We have seen various interpretations on tithing but the most important of all the argument is ' Tithing was a pre-Torah concept and hence, it is carried over to NT assemblies'
In this study we will examine this as this needs a thorough understanding contextually.
Let's examine how this stands the test of scriptures in scripture vs scripture & spiritual vs spiritual understanding.
Tithing was a pre-Torah concept and hence, is it carried over to NT assemblies?
Heb 7:5 And truly, those who are of the sons of Lĕwi, who receive the priesthood, have a command to receive tithes from the people according to the Torah, that is, from their brothers, though they have come from the loins of Aḇraham,
Heb 7:6 however, the one whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Aḇraham, and blessed the one who held the promises.
Heb 7:7 And it is beyond all dispute that the lesser is blessed by the better.
Heb 7:8 And here it is men who die that receive tithes, but there it is someone of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
Heb 7:9 And one might say that through Aḇraham even Lĕwi, who received tithes, gave tithes,
Heb 7:10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Malkitseḏeq met him.
Heb 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High Al, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
I was always wondering how could there be a high priest of the Most High when there was no Moshe’s Mishkan (tabernacle) yet, no temple yet, no sacrifices yet? I was amazed to see some facts from scriptures which show that there were high priests of Aluahym before even the Torah was given and this is what is called Dabar period when the father taught his son to sacrifice to Yahuah to be in a covenant with him.
Gen 14:17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh that is, the plain of the Kings.
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of El Alyon.
Gen 14:19 He blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of El Alyon, Possessor of heaven and earth;
Gen 14:20 And blessed be El Alyon, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. He gave to him a tenth of all.
And Lewi who accepts tithe from the people was still in the loins of Abraham spiritually paying the tithe to Melchizedek through Abraham though not being born.
Heb 7:5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the priesthood have a commandment in the Torah to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although they come out of the loins of Abraham.
Heb 7:6 But he whose genealogy is not counted from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.
Heb 7:7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater (ha Gadal).
The high priest stood in righteousness in blessing Abraham and passing on his priestly blessing over to him.
Gen 15:9 So He said to him, Bring for Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
While scripture doesn’t record of Adam sacrificing on the altar, how else would Abel learn to sacrifice and his sacrifice was acceptable to Yahuah? It was obvious that this high priestly blessing was passed upon him by Adam.
Gen 4:4 and Abel brought, he also, from the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahuah had regard for Abel and for his offering;
Why would scripture compare Yahusha ha Mashiyach with Abel if Abel would not have been a type of high priest?
Heb 12:24 and to Yahusha, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
Shem outlived Abraham:
Gen 11:10 These are the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood;
Gen 11:11 and Shem lived five hundred years after he fathered Arpachshad, and he fathered sons and daughters.
Shem lived 500 years after the flood. He outlived Abraham.
Gen 11:12 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years, and fathered Shelah;----35
Gen 11:14 Shelah lived thirty years, and fathered Eber;-30
Gen 11:16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and fathered Peleg;-34
Gen 11:18 Peleg lived thirty years, and fathered Reu;-30
Gen 11:20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and fathered Serug;-32
Gen 11:22 Serug lived thirty years, and fathered Nahor;-30
Gen 11:24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and fathered Terah;-29
Gen 11:26 Terah lived seventy years, and fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran.-70
35+30+34+30+32+30+29+70 =290
Gen 11:32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Terah lived 135 years (205-70 =135) after Abraham was born while Shem would have been 525 years when Terah died.
Gen 12:4 So Abram departed, as Yahuah had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Abraham left his father’s house while his father was yet alive and he was 75 years old.
Gen 25:7 These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years.
Gen 25:8 Abraham expired and died in a good old age, aged, and satisfied and he was gathered to his people.
Shem was still alive even after Abraham died at 175. Shem would have been 390+175= 565 years when Abraham died and he lived another 37 years after Abraham to sum up 602 years (100 years unto flood +2 when Arpachshad was born+ 500 years after Arpachshad was born) and died.
Since the Abary lineage was from Shem, it’s quite possible that he was Melchizedek as stated in Yasher 16, a title attributed to him as per dabar.
This is what Yasher 16 records
11 And Adonizedek king of Jerusalem, the same was Shem, went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and wine, and they remained together in the valley of Melech.12 And Adonizedek blessed Abram, and Abram gave him a tenth from all that he had brought from the spoil of his enemies, for Adonizedek was a priest before God.
Gen 21:5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitschaq was born to him.
Abraham was 100 years old when his son Yitschaq was born to him.
