ספר דברים - פרשת כי תבא - כו:יב-טו - שני

Verse 12: "When you finish tithing all the tithes of your grain in the third year, the year of tithing, and you have given to the Levi, to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow, and they will eat in your cities and be satisfied." The teacher explains that when you finish giving all the tithes from your grain in the third year of the Shemitah cycle, this third year is called the year of the tithe because there is only one tithe—Ma'aser Rishon to the Levi, and instead of Ma'aser Sheini, you give Ma'aser Oni to the poor. You must ensure that the Levi gets his portion, and the stranger, orphan, and widow also receive theirs, since the third year includes Ma'aser Oni. They will eat in your cities and be satisfied, meaning that the poor, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow will receive their share and be able to eat and be satisfied from what you have given them. The teacher emphasizes that the Torah is instructing that after three years, before Pesach of the fourth year, is the time to remove all these tithes from your house and distribute them to those who are supposed to receive them. You can no longer keep them in your house; they must be given out at this time.

Rashi on "Ki Sechale Le'aser Es Kol Ma'aser Tevuascha BaShana HaShlishis": Rashi explains that this means when you complete separating the tithes of the third year of the Shemitah cycle. The Torah established the time for Biur—the removal of tithes from the house—and the Vidui, the confession, to be on Erev Pesach of the fourth year. This is based on the verse "Miktzei Shalosh Shanim Totzi"—at the end of three years you must take out the tithes. The word "Miktzei" (at the end) is used here and also in the context of Hakhel (gathering) at the end of seven years. Just as Hakhel was done during a festival (Sukkos), so too, the removal of tithes should be during a festival. However, the Torah says "Ki Sechale Le'aser"—when you finish tithing—which refers to the tithes of the third year, and this completion happens at Pesach, not Sukkos, because many trees are still being harvested after Sukkos. Therefore, the tithes of the third year are only completed by Pesach of the fourth year. Anyone who has delayed giving their tithes is now required by the Torah to remove them from their house and give them to the rightful recipients.

"Shnas HaMa'aser"—the year of the tithe—means a year in which only one tithe is practiced, as opposed to the two tithes given in the previous two years. In the first year of the Shemitah cycle, both Ma'aser Rishon (the first tithe, given to the Levi) and Ma'aser Sheini (the second tithe, eaten by the owner in Yerushalayim) are given. The verse in Bamidbar 18:26 refers to Ma'aser Rishon, and Devarim 14:23 refers to Ma'aser Sheini. Both tithes are given in the first and second years. However, the Torah teaches here that in the third year, only one of those tithes is given—Ma'aser Rishon to the Levi. Instead of Ma'aser Sheini, Ma'aser Oni is given to the poor. The verse says, "VeNasata LaLevi Es Asher Lo"—give to the Levi what belongs to him, which is Ma'aser Rishon. "LaGer LaYosom VeLaAlmona"—to the stranger, orphan, and widow—refers to Ma'aser Oni, the tithe for the poor.

Rashi on "VeAchlu Bisharecha VeSoveiu"—"and they will eat in your cities and be satisfied": Rashi explains that you must give them enough to satisfy them. From here, the sages say that one should not give a poor person in the granary less than half a kav of wheat, which is considered a sufficient amount to satisfy hunger. The Torah does not specify an exact measure, but it requires that the poor be given enough to be satisfied.

Verse 13: "And you shall say before Hashem your God: I have removed the holy from the house, and I have also given it to the Levi, to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow, according to all the commandments that You have commanded me; I have not transgressed any of Your commandments, and I have not forgotten." The teacher explains that after removing all the tithes from your house and giving them to the appropriate recipients, you make a confession before Hashem. This confession is not done on Erev Pesach, but on the last day of Pesach. You declare that you have removed the holy things (the tithes) from your house, and you have given the Ma'aser Rishon to the Levi, and the Ma'aser Oni to the stranger, orphan, and widow, as commanded. You affirm that you have not transgressed any of the commandments regarding the tithes, and you have not forgotten to do any of them.

Rashi on "VeAmarta Lifnei Hashem Elokecha": Rashi explains that this means you confess that you have given your tithes as required. You declare before Hashem that you have fulfilled your obligations regarding the tithes.

