By: Michelle Ruby
Director of Israeli Teen Emissaries & Education
As we continue in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses’ final address to the Israelites, parsha Ki Tavo reads, “Your G-d, commands you this day to observe these laws and rules; observe them faithfully with all your heart and soul.” One such commandment that appears in this Torah portion is tithing. We are instructed to give a full 1/10 of our yield to care for the orphan, widow, stranger, and Levites (who were the keepers of the Tabernacle and therefore were supported by the community). These verses are all in the first 13 verses of this portion, so I didn’t get very far before I was struck by such a seemingly important rule that we no longer follow. As Judaism has evolved, so have the laws and practices we observe. Some we can no longer follow because Temple doesn’t exist, and others just don’t seem meaningful. After all, Reform Judaism was founded on the tenant of “informed choice”. The idea is that we should learn about all the commandments and then choose the ones that are most meaningful to us to practice. With that in mind, I can’t help but struggle with why this one, tithing is not part of our commanded practices.
Understanding that “1/10 of your yield” means very different things based on each individual’s situation, it is easy to see why one might not feel able to give that much or be in a position to give much more. It doesn’t feel like a one-size-fits-all situation, but what if we could create a scenario where giving a tenth is accessible to everyone? What if a tenth of what we produce isn’t just about the financials but could also be about giving our time-sharing expertise? Is that equal to giving money?
I think this also raises the point about why we, as Jewish people, give—whether it is of our time or our savings. We don’t make contributions to feel good about doing something nice for someone or taking care of the community, we do it because we have to, we are commanded to and the way we feel about it is irrelevant according to Torah. There was clearly something that made G-d decide that we shouldn’t be left with the choice, no matter how much or how little we have. We aren’t supposed to give to see the rewards of our donations, but because we are told to do so. Maybe the feeling we get from contributing is only meant to come after we have done our share and go above and beyond that commitment.
So, what would the world look like if each of us gave our 10%? 10% of our income, investments or savings, 10% of our time, skills or knowledge, 10% of our food, clothes, shoes, toys, or books? As we are approaching this new year, I would like to challenge each of you to look and see what your 10% is to give and then do it. Do it because we are commanded to and then enjoy knowing you have fulfilled one more mitzvah on the big list and made a difference for others with your generosity. Do it with our thanks and gratitude that because of your gifts, we are able to serve the community in so many critical ways and pass that value on to the next generation to pick up the work right where we leave off.
Please email Michelle Ruby at mruby@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.