A Short History of Fundraising

And this stone that I have placed as a monument will be a house to Hashem and all that You will give to me I will surely tithe to You. (Sefer Beresheit 28:22)

1. Yaakov’s pledge to tithe

The parasha opens with a description of Yaakov’s journey to the home of his uncle Lavan. During this journey Yaakov had a vision. In this vision, Hashem gave to Yaakov three assurances. He told him that he and his descendants would possess the Land of Israel. His descendants would be as numerous as the sand of the earth and they would be a blessing to all of humankind. Finally, He assured him that He would protect him on his journey and return him safely to this land.

Yaakov awakes and he makes a number of pledges. He will serve Hashem. He will create a house for Hashem. He will tithe his income to Hashem. Why did Yaakov respond to Hashem’s message by committing to tithing?

2. The particulars of Yaakov’s tithe

In order to understand the reasons for Yaakov’s decision to adopt the practice of tithing, it is necessary to better understand the nature of the tithe that he envisioned. There are at least three opinions regarding this issue.

According to Rabbaynu David Kimchi – RaDaK, Yaakov’s commitment was to share his wealth with others devoted to the service of Hashem. RaDaK suggests that this commitment was the foundation for the annual tithe instituted by the Torah that was given to the Leve’im – the Levites. The Torah affirmed Yaakov’s practice for all future generations by making it one of the six hundred thirteen commandments.[1]

Don Yitzchak Abravanel suggests a similar interpretation of Yaakov’s commitment. However, he argues that Yaakov was not describing a personal commitment to tithe. Hashem had told him that his descendants would be a great nation. Yaakov was committing these descendants to practices that would respond to this blessing. They would create a house for Hashem and they would tithe.[2] According to this opinion, the obligation of Bnai Yisrael to tithe preceded the establishment of the Torah mitzvah and dates back to Yaakov. The Torah fulfilled the wishes of Yaakov by giving binding legal status for all generations to the practice that Yaakov envisioned for his descendants.

Rashbam suggests that Yaakov’s tithe was more specifically formulated. Before considering his comments, let us note an important aspect of the above interpretations of Yaakov’s tithe. In the above passage Yaakov pledges to Hashem that the tithe will be given to Him. RaDak and Abravanel interpret this loosely. The tithe was not to be given to Hashem but to His proxies – those who serve Him.

3. An innovation in tithing

Now, let us consider Rashbam’s comments. He suggests that Yaakov pledged to tithe his wealth and to offer the proceeds to Hashem in the form of sacrifices.[3] His interpretation of the passage is more literal. The tithe will be given to Hashem – not to a proxy – in the form of sacrifices.

Rav Naftali Tzvi Yeshudah Berlin – Netziv, contends that this adds another dimension to Yaakov’s commitment to tithing. Yaakov was not the first to tithe. Previously, Avraham had tithed his wealth. However, Avraham gave his tithe to a person he regarded as a servant of Hashem. Netziv understands Avraham’s tithe as intended to provide personal support to the recipient. His tithe was a very conventional form of support for the needy – albeit the recipient was selected on the basis of his spiritual excellence.[4] Yaakov’s tithe was not intended to support a person. It was designed to support the institution of sacrifices. This was an innovation – tithing to support a cause or an institution rather than a needy person.

And Yaakov vowed saying: If G-d will be with me and guard me on this road upon which I travel, and He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear, and I return in peace to my father’s house, and He will be for me as G-d… (Sefer Beresheit 28:20-21)

4. Perspectives on the purpose of Yaakov’s tithe

The above passages directly precede Yaakov’s pledge to create a house for Hashem and to tithe. Together, all of these passages are a single statement of commitment. Yaakov’s pledge is that in response to Hashem acting on the assurances that He has given to him, Yaakov pledges to create a house for Hashem and to tithe. In other words, Yaakov’s response will have two components – creating a house for Hashem and tithing. Are these two components related? If they are related, in what way?

Malbim suggests that they are not related. Instead, each is a response to a different assurance received from Hashem. Hashem assured Yaakov that He would be his G-d. Yaakov understood this to mean that Hashem was initiating him into a unique personal relationship. Hashem would form from his descendants a great nation and they would possess the land. Yaakov would serve Hashem. In response to this relationship, Yaakov vowed to create a house for Hashem. This house would be a place of worship. The relationship of G-d and servant would be manifested in this house of worship.

