English translation — עמוד 68

Commentators answer¹¹,

that since according to Torah law tithes apply only to produce of the ground,

it is forced that "and he gave him a tithe from all" that is stated by Abraham,

was <b>not</b> from the aspect of the <b>commandment</b> of tithe.

The answer, however, is not smooth from the language of the Rambam at least: because Abraham our father also fulfilled rabbinic commandments¹²,

and rabbinically at least¹³

there is a <b>full</b> obligation¹⁴

to give a tithe from all earnings¹⁵,

it is thus appropriate to say that that which he gave "a tithe from all",

he did it as the rabbinic commandment of tithe

(only not as a commandment and obligation for his descendants after him).

Since so,

it is explicit in the Torah that <b>Abraham</b> set aside a tithe

(at least by himself — as above).

Should the Rambam, when writing "<b>and Isaac</b> set aside a tithe", have indicated the distinction from Abraham in this?

On one side, in maaser there are not designated any specific fruits and the like — that specifically them one must separate as maaser and give to the Levi

(not like by most gifts of the priesthood&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;

that initially,

even &lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;the giving to the kohen,

there were already designated specific

(portions of)

items,

that specifically them one must give to the kohen).

And this shows,

that every fruit — whatever it may be

(also those that he later separates),

belongs it

(earlier)

&lt;b&gt;completely &lt;/b&gt;to the owners.

And on the other hand: also &lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;the separation there is already set a specific amount — a tenth,

no more and no less,

"One does not tithe by estimation"&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

— that one must give to the Levi

(not like terumah for example&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;,

which from the Torah has it altogether no measure,

one gives as much as the owners want,

and even rabbinically,

&lt;b&gt;must &lt;/b&gt;one give it by estimation&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;,

as the &lt;b&gt;person &lt;/b&gt;estimates it).

The difference between the service of Abraham

(the line of kindness)

and the service of Isaac

(the line of severity)

is³⁶

Abraham's service consisted of drawing down from above to below.

I.

e.

he drew down the "above" into the "below",

but the existence of the "below" "remained" below, not elevated.

In contrast, Isaac's service was "elevation from below to above",

he elevated the below and made it itself — from <b>his</b> aspect — into a vessel for divinity.

And as discussed at length once³⁷

The reason that Isaac engaged in digging wells,

because the content of this is: <b>not</b> to pour in,

bring living waters from a <b>different</b> place,

but to reveal and raise up the living waters that are found below in the earth <b>in the place of the well</b>.

6.

According to the above, one will also understand the reason that Abraham's tithe was only from war spoils,

in the manner of the tribute tax in the war of Midian:

In a war of two sides,

even when one side is much stronger than the other,

one can never be certain who will be victorious.

Therefore they said to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, "Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off"⁴⁰

— although Aram was much stronger

(according to nature)

than Israel

(therefore he boasted that he would be victorious)

— because sometimes the weaker side can strengthen itself and be victorious.

Therefore, whenever one wins in a war,

even when the stronger side is victorious,

the victor must give a special praise and thanks to the Most High.

All the more so in a case when the victory is above nature entirely,

just as in the war of our father Abraham,

when counted men

(or only two men⁴¹)

defeated four strong kings⁴²,

and likewise also by the war of Midian,

that although there participated in it "twelve thousand warriors of the army"⁴³

— the war was conducted above the way of nature,

because in the way of nature,

it is impossible that it should not harm something also the side that emerges in complete victory,

and here,

in the war of Midian,

it says "and not one man from us was missing"⁴⁴

— comes then in such a case a special praise and thanksgiving to the Most High⁴⁵.

And this is the connection of the giving of tithe from the spoils of war to the service of Avraham — drawing down Divinity from above to below&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;

: Since the spoils he received through a &lt;b&gt;miracle&lt;/b&gt;,

it is therefore for him &lt;b&gt;from the outset&lt;/b&gt;

(not a matter of the world, but)

Divinity.