Rashi on "Bi'arti HaKodesh Min HaBayis": Rashi explains that this refers to Ma'aser Sheini and Neta Revai. If someone delayed bringing their tithes from the first two years and did not bring them up to Yerushalayim, he is now required to bring them up. The teacher elaborates that "Bi'arti HaKodesh" means that the person has removed and brought up Ma'aser Sheini and Neta Revai to be eaten in Yerushalayim. This teaches that if someone delayed the tithes of the first and second years, and still has the produce or the money from exchanging the produce, he must now bring them up to Yerushalayim. The extra word "VeGam" in the verse includes Truma and Bikurim as well, meaning that all separations—including those for the Kohen—must be removed from the house and given to their proper recipients at this time.

The verse says, "And also I have given it to the Levi." This refers to the Ma'aser Rishon, the first tithe. The Torah uses the word "vegam"—"and also"—to include more than just the first tithe. Rashi explains that this extra word comes to include not only the Ma'aser Rishon that is given to the Levi, but also the Truma and the Bikurim. That means, in addition to giving the first tithe to the Levi, one must also make sure to give the Truma (the portion separated for the Kohen from the grain) and the Bikurim (the first ripened fruits) to the Kohen. The verse is teaching us that all these separations must be removed from one's house and given to the appropriate people at the time of biur, the removal of tithes.

Rashi explains that when the verse says, "to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow," it is referring to the Ma'aser Oni, the tithe for the poor. This tithe is given specifically to those who are in need, such as the convert, the orphan, and the widow. In the third year of the cycle, instead of bringing the second tithe up to Yerushalayim to eat it oneself, one gives this tithe to the poor people, as indicated by these categories in the verse.

The verse says, "according to all Your commandments." Rashi explains that this means, "I have given them in their proper order." That is, the person did not give the Truma before the Bikurim, nor did he give the tithe to the Levi before the Truma, nor did he give the second tithe before the first. The Truma is called "Reishis"—the beginning—because it is the first thing separated once the grain has matured. The Torah says, "Mele'ascha v'dim'acha lo se'acher"—do not delay your fullness and your juice (from Shemos 22:28), which means do not change the order of the separations. Everything must be done in the order prescribed by the Torah: first Bikurim, then Truma, then Ma'aser Rishon, and then Ma'aser Sheini or Ma'aser Oni, depending on the year.

The verse says, "I have not transgressed any of Your commandments." Rashi explains that this means, "I have not separated from one type for another type, nor from the new crop for the old crop." In other words, when separating tithes, one must take each type of produce from its own kind, and not use new grain to fulfill the obligation for old grain, or vice versa. Each crop must have its own tithes separated from itself, as required by the Torah.

The verse says, "And I have not forgotten." Rashi explains that this means, "I have not forgotten to make a blessing on the separation of the tithes." That is, the person did not forget to recite the appropriate blessing when performing the mitzvah of separating the tithes, as is required.

Rashi here is referencing his commentary on Devarim 14:29 and also the Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam, positive commandment 131. The teacher does not elaborate further on this unit in the transcript.

This verse discusses the laws regarding Ma'aser Sheini, the second tithe, which a person eats in Yerushalayim. The verse says: "I did not eat from it while I was an onin (a mourner on the day of a close relative's death), nor did I consume it while I was tamei (ritually impure), nor did I give from it for the dead. I have listened to the voice of Hashem my God; I have done everything You commanded me." The teacher explains that Rashi says, from here we learn that it is prohibited for an onin to eat Ma'aser Sheini. Regarding not consuming it while impure, Rashi says this applies whether the person was impure and the Ma'aser Sheini was pure, or vice versa. In either case, one is not allowed to eat Ma'aser Sheini in a state of impurity. The Torah warns us not to eat Ma'aser Sheini in impurity, as learned from the verse in Devarim 12:17, "You shall not eat within your gates." While the simple meaning is that you must eat it in Yerushalayim, the halachic interpretation is that you may not eat it in impurity. The teacher further explains that the phrase "I did not give from it for the dead" means that one did not use the money of Ma'aser Sheini to pay for a coffin or shrouds for the dead. The verse continues, "I have listened to the voice of Hashem my God," which Rashi explains means that the person brought the Ma'aser Sheini to the Beis HaMikdash, the Chosen House. The teacher notes that this is surprising, since Ma'aser Sheini is only required to be brought to Yerushalayim, not specifically to the Beis HaMikdash. The Malbim explains that since people would use the money of Ma'aser Sheini to buy food in Yerushalayim, and often brought sacrifices with that money, Rashi's intent is that the extra sacrifices were brought to the Beis HaMikdash from the proceeds of Ma'aser Sheini. The verse concludes, "I have done everything You commanded me," which Rashi explains means, "I have rejoiced and made others rejoice through it," as the mitzvah is to gather everyone to eat the Ma'aser Sheini together in joy.