Gen 25:20 and Yitschaq was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean to him, to be his wife.
Abraham was 140 years old when Yitschaq took Rebekah to be his wife. So Shem would have been 290+140 = 430 years when Yitschaq got married to Rebekah.
Gen 25:21 Yitschaq prayed to Yahuah on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and Yahuah was entreated for him and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Where did Rebekah go to inquire if not to the high priest? There was no Mishkan, no tabernacle yet, no Levitical priesthood, no ephod, no Torah yet. She must have gone to the high priest titled as Malchitsedek at Salem to inquire from Yahuah.
Gen 35:28 Now the days of Yitschaq were one hundred and eighty years.
Shem would have died when Yitschaq would have been around 110 years of age.
There are some who look at Septuagint, as the years to be correct in it and not in the Masoretic text. There is no doubt in dating, Septuagint was the oldest Greek translation of the OT.
Why I don't believe the Septuagint is true to its interpretation?
1.The 70 scholars were called unto Egypt to do the translation. There were scribes & priests in Yasharal and it was forbidden for anyone to go unto Egypt. Yahuah had strictly warned them.
2. These 70 scholars were from all tribes of Yasharal and not limited to the tribe of Lewi to whom the scribal authority of interpretation and teaching of scripture was given as per OT Moshe's pattern
3. The Septuagint included all the pagan Aporcraphyl books which were never a part of Yahudite canon.
The Septuagint is 100 years off in the ages of the fathers compared to the Masoretic text. Here is the proof.
LXX translation: Gen 5:13 And Cainan lived after his begetting Maleleel, seven hundred and forty years, and he begot sons and daughters.
Masoretic text: Gen 5:13 After he brought forth Mahalal’ĕl, Qĕynan lived eight hundred and forty years, and brought forth sons and daughters.
Dead Sea scroll: http://dssenglishbible.com/scroll4Q2.htm
The age mentioned for Kenan matches with the Masoretic text and Septuagint is 100 years off. While Masoretic text may have many errors, until we have a reliable text we have to depend on the Ruach of Mashiyach to lead us. The Septuagint is definitely not a reliable text for the reasons I mentioned. Unfortunately there is no DSS scroll on Gen 11 available for us to compare but one proof is enough to show Septuagint ages are incorrect.
Hence, we see Abraham paid the tithe to Shem the Malchitsedek priest, the king of Salem and Lewi who receives tithes paid tithe spiritually to Malchitsedek while he still was in the loins of his father Abraham. This was a one time tithe he paid and was a tithe of redemption for His seed as the tithe was paid to Malchitsedek, a priest who stood in the order of Mashiyach.
Heb 7:4 Now observe what great this one is that our father Abraham, also gave to him a tenth of the beginning of everything.
KJV and other translations says Abraham gave tenth/mashar of spoils but the Aramaic Peshitta and the Hebrew translation says he gave rashayath/beginning or firstfruits of/ha kol/everything.
ܚܙܘ ܕܝܢ ܟܡܐ ܪܒ ܗܢܐ ܕܐܒܪܗܡ ܪܫ ܐܒܗܬܐ ܠܗ ܝܗܒ ܡܥܣܪܐ ܘܪܫܝܬܐ4 But see how great this one was, that Abraham, the head of the fathers, gave unto him a tithe; the firstfruits.
The word 'gaal' H1350 actually means 'kinsman redeemer'
Lev 25:25 If your brother has become poor he has sold part of his property, then his redeemer/gaal 𐤂𐤀𐤐𐤅, the one near to him, shall come and redeem/gaal 𐤅𐤂𐤀𐤐 what his brother has sold.
Hence, this fifth/chamashay was a redeeming penalty added over the total value
Lev 6:5 or all that about which he swore falsely. He shall repay its total value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whom it belongs, on the day of his guilt offering.
Rth 4:13 And Boʽaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and יהוה granted her conception, and she bore a son.
Rth 4:14 And the women said to Naʽomi, “Blessed be יהוה, who has not left you this day without a redeemer/gaal H1350 𐤂𐤀𐤐. And let his Name be proclaimed in Yisra’ĕl!
The word 'gaal' 𐤂𐤀𐤐 H1350 is translated here as 'kinsman redeemer' and is in reference to Boaz who allowed his name to be called over Machlun's lot by keeping his name alive in Yasharal, when he redeemed Ruth and Namoi's inheritance.
Through this lineage came king David who was both an Ephrathite as well as Yahudite. Yahudite through Boaz and Ephrathite through his great grandmother Ruth's dead husband Machlun.
1Sa 17:12 Now Dawiḏ