It is true that also when one thanks the Most High and praises Him for a miracle,

one thereby shows that the Most High is a master also over nature&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;

and conducts it&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;

— as the miracle that was with Avraham Avinu,

that he &lt;b&gt;waged war &lt;/b&gt;with the kings],

the revelation comes, however, from the side of the drawing down of the light that is above nature,

not from the side of nature itself.

And therefore this is suited to the service of Avraham Avinu "and he called etc. G‑d of the world",

that his proclaiming G‑d of the world — that the world is Divinity&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;,

it was for him

(not from the side of "world" itself,

but)

in a manner from above to below&lt;sup&gt;51.&lt;/sup&gt;

And therefore the Rambam says that the tithe that we separate,

whose meaning is that a person's property &lt;b&gt;in its own right &lt;/b&gt;belongs to the Most High,

does not originate from the separation of tithe of Avraham Avinu,

but from that which "Yitzchak separated tithe",

that his measuring the produce in order to know how much tithe to give,

was indeed &lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;he knew about the miracle that it had grown a hundred times more than what one had calculated.

And therefore the Torah also tells us about "and he gave him a tenth from all" of Avraham,

because from this we derive a special instruction and empowerment in our giving of tithes,

which we cannot derive from the giving of tithes of Yitzchak.

7.

It will be understood by prefacing what is stated in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;

on the verse "And Yitzchak sowed": "Did Yitzchak sow grain, heaven forbid?

Rather, he took all the tithe of his wealth and sowed charity for the poor, as it is said, 'Sow for yourselves for charity.'"

b)

In the Midrash and in Rashi⁴

that Yitzchak had already sown grain.

This is in itself — no wonder,

because one finds in the Midrashim of Chazal in many places several differing opinions.

There is, however, a rule that there cannot be completely opposite views⁵⁵.

Now how is it possible that according to the opinion of the Midrash and Rashi, Yitzchak had already sown grain,

and according to the opinion of Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer, it is so far denied as to say "And did Yitzchak sow grain <b>chas v'shalom</b>?"

Rather, the explanation in this is: also according to Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer, the interpretation of "vayizra Yitzchak" is according to its simple meaning, that Yitzchak sowed grain

(because "ein mikra yotzei midei peshuto"⁵⁶).

And with the saying "And did Yitzchak sow grain chas v'shalom? Rather, etc. he sowed tzedakah," he means to bring out the content and inner meaning of this "vayizra":

8.

According to the above, the superiority of the tithe that Avraham gave over the tithe that Yitzchak gave is understood:

The property that Avraham captured during the war,

was also in content

(in a revealed⁶²)

a physical property.

And therefore when Avraham gave from this property a tithe to Shem, who was "a priest to <b>G‑d Most High</b>"⁶³,

he thereby demonstrated that also physical matters belong to the Most High.

Not so by Yitzchak,

since from the outset his sowing was not a matter of "seed of grain",

then through the giving of a tithe from <b>that </b>type of grain it is not expressed that also physical matters belong to the Most High.

Therefore one must take the power for this from Abraham who gave a tithe from property whose "inyan" is "physicality".

Yes.

In addition to this: regarding the commandment of tithing it stands⁷⁰

"Tithe <b>in order </b>that you become wealthy",

the intention in giving the tithe — in order to show how through this commandment one becomes rich.

And the Almighty <b>asks </b>"And test Me now in this"

(Despite the prohibition "Do not⁷¹

test")⁷²,

because the intention in the commandment of tithing is to <b>demonstrate </b>the wealth that one receives through this commandment.

And since the intention of maaser is to demonstrate the influence that is drawn down from above through the fulfillment of the commandments,

therefore it is related to Abraham, whose matter was "and he called there in the name of Havayah, God of the world" as above,

to call out and make known that the Supreme One is the One who leads the entire world and gives to each one all his needs with kindness⁷³.

(From sichot of Shabbat Parshat Toldot,

19 Kislev and Shabbat Parshat Miketz 5725)