start of the "tithe year" for cattle, but according to Meir Lublin it was the first of Elul that held this honour. [ibid] The followers of Hillel argued that the "tithe year" for fruit from trees began on the fifteenth of Shevat, but the followers of Shammai, his rival, argued that it began on the first of Shevat; the view of Hillel's followers eventually became the majority view and the "new year for trees" - Tu Bishvat - is now held at the date which they considered appropriate. [ibid]

Origin and development

In Classical Rabbinical Literature, according to which the entire Torah was principally written by a single author (Moses), the Maaser Rishon is contrasted with the Maaser Ani, and Maaser Sheni, as entirely different tithes from each other, and for this reason gave the tithes the distinct names they possess; ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] these latter tithes, which are mentioned by the Deuteronomic Code, differ by not covering cattle or fruit, and rather than just going to the Levites, are in one case shared among the poor and other charitable destinations, and in the other go to the food producer themselves. According to the majority of textual scholars, the Maaser Ani and Maaser Sheni, when taken together, are clearly just a conflicting version of the same single tithe as the Maaser Rishon; ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] the Maaser Ani and Maaser Sheni together being the deuteronomist's version and the Maaser Rishon being the version of the priestly source. [ibid]

Although the deuteronomist is generally considered to be a later author than the priestly source, scholars believe that much of the Deuteronomic Code was a reaction against the regulations introduced by the Priestly Code, [Richard Elliott Friedman, "Who wrote the Bible?"] and that here it reflects the earlier situation. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] . In the Book of Ezekiel, which scholars believe predates the Priestly Code, there is no mention whatever of a tithe appointed for the Levites, ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] and in the Deuteronomic Code, though Levites have a share of the Maaser Sheni, their share is seemingly voluntary, and it can alternatively be given to strangers, widows, and/or paternal orphans; in the Priestly Code, however, donation of the tithe to the Levites is compulsory. [ibid]

The clear differentiation between the Aaronids (the "priests") and the other Levites, in the regulations given by the Priestly Code for the Maaser Rishon, is a distinction scholars attribute to the pro-Aaronid political bias of the "priestly source"; [Richard Elliott Friedman, "Who wrote the Bible?"] according to the deuteronomist's worldview, all Levites can be legitimate priests, which is likely to be why the deuteronomist does not mention a "tithe of the tithe" (the portion of the tithe which is given to the priests rather than other Levites), since it would be somewhat meaningless. [ibid] In the Priestly Code it is stated that the Maaser Rishon existed as the source of sustenance for the Levites, since they had no territory (and hence nowhere to keep livestock or perform agriculture), [Numbers 18:21-24] but this seemingly neglects the existence of a number of scattered Levite cities; ["Peake's Commentary on the Bible"] scholars believe that the tithe (ie. the tithe of which the Maaser Ani and Maaser Rishon are conflicting versions) actually arose as a generic "heave offering", given to priests at the sanctuaries for their sustenance, and only became distinct when the Aaronids began to position themselves as the only Levites that could be legitimate priests. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] . The Book of Amos, which scholars consider to have an early date, seemingly reflects a situation closer to the Maaser Ani, referring to a tithe which was brought to the sanctuaries every third year [Amos 4:4] ["Jewish Encyclopedia"]

Contemporary Practice

Orthodox Judaism regards the tithe as still being required for any produce grown within the historic boundaries of the ancient Kingdoms of Israel and of Judah, covering the modern territories of the state of Israel, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and portions of western Jordan. However, Orthodox Judaism believes that since the Jerusalem Temple is no longer standing, Levites are not themselves entitled to the proceeds of the tithes. Contemporary practice is to set aside the tithe, but then redeem it for a nominal coin, by discarding the coin in a way which prevents it having any future use; while dedicated offerings cannot actually be offered in their traditional form - due to the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, using them for any mundane purpose would be regarded by Orthodox Judaism as misappropriation of sanctified Temple property. Orthodox Judaism regards a number of other tithes as still being partly in force, and as a result, a total of just over 1% of produce cannot be redeemed via the discarding of a nominal coin, and instead is itself discarded.

ee also

*Teruma Gedola
*Terumat HaMaaser
*Maaser Sheni
*Maaser Ani

citations and notes

References

* [http://www.ohryerushalayim.org.il/halacha_topic.php?id=61 Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim website on Jewish Law]
* [http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5761/korach61/specialfeatures_mitzvot.htm Rabbi Ashi Meir: Meaning in Mitzvot: Termah and Maaser. Orthodox Union]