About Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
Rabbi Jack Abramowitz served as Director of Programs for NCSY before becoming Associate Director of the Pepa and Rabbi Joseph Karasick Department of Synagogue Services. Rabbi Abramowitz holds degrees in Jewish studies, communications and Higher Education Administration. Among his accomplishments, he authored NCSY's Torah on One Foot series of educational pamphlets and created negiah.org, the first abstinence web site for Jewish teens. Rabbi Abramowitz is the author of The Shnayim Mikra Companion on Torah, The Nach Yomi Companion volumes 1 and 2 on the books of the Prophets and the Writings, and The Tzniyus Book.

Recent Posts

Taryag: A Mitzvah a Day

Questions? Contact us at taryag@ou.org

PARSHAT Re'eh
MITZVAH COUNTER
Mitzvos to date: 474
Positives:196
Negatives:278
That can be performed today:205
Plus those that can be performed only in Israel:22

474. Two Out of Seven: The obligation to separate the tithe for the poor


At the end of three years, you shall take every tithe… (Deuteronomy 14:28)

In the third and sixth year of the seven-year Shemittah cycle, ma’aser sheini, the second tithe, was not brought. In those years, land-owners gave ma’aser ani, a special tithe for the poor. At the appropriate times, the poor would go to the farmer and he would give them a prescribed amount of various types of crops. If he has a small harvest and it’s not enough to give each person asking the requisite amount, then he just puts it in front of them and leaves it to those requesting to divide it among themselves.

The reason for this mitzvah is similar to the one for lending money to needy people (Mitzvah #66): surely, God is capable of sustaining everyone. Nevertheless, he wants us to help one another because doing so makes us better people.

This mitzvah only applies in Israel at a time when tithes are observed. In the Talmud, it is discussed in tractate Rosh Hashana (12a-b). It is codified in the Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh Deah 331. This mitzvah is #130 of the 248 positive mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos and #15 of the 26 mitzvos that can only be observed in Israel as enumerated by the Steipler Gaon.



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