Home -- Content: Series 7 (Laws) -- Translation: English -- Book: 1 (Tora) -- Part: 1 (Positive) -- Command: 78 -- Text
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The Sharia of Moses in the TORA
Part 1 - The 248 Positive Commandments of the Tora
78 - THE TITHE OF CATTLE
The Rabbis ordained that this commandment should be binding only while the Temple stood.
The manner in which the tithe of cattle was fixed is described in the Mishnah: “How do we tithe animals? We bring them to a shed and make a small opening for them, so that no two can go out together. And we count with a rod: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and the one that comes out tenth is marked with a red mark, and is declared to be Tithe.”*
The priests received no part of the tithe of cattle. The fat and blood of the animal once offered upon the altar, it belonged wholly to its owner, as in the case of the Passover-offering. If the animal developed a defect whether before or after its being set aside as tithe – it could be slaughtered and eaten anywhere.*
The duty to set aside this tithe rested equally upon the priest, the Levite, and the Israelite.*