Midrash · Halachah

Sifrei Devarim 109/ספרי דברים ק״ט

א(דברים יד כח) מִקְצֵה שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, יָכוֹל בֶּחָג? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים כו יב): ״כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר״. אוֹ ״כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר״,

1Pisqa’ 109²⁹²1. “At the end of three years, you shall bring out all the Titheof your produce of that year, and leave it in your gates” (Dt. 14:28).Is it possible that [the end of three years refers to]the [autumnal pilgrimage] Feast [of Huts]?²⁹³) refers to the autumnal pilgrimage-harvest festival of Sukkot (“Huts”; Lv. 23:33-43). The other pilgrimage festivals of the rabbinic calendar are the spring festival of Pesah (“Passover,” “The Feast of unleavened bread”; Lv. 23:5-8) and the early summer festival of Shavuot (“Pentecost”), also known in rabbinic parlance as`Atzeret (“the Closure festival”; Lv. 23:15-16).The Teaching states [elsewhere]:“When you completely remove all the Titheof your produce in the third year—the year of the Tithe—then you shall give it to,the Levite, the migrant, the fatherless, and the widow,and they shall eat it within your gates” (Dt. 26:12)—[perhaps complete removal occurs after the Feast?]Or [you can reason as follows]:“When you completely remove all the Tithe” (Dt. 26:12)—is it possible that [the tithe must be removed]

ביָכוֹל בַּחֲנֻכָּה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״קֵץ״, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״קֵץ״ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים לא י) ״קֵץ״; מַה קֵץ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל, אַף קֵץ הָאָמוּר כָּאן – רֶגֶל.

2in time for Dedication²⁹⁴ [just before the winter]?The Teaching states:“At the end” (Dt. 14:28).Here the term end is mentioned,and elsewhere [“by the end of seven years . . . at the Feast of Huts” (Dt. 31:10)], the term end is mentioned.Just as the end mentioned elsewhere (Dt. 31:10)[refers to] the Pilgrimage Feast [of Huts].so, too, the end mentioned here (Dt. 14:28)[refers to] the Pilgrimage Feast [of Huts].

גאוֹ מָה קֵץ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת, אַף קֵץ הָאָמוּר כָּאן חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר״, רֶגֶל שֶׁהַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת כָּלִים בּוֹ – הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה פֶּסַח! מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: עֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח שֶׁל רְבִיעִית וְשֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית הָיָה בִּעוּר, בָּרְבִיעִית מִפְּנֵי מַעְשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁית, בַּשְּׁבִיעִית מִפְּנֵי מַעְשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁבַּשִּׁשִּׁית.

3Or [you can reason as follows]:[“At the end of seven years you shall declare a Release-year” (Dt. 15:1).]Just as the term end mentioned elsewhere (Dt. 15:1)[refers to] the [Pilgrimage] Feast of Huts,so, too, the term end mentioned here (Dt. 14:28)[refers to] the [Pilgrimage] Feast of Huts![Nevertheless,] the Teaching states [elsewhere]:“When you completely remove all the tithe” (Dt. 26:12)—[referring to] the Pilgrimage [Feast] at whichthe tithing is completed.And this, I would say, is [the spring Feast of] Passover!2. On this basis they taught:On the eve of the final²⁹⁵ M. MS.5:6 reads, “first,” which Albeck (ad loc.), apparently relying upon F:169, n.11, corrects to conform to Sifre. Feast Day of Passover—in the fourth and seventh year—the removal [of the Tithe] occurred.²⁹⁶[The Tithe] in the fourth year [was removed] on account of the Pauper’s-tithe of the third year [which had yet to be left for the poor];[the Tithe] in the seventh year [was removed]on account of the Second-tithe of the sixth year [which had yet to be consumed in Jerusalem].

דיָכוֹל אַף שָׁנָה שְׁבִיעִית תְּהֵא חַיֶּבֶת בְּמַעֲשֵׂר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים כו יב): ״שְׁנַת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר״ – שָׁנָה שֶׁחַיֶּבֶת בְּמַעֲשֵׂר; יָצְתָה שָׁנָה שְׁבִיעִית, שֶׁאֵינָהּ חַיֶּבֶת בְּמַעֲשֵׂר.

4Is it possible to say thateven [abandoned produce] of the seventh yearshould be held liable to tithing?The Teaching states [that the third year is]:“The year of the Tithe” (Dt. 26:12)—[referring to] a year [the produce of] which is held liable to tithing.This excludes [produce of] the seventh year [left in the fields],which is not held liable to tithing.

היָכוֹל יְהוּ שְׁנֵי מַעַשְׂרוֹת נוֹהֲגִים בָּהּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שְׁנַת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר״ – מַעֲשֵׂר אֶחָד נוֹהֵג בָּהּ, וְאֵין שְׁנֵי מַעַשְׂרוֹת נוֹהֲגִים בָּהּ.

5Is it possible to say thatduring [the third year]they customarily remove two [separate] Tithes[to compensate for the seventh year, when no Tithe is removed]?The Teaching states:“The year of the Tithe” (Dt. 26:12)—during [the third year]they customarily remove one Tithe [i.e., Pauper’s-tithe],but they do not customarily remove two Tithes [Pauper’s-tithe and Second-tithe].

ואֵין לִי אֶלָּא מַעְשַׂר עָנִי, שֶׁבּוֹ דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב. מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר מַעַשְׂרוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: מַעְשַׂר תְּבוּאָתְךָ, רִבָּה.

6I infer only that the verse mandates[the removal of] Pauper’s-tithe[during the third year].On what basis do we knowto include any other Tithes [remaining with the owner]?The Teaching states:“All the tithe of your produce” (Dt. 14:28)—[interpret the verse] inclusively.

זתּוֹצִיא אֶת כָּל מַעְשַׂר תְּבוּאָתְךָ בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמּוֹצִיאִים אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹם טֻמְאָה לִמְקוֹם טָהֳרָה.

73. “You shall bring out all the tithe of your produce of that year” (Dt. 14:28).This teaches to bring out [the Tithe]from an unclean place to a clean place.

חיָכוֹל אַף שֶׁל שְׁאָר שָׁנִים יְהוּ מוֹצִיאִים אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹם טֻמְאָה לִמְקוֹם טָהֳרָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא, שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַהִיא אַתָּה מוֹצִיא, וְאִי אַתָּה מוֹצִיא שֶׁל שְׁאָר שָׁנִים מִמְּקוֹם טֻמְאָה לִמְקוֹם טָהֳרָה; שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַהִיא אַתָּה מְבַעֵר, וְאִי אַתָּה מְבַעֵר יָרָק שֶׁיָּצָא מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד הַפֶּסַח.

8Is it possible to say thateven [regarding the Tithe] of other years,we must bring it outfrom an unclean place to a clean place?The Teaching states:“Of that year” (Dt. 14:28)—[thus, the Tithe] of that [third] yearyou should bring out,but you need not bring out [the Tithe] of other yearsfrom an unclean place to a clean place.“Of that year” (Dt. 14:28)—you must remove [from your homesany remnant of] that year’s Tithe,but you needn’t remove [the Tithe of]leafy greens that sprouted [during that year]from the New Year until Passover.

טוְהִנַּחְתָּ בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ, אִם אֵין שָׁם עָנִי – הַנִּיחוֹ בָּאוֹצָר.

9“And leave it in your gates” (Dt. 14:28).If there is no pauper in need,leave it in storage [for later distribution].

יאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי יִדָּחֶה מִפְּנֵי מַעְשַׂר עָנִי: אִם מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן אִם מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יד כט): ״וּבָא הַלֵּוִי כִּי אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה״ – יָבֹא הַלֵּוִי וְיִטֹּל חֶלְקוֹ מִכָּל מָקוֹם, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה.

104. I have no idea which [Tithe] is cancelled[during the third year] in favor of Pauper’s-tithe!Is it First-tithe or Second-tithe?The Teaching states:“Then the Levite shall come, for he shares no portion or inheritance with you” (Dt. 14:29)—let the Levite come and take his portion [of First-tithe],from any batch [of untithed produce]:words of R. Judah.

יארַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ! הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר יח כא): ״וְלִבְנֵי לֵוִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי כָּל מַעֲשֵׂר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְנַחֲלָה״ – מָה נַחֲלָה אֵינָהּ זָזָה, אַף מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן אֵין זָז.

11R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:we have no need of this [redundant] verse!See what He says:“And to the children of Levi—indeed, I am giving you all the tithe of Israel as an inheritance” (Nu. 18:21).Just as an inheritance is not postponed,so, too, [the Levite’s] First-tithe is not postponed!²⁹⁷ 18:21.

יביָכוֹל אַף לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה יְהוּ חַיָּבִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וּבָא הַלֵּוִי כִּי אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה עִמָּךְ וְהַגֵּר וְהַיָּתוֹם״, דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּהֶם חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה עִמָּךְ אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לוֹ, יָצְאוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בָּהֶם חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה עִמָּךְ.

125. Is it possible to say thateven Gleanings, Forgotten-sheaves, and Corner-offeringsare held liable to tithing?The Teaching states:“Then the Levite shall come, for he shares no portion or inheritance with you;and the migrant, the fatherless, or the widow within your gates—and they shall eat and be satisfied” (Dt. 14:29)—those offerings in which [the Levite]has no share or portion with youyou must give to him;excluding offerings [other than First-tithe] in whichhe does have a share and portion with you.