3:13 - Rabbi Akiva said, "...tithes are a protective fence for wealth..."
Bartenura (Italy, Jerusalem, 1445-1510) explains this statement by quoting the Talmud in Massekhet Ta'anit 9a. Parashat Re'eh discusses the Ma'aser Ani - the Poor Person's Tithe. After the owner removes portions from his or her harvested crop for the Kohen and Levite, he or she must separate one-tenth of the remaining produce to distribute to the poor. The Torah says that this was done during the third and sixth years of the seven-year Shemittah cycle. In the introduction to this topic, the Torah warns to be careful to tithe, but it uses strange wording, "Aser Te'aser" -- literally meaning "tithe, you shall tithe"" -- the entire crop of your planting, the produce of the field, every year (Devarim 14:22). Based on this wording, the Talmud quotes the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan who says, What is meant by the expression "tithe, you shall tithe"? It teaches that you should "Tithe (Aser) so that you will become rich (Titasher)." Rabbi Yochanan's nephew once asked him, "How do you know that tithing makes one rich?" He replied, "Go and try it, and you will see for yourself!" "But," the nephew protested, "is one permitted to put God to a test?" Rabbi Yochanan answered, "I have a tradition that in this one case it is permitted to test God, as the prophet Malachi (3:10) says, 'Bring all your tithes to the storage house, and test me by this -- see if I do not open up the windows of the heavens and pour out upon you endless blessings!'" Bartenura quotes this piece of Talmud seemingly to teach that through giving tzedakah, the owner becomes cognizant of the true Owner of all wealth; thereby it makes him worthy of even greater fortune. Tithing is thus a protective fence to ensure one's wealth.
But how can Rabbi Yochanan really say such a thing? It is a nice play on words, read the word "Te'aser - Tithe" as "Titasher - become rich," but does it really happening that way? The more tzedakah one gives, the wealthy he becomes?
Rabbenu Chananel (died 1055/56, Italy), in his commentary to the Talmud, explains Rabbi Yochanan's logic. Rabbi Yochanan explains that the peculiar, double expression of "Aser Te'aser - tithe, you shall tithe" was meant to imply that one who tithes his produce will be rewarded with the opportunity to give additional tithes -- that is, he will be blessed with increased prosperity. Rabbi Yochanan was teaching us that if we tithe, our profits will increase, not so we can buy more stuff, but so we can give more tzedakah, perform more mitzvot and perfect the world that much more.
Rabbi
Mordechai Friedfertig
Congregation B'nai Shalom
Williamsville,
New York
Email: mordechai at utj.org
Copyright 2001-2003 by Mordechai Friedfertig