- Halacha
- Cohanim
36
Question
In the Torah, was tithe only for priests, if no who were the other people that should benefit from tithe.
Answer
The tribe of Levi was divided into two groups, the priests (Kohens, descendants of Aaron) and the Levites (the rest of the tribe). First 2% of the produce was given to the Kohen, then10% was given to the Levites. The Levites would then give 10% of that 10% to the Kohens. Then in third and sixth years of the 7 year cycle, another 10% was given to the poor, but in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th years, that 10% was brought by the farmer himself to be eaten in Jerusalem (often to support one or more members of the family to eat while furthering and deepening their Torah study in a yeshiva of Jerusalem.