Parshat Re’eh, Deuteronomy 11:26 -16:17

This week’s portion Re’eh sets before us blessings and curses and reminds us that it is our choice between the two. God gives us the free will to choose a life of blessing and abundance or a life of curses and lack.

But what is part of the formula for this? Is it just a matter of obedience to God’s laws when we come into the land? What about outside the land of Israel? Can we still have a life of abundance and blessing?

One aspect of this that used to be regularly practiced by the Israelites is tithing. In this week’s Torah portion we are told in 14:22 that we shall set aside every year a tenth part of all yield of your sowing. Interestingly the ancients understood that transporting this harvest tithe might prove difficult when bringing it to the central worship place. But verse 25 has a convenient way to carry this tithe and that is by converting it to money and this money will provide the sacred feast at the festivals. There was an additional tithe every third year that remained in the local coffers.

This practice of giving a tenth of one’s produce to the Temple and celebrated in the presence of God and giving a tenth to support the local community was an important lesson in the blessings of abundance. It taught the Israelites that the land and all of its produce belonged to God but that sharing this with the Levites and God kept the holy work alive. Tithing wasn’t merely a tax. It was a spiritual practice that helped the individual Israelite participate in the welfare and upkeep of the community. It was a spiritual practice that brought them abundance and blessing.

Tithing had a strong tradition in Jewish history. Back in Genesis Abram pays tribute to Melchkizedek the king of Salem (read Jerusalem) with a tenth of everything he has. Jacob makes a vow to give a tenth to God after his sacred encounter at Beth El. In Leviticus chapter 27:30-33, establishes that the tithe was holy to God. The prophet Malachi 3:8 -10 urges a return to this spiritual practice which seemingly has fallen away from the people because their heart was turned away from God. But this spiritual discipline and practice is one of the keys to abundance and blessing; for the individual and for society. One of the mainstays of the tithe of food was to be able to feed the Levites and those who lacked. That was part of the blessing a society that cared for one another!

Today this spiritual practice is often associated with Christianity, the Mormon church and other non-Jewish religious groups. But it started at its core in our Torah. Perhaps we might return to this spiritual practice of tithing a tenth of our income first to God so that we can sustain the community and our outreach to those who need help. The synagogue is the contemporary place of sacred work. The synagogue changes lives and brings comfort, solace and hope to all those seeking a place of sanctuary. By learning to tithe again, our Jewish community would thrive in order to build a vision of a world that reaches beyond the borders of the community to a place of inclusiveness and spiritual welcome. That is the abundance we receive and the blessing as well. Creating sacred space for all to dwell and in this world of dividedness-and walls a place of welcome and Divine love is exactly what we all need.

Posted by Eric at August 10, 2009 09:28 AM