Rashi explains on the words "I did not eat from it while I was an onin" that from here we learn it is forbidden for an onin—someone who has lost a close relative and is in the period before burial—to eat Ma'aser Sheini. This is derived from the verse's explicit statement, and the teacher emphasizes that this is a halachic prohibition.

The verse says, "I did not remove from it while impure"—whether I was impure and it was pure, or I was pure and it was impure. The teacher explains that this refers to the prohibition of eating maiser sheini (the second tithe) while in a state of impurity. Rashi says that this applies in both cases: whether the person is tamei (impure) and the maiser sheini is tahor (pure), or the person is tahor and the maiser sheini is tamei. In either case, one is not allowed to eat it. The teacher elaborates that the warning not to eat maiser sheini in a state of impurity is learned from the verse in Devarim 12:17, "Lo suchal le'echol b'sha'arecha"—you shall not eat it within your gates. While the simple meaning is that you can't eat maiser sheini in your cities (it must be eaten in Yerushalayim), the halachic interpretation is that you cannot eat it in a state of impurity. This is compared to another verse regarding invalidated sacrifices, where it says, "b'sha'arecha tocheleinu hatamei vehatahor"—in your gates, the impure and the pure may eat it, meaning that in that case, impurity is permitted. But here, when it says, "lo suchal le'echol b'sha'arecha," it means you may not eat it in a manner of impurity, as is done elsewhere. This is the source for the prohibition of eating maiser sheini while impure.

The verse says, "I did not give from it for the dead." The teacher explains that this means one did not use the proceeds of maiser sheini to make a coffin or shrouds for the dead. Rashi clarifies that you have not exchanged the money or used the produce of maiser sheini to provide for burial needs, such as a coffin or burial garments. The Torah requires that maiser sheini be used for eating and rejoicing in Yerushalayim, not for any other purpose, especially not for the dead.

On the phrase "I have listened to the voice of Hashem my God," Rashi explains that this means, "I have brought it to the Beis HaBechirah"—the Chosen House, meaning the Beis HaMikdash. The teacher notes that while maiser sheini itself does not have to be brought specifically to the Beis HaMikdash (it is eaten in Yerushalayim), the custom was that after exchanging the produce for money and bringing the money to Yerushalayim, people would use it to buy food and sometimes bring additional sacrifices to the Beis HaMikdash. Therefore, Rashi's intent is that the person fulfilled the mitzvah by bringing the maiser sheini (or its proceeds) to the appropriate holy place and using it as prescribed.

On the phrase "I have done everything You commanded me," Rashi explains: "I have rejoiced, and I have caused others to rejoice through it." The teacher elaborates that this refers to the mitzvah of rejoicing with the maiser sheini in Yerushalayim, as the Torah commands to gather everyone together to eat and celebrate. The person not only fulfilled the mitzvah himself but also shared the joy with others, as required.

The verse says, "Look down from Your holy dwelling place, from the heavens, and bless Your people Israel and the land that You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey." The teacher explains that after fulfilling all the mitzvos of separating and distributing the tithes, the person prays to Hashem to look down from His holy abode and bless the Jewish people and the land. The request is that just as Hashem has given the land as promised, He should now continue to bless the people and the land with abundance, as He swore to the forefathers—a land flowing with milk and honey.

On the phrase "Hashkifa mim'on kodshecha," Rashi explains: "We have done what You decreed upon us; now You do what is upon You to do." The teacher elaborates that this means: since the Jewish people have fulfilled their obligations by giving the tithes and following the commandments, they now ask Hashem to fulfill His promise—to bless them. As it says in Vayikra 26:4, "If you follow My statutes, I will give your rain in its time." The prayer is that Hashem should now do His part, as He promised, and provide blessing and prosperity.

The verse says, "that You have given us as You swore to our fathers—a land flowing with milk and honey." The teacher explains that this means Hashem has fulfilled His promise to give the land to the Jewish people, and He has indeed given them a land flowing with milk and honey, as was sworn to the forefathers. This is both an expression of gratitude and a reminder of Hashem's faithfulness to His word.