Tens Course - Lesson #25

Topic: Maaser (Tithing)

Selected Excerpts from the Sources

1. From: Torah, Bereshit [Genesis] 28:22

״And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.״

2. From: Torah, Dvarim [Deuteronomy] 14: 22

״You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.״

3. From: Torah, Vaikra [Leviticus] 27:30

“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord.”

4. From: Zohar for All, "Truma" [Donation], "From Every Man Whose Heart Moves Him", Item 366

“And they will take a donation for Me,” meaning Divinity, the spirit of Malchut. Moses said to the Creator: “Who can take it and make it?” He told him, “Moses, it is not as you think. Rather, ‘From every man whose heart moves him you shall take My donation.’ You will take it and complete it from their will and spirit.”

5. From: Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 103, "Whose Heart Makes Him Willing"

"In the verse, “from every man whose heart makes him willing, you shall take My donation.” This is the meaning of “the substance of a donation from sanctity.” In other words, how does one come to a state of offering? Through sanctity.

This means that if one sanctifies oneself with the permitted, he thus comes to a state of donation, which is the Shechina [Divinity], called “my donation.” This is the meaning of “of every man whose heart makes him willing,” all of his heart, meaning if he donates all of his heart, he is rewarded with My donation, to adhere to the Shechina."

6. From: RABASH, Article No. 397, "Take from Among You a Contribution to the Lord"

"We see that sometimes it becomes known that the gold fell in the world, meaning lost its value and it is not as valuable as it should be.

It is likewise with spirituality. If spirituality does not have the value it is supposed to have, we do not pay for it the required payment. And since one is demanded to work with devotion, if a person does not have the real value, to make it worthwhile to pay the price of devotion, this is considered that the Shechina is in the dust.

It is about this that we pray, “The Merciful one will raise for us the fallen Sukkah [hut] of David,” meaning that the Creator will give us the feeling of the exaltedness of the holy work. This is the meaning of “Take from among you a contribution to the Lord,” meaning that the vessels of reception of a person will give to the Creator, which is called annulment in devotion to the Creator."

7. From: RABASH, Article No. 22 (1991),”What Is 'A Lily Among the Thorns,' in the Work?"

"Is written, “half a shekel, to give a contribution to the Lord.” In other words, a person should know that he can only give half, as in “a prayer makes half.” One must know that he cannot give a full shekel, which is light and Kli, meaning the need for the desire to bestow, and to be able to do everything in order to bestow.

Rather, the half shekel belongs to man’s work, to give only the deficiency, while the filling belongs to the Creator. This is the meaning of what is written, “go give a contribution to the Lord, to make atonement for your souls.” In other words, by giving a contribution to the Lord, which is the half, the Creator gives the other half, called “desire to bestow,” which is a second nature, and by this a person makes atonement for his soul, by being able to do everything for the sake of the Creator.

Therefore, after one is rewarded with the Creator giving the desire to bestow, a person is rewarded with permanent faith."

8. From: RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 817, "The Meaning of “Poor”"

"By tithing [giving ten percent of one’s earnings], which is doing without knowledge, and saying that this tithing is holy, thanks to this he has wealth elsewhere, meaning he receives knowledge, called “wealth,” from things.

For this reason, he will have nine qualities, meaning that in these nine qualities he receives knowledge, and the tenth will be dedicated to the Creator. In other words, he is entirely for the Creator, and he has no attainment in it. This is why it is called “to the Lord.” The quality that the landlord receives, called “will be for him,” is what the owner can attain.

This is the meaning of “‘Test Me please by this,’ said the Lord of Hosts, ‘if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you an endless blessing.’” “This” means the above-mentioned wealth. If you accept this above reason, will not all the wealth in the world flow to you?"