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The Maaser Sheni, meaning Second Tithe in Hebrew, is a tithing practice in Orthodox Judaism with roots in the Hebrew Bible. In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, it involved the the setting aside of one tenth of specific agricultural produce from the first, second, fourth, and fifth, years of each seven year cycle, for the purpose of taking it to the temple in Jerusalem, and consuming it there.

In the Hebrew Bible

The tithe is discussed in Deuteronomy 14:22-29, 26:12, and 28:14 in the Hebrew Bible, along with a different tithe - the Maaser Ani - which is performed in the third and sixth years of the seven year cycle; the remaining seventh year is described as the Shmita, the Sabbatical Year.

As described, the tithe should be of grain, wine, and olive oil, but if the distance to Jerusalem made the transfer of these crops unreasonable, the monetary value of the tithe should be brought to Jerusalem instead, and used to purchase anything edible that the owner desired to eat there. (See Deuteronomy 14:26)

The prophet Malachi connected the observance of tithing obligations with abundant rain and blessings from God:

Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall be more than sufficiency. Malachi 3:10

In the Mishna and Talmud

The Mishnah, in Tractate Rosh Hashanah, describes four new years for various purposes. The new year for tithes for general crops is the first of Tishrei (the holiday of Rosh Hashanah), for animal tithes the first of Elul, and for the produce of trees the fifteenth of shvat (the holiday of Tu B'shvat). The Talmud and later commentaries reflect a substantial amount of debate about the start and end of the tithing year for various types of crops in various situations.

Traditional Jewish view of classical practice

In the view of traditional Judaism, the Maaser Sheni represented a distinct tithing obligation which acted as a sort of "Vacation Savings Plan". Jews obligated to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem on the three pilgrimage festivals would set aside 10% four times in a seven-year cycle (40% of an annual income or ~6% a year) to finance food during the visits in Jerusalem. This would suffice for ~3 weeks a year of food, which would correspond to the 3 festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot). The ability to redeem produce on money results in a 'stash' of money which is mikudash (sacred, as earmarked for Temple purposes) for the upcoming visits to Jerusalem.

As a result of Maaser Sheni, there was an abundance of food available to oley-regel (pilgrims who went up for the pilgrimage festivals) and even left over food which they could leave with the people of Jerusalem.

In contemporary Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism still regards tithe obligations as in effect on produce grown in the Land of Israel, although the obligations have been somewhat modified since the days of the Hebrew Bible and Talmud and proceeds from the tithes are no longer given to a Kohen or Levite or taken to Jerusalem. Current practice is for the person growing (or if that was not done, consuming) the produce to set aside all the various tithes, and then redeem most of them with a coin of nominal value, which need not be equal in value to the amount set aside. The coin, and a total of a little over 1% of the produce which cannot be redeemed, is set aside or destroyed in a way intended to prevent its future use. The reason for discarding in such a manner is that taking these tithes is considered to effect a dedication for Temple use (the set-aside produce is still considered mikudash or sacred). While dedicated offerings cannot actually be offered in their traditional form in the absence of the Temple, they also cannot be used for mundane purposes. Such use would constitute misappropriation of sanctified Temple property.

Every three years, on the mincha (afternoon service) of the last day of Pesach (Passover), they would say the Vidui Maaser (a confession of tithing proscribed specifically in the Torah). The reason this is done at the end of the festival, at the last prayer is because until that time, people were still eating their Maaser Sheni.

Critical perspectives

In Classical Rabbinical Literature, according to which the entire Torah was principally written by a single author (Moses), the Maaser Sheni, and Maaser Ani were contrasted with the Maaser Rishon as entirely different tithes from each other, and for this reason gave the tithes the distinct names they possess. However, according to the speculation of some textual scholars, the latter tithe, which is mentioned in the Priestly Code, and constitutes an annual tithe given over to the Levites, additionally tithing Cattle and Fruit, is a conflicting version of the same single tithe as the tithe formed by the Maaser Ani and Maaser Sheni taken together; the Maaser Ani and Maaser Sheni together being the deuteronomist's version and the Maaser Rishon being the version of the priestly source; despite the fact that those tithes appear in both Leviticus and Deuteronomy. There is no significant textual evidence that the tithes come from different sources and the theory ignores the role of termuah and terumat maaser, which were separated for the priests. In both alleged "versions" it is required that a portion be given to the Leviim because they had no inhertiance of land, unlike the other tribes, and were considered to be more likely to be supported by others' property. - - Although the deuteronomist is generally considered to be a later author than the priestly source, scholars believe that much of the Deuteronomic Code was a reaction against the regulations introduced by the Priestly Code, and that here it reflects the earlier situation.. Some scholars speculate that Maaser Sheni developed as a tribute to the king; the Books of Samuel mention that the Israelites were ordered by Samuel (speaking on behalf of Yahweh) to give a tenth of everything to the king, seemingly referring to such a tribute in a passage which textual scholars believe belongs to the monarchial source, and predates both the Priestly Code and the Deuteronomic Code. This is in contrast to the plain reading of the text which was a warning by Samuel to the Children of Israel about the abuses of power that a king may impose. There is no example of an Israelite king actually imposing such a 10% tax. Further, ma'aser sheni was retained for consumption by the farmer who produced the crop or redeemed by said farmer for money to be used by him and his family. Some scholars speculate that these tributes began to be used for public festivals, often including religious ones, and thus gradually came to be seen as associated with the priests, who were at that time synonymous with Levites (with the priesthood only later becoming more exclusive). Once again, this is unlikely as the Levites who received ma'aser rishon were not priests (called "kohanim"). The kohanim received termuah and terumat ma'aser from the Leviim, not ma'aser rishon, as would be thought if they had written the Torah to enhance their own agenda. Moreover, this has nothing to do with ma'aser sheni, which, once again, was retained by the farmer who was liable to separate the tithe.

See also

• Teruma Gedola
• Terumat HaMaaser
• Maaser Rishon
• Maaser Ani

References

1. Jewish Encyclopedia
2. Jewish Encyclopedia
3. ibid
4. Richard Elliott Friedman, Who wrote the Bible?
5. Jewish Encyclopedia
6. Jewish Encyclopedia
7. ibid
8. 1 Samuel 8:15
9. Jewish Encyclopedia, Books of Samuel
10. Jewish Encyclopedia, Tithe

Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim website on Jewish Law

• Jewish sacrificial law