16. Do the Jews tithe today?
The Tithe?
16 - Do the Jews Tithe Today?
(Please read previous articles on tithing first)
Jews do not tithe today. They are all well aware that only Levites have the right to receive tithes from the people. There is no temple in operation, furthermore, no Levites or priests to serve. If they were to tithe today, Jews would consider it a sin against God, because the tithe belonged to the Levitical priesthood. To pay a biblical tithe at this time, without Levites and priests in their regular ordained offices and doing service in the temple, would be a "sin" both to the giver and the receiver. As one rabbi stated, "if we are to obey the law, we cannot pay tithes unless we pay it to the ones ordained by God to accept that tithe." [i] Neither Christ nor any of the apostles were Levites so they were all disqualified from receiving any part of the biblical tithe.
The synagogues of today receive financial funding with which to operate their religious organizations through the adoption of the "patron system" by its members. Families buy seats in the synagogue for various prices each year. To get a better seat, they often pay more money. [ii]
To continue on to chapter 17 click here
[i] http://www.askelm.com/tithing/thi003.htm
[ii] http://prayershack.freeservers.com/article_jewsdonottithe.html