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Widow's mite
(copper, actual size) |
Update 2012.07.03: Be a good steward or the resources with which é--ä has entrusted to your management by minimizing the bite taken out of your îÇòÇùÒøåÉú by the international banking system.
The latest information from our bank indicates that the least expensive method for transferring funds from non-Israeli banks to our Israeli bank depends upon the amount. You can send funds in any major world currency.
| credit cards |
Up to U.S. $999 |
U.S. $1,000 and up |
| Due to the credit card company's intolerably poor customer service, we have discontinued our credit card service. |
(personal check, cashier's check or postal money order) |
wire transfer (details via email) |
Tithing, Offerings beyond tithes — and charity beyond that — are each mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ no less binding than any other mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ of Tor•âhꞋ!
"Bring all of the îÇòÂùÒÅø to the áÌéú äÈàåÉöÈø and let it become èÆøÆó áÌÀáÅéúÄé, then, prithee, test Me, said é--ä of Armies; if I won't open the àÂøËáÌåÉú of the heavens and pour out a áÌÀøÈëÈä upon you òÇã-áÌÀìÄé-ãÈé [an idiom meaning "infinitely"] — Ma•lâkh•iꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ 3.10.
Indeed, Ma•lâkh•iꞋ wrote in the two preceding pᵊsuq•imꞋ (3.8-9) that withholding tithes — something that belongs to é--ä — is tantamount to ÷ÈáÇò é--ä out of what belongs to Him!
To practice Tor•âhꞋ non-selectively necessarily requires keeping the mi•tzᵊwâhꞋ to tithe just like any other mitz•wâhꞋ.
The correct (I•vᵊr•itꞋ) terms are îÇòÇùÒøåÉú, úÌÀøåÌîåÉú and öÀãÈ÷Èä.
Since it was given on Har Sin•aiꞋ, Tor•âhꞋ has stipulated that îÇòÇùÒøåÉú and úÌÀøåÌîåÉú could only be directed to the maintenance of the operation, by the Ko•han•imꞋ, first of the Mi•shᵊkânꞋ, and later of the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ.
During the periods subsequent to the destructions of the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ:
"As it is written (Mᵊlâkh•imꞋ Beit 4.42), 'And a man came from BaꞋal Shalishah bringing bread of the áÌÄëÌåÌøÄéí to the man of Ël•oh•imꞋ.' And how was it that Ël•i•shâꞋ ate the áÌÄëÌåÌøÄéí [since he was not a Ko•heinꞋ], except to say to you that everyone who brings a present to a wise tal•midꞋ-[Tor•âhꞋ Jew] it even becomes a áÌÄëÌåÌøÄéí approach-offering [of the heavenly Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ]." (Mᵊnor•atꞋ ha-Mâ•orꞋ by Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ Abu•havꞋ 14).
Notice that Tor•âhꞋ stipulates that "firstfruits" go to é--ä — not to the government tax office. This seems to imply that tithes are calculated not from "seconds" (after taxes), but as "firstfruits" of gross income. The rabbis, however, calculate tithes from after-tax income. There is justification for the rabbis' alternative interpretation. In modern times, what goes to the government is deducted before any income goes to the individual. Thus, taxes are a deduction, which reduce the true income that then goes to the individual. As a result, it can be said that the only true income the individual receives is after-taxes income. It seems likely, then, that the School of Sha•maiꞋ would advocate pre-tax calculation of tithes while the School of Hi•leilꞋ would more likely advocate the after-taxes calculation of the true income received by the individual. This would have been particularly true in the times of Roman occupation, when tax-gougers took what they could and the individual's income was whatever he could retain after the tax-gougers had ravaged him. We also know that RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa was of the School of Hi•leilꞋ — which fixes the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ position.
Paying îÇòÇùÒøåÉú, úÌÀøåÌîåÉú and öÀãÈ÷Èä to any person or organization who isn't practicing legitimate Tor•âhꞋ observance doesn't satisfy the mi•tzᵊwâhꞋ and, far worse, supports idolatry — making the donor a participant idolater.
See Errata to NHM note 23.23.2
(Tour begins in the 'Nәtzarim Quarter' Gate)
You Are Here ⇒ Nәtzârim Treasury Building
We Invite You To Continue As Our Guest
To Our Next Stop ⇒
(Click in panel at left.)
 bus 470x325.jpg "à for àâã (Egged) Israeli bus co.")
NQ Village Tour —