Hashem also assured Yaakov that He would guard him, care for him, provide food and garments, and return him to his home. In response to this assurance of material sustenance, Yaakov pledge to tithe. He would acknowledge the source of his sustenance by tithing his wealth and giving the proceeds to Hashem.[5]

Other commentators – including RaDaK feel that there is a relationship between the two commitments. Yaakov will create a house for the worship of Hashem and he will bring to this house his tithes. According to RaDaK, the tithes will be used to support those who serve Hashem in this house.[6] The tithes are designed to support the institution of a house for Hashem that Yaakov envisioned. Essentially, RaDak adopts the perspective of Netziv. Yaakov’s tithe was designed to support an institution not to only support the needy.[7]

Let us return to our opening question. Why did Yaakov respond to Hashem’s assurances with a pledge to tithe? Two answers emerge. According to Malbim, tithing was a relevant and meaningful response to Hashem’s assurance that He would sustain Yaakov. Yaakov committed to acknowledge the providential source of his sustenance by tithing from it to Hashem.

RaDaK offers a different explanation. Yaakov’s fundamental response to Hashem’s assurances was that he would create a house for Hashem. This would be a place to which people seeking Hashem would come to learn of Him and to worship Him. Yaakov recognized that this vision would not be achieved by merely dedicating a place to be this house or even by creating a physical structure. The institution that he envisioned would require ongoing support. This was the purpose of his tithe. According to RaDaK, it would provide support for these worshipers and servants of Hashem. Rashbam and Netziv suggest that the tithe would provide sacrifices.

5. Is tithing obligatory?

As explained above, Yaakov’s tithe was incorporated into mitzvot of the Torah. Each year various tithes are required. Most of the tithes are given from agricultural products. However, it is customary to tithe any and all annual income from all sources. This is referred to as the “personal wealth tithe” – ma’aser kesafim. There is a general agreement among the authorities that this tithe is mandatory. However, they differ over the basis of the obligation. Pitchai Teshuvah suggests that ma’aser kesafim is a generally accepted custom but the obligation is not specifically dictated by the Sages of the Torah.[8] However Turai Zahav – TaZ – insists that the obligation is either an enactment of the Sages or a Torah level requirement. He is confounded by those who challenge his ruling.

He argues that all authorities agree that we are obligated to support the poor. This obligation requires that we give ten to twenty percent of our income to charity. This is clearly a tithe of our overall income. In astonishment he asks how any authority can acknowledge this obligation and yet maintain that ma’aser kesafim is merely a generally accepted custom. [9]

6. The difference between tithing and charity

The above discussion provides a response to TaZ’s argument. There is no question that one of the Torah’s mitzvot is tzedakah – giving charity and supporting the poor. This mitzvah requires that we contribute as much as 20% of our income to this purpose. However, this is not the same as tithing. Tithing is an obligation to use a percentage of one’s income for service to Hashem – regardless of the need! The mitzvah of tzedakah requires that we respond to need. It is an expression of community and unity through shared responsibility for the care of the less fortunate. If the needs of the community are minimal and only a few percent of our income is required to meet them, the mitzvah of tzedakah does not obligate us to contribute more.

Tithing is not based on need. If the community can provide for its poor with a few percent of its members’ income, they must still tithe. The community must find a meaningful application for these funds and put them to use. Tithing need not be a response to absolute need.

What is the objective of tithing if it is not a response to need? Again, the above discussion provides two responses to this question. First, tithing reminds us that our wealth is a blessing from Hashem. According to Malbim, this was the objective of Yaakov’s tithe. If Yaakov believed that he needed this reminder, we can be confident that we, too, need this measure.

According to RaDaK, tithing sustains the institutions that are fundamental to the Jewish nation. Yaakov created a house for the worship of Hashem. He sustained this institution through his tithe. Nothing has changed since Yaakov’s time. Our institutions require ongoing support. Our tithes provide this sustaining support.

[1] Rabbaynu David Kimchi (Radak), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 28:22.

[2] Don Yitzchak Abravanel, Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 28:22.

[3] Rabbaynu Shemuel ben Meir (Rashbam) Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 28:22.

[4] Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv), Commentary Hamek Davar on Sefer Beresheit 28:22.

[5] Rabbaynu Meir Libush (Malbim), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 28:22.

[6] Rabbaynu David Kimchi (Radak), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 28:21-22.

[7] Both Netziv and RaDak agree that Yaakov’s tithe was innovative in its objective. This objective was to support an institution – a house of Hashem or sacrafices. They differ over whether the means employed by the tithe was also innovative. According to Netziv, it was. The tithe was not given to the needy but used to offer sacrifices. According to ReDak, although the purpose of the tithe was innovative – support of a house of Hashem, the tithe used traditional means to accomplish this outcome. Support was given to individuals who would serve Hashem in this house.

[8] Rav Avraham Tzvi Eisenstat, Pitchai Teshuvah, Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deyah 331, note 12.

[9] Rabbaynu David ben HaRav Shemuel HaLeyve Torai Zahav on Shulchan Aruch,Yoreh Deyah, 331, note 32.