MAASER (THE TITHE)
We can read in Torah there were three tithes in Israel:
1) Maaser Rishon (First Tithe which Jews gave to the Levites):
Lev 27:30 And 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.
Lev 27:31 And if a man will at all redeem [ought] of his tithes, he shall
add thereto the fifth [part] thereof.
Lev 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even]
of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
Lev 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he
change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof
shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
Num 18:24 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.
The Levites had to give the tithe too - maaser min maaser (a tenth part of the
tithe) - for kogen (the priest).
Num 18:26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the
children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance,
then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, [even] a tenth
[part] of the tithe.
Num 18:27 And [this] your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though
[it were] the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the
winepress.
Num 18:28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your
tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give
thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest.
2) Maaser Sheni (Second Tithe who Jews brought to Jerusalem):
Deut 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the
field bringeth forth year by year.
Deut 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which
he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine,
and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou
mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
Deut 14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able
to carry it; [or] if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God
shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Deut 14:25 Then shalt thou turn [it] into money, and bind up the money in
thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
Deut 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul
lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for
whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God,
and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
Deut 14:27 And the Levite that [is] within thy gates; thou shalt not
forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
3) Maaser Ani (the ''Poor tithe'' - for the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless
and the widow (at the end of every three years):
Deut 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe
of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay [it] up within thy gates:
Deut 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with
thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which [are]
within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy
God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
In fact Israelites gave two tithes:
1-th year: 1) and 2);
2-th year: 1) and 2);
3-th year: 1) and 3);
4-th year: 1) and 2);
5-th year: 1) and 2);
6-th year: 1) and 3);
7-th year: Shemitah (Sabbatical Year)
Israelis gave too offerings.
How many tithes we need to give at present?
Shaul said:
2Cor 9:6 But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2Cor 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him
give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Christian can to give 10%, or 15%, or 20% etc. of his income to church. The
main is Christian would give not with regret or of necessity, ''for God loveth
a cheerful giver''.
Jews, Christians and the Word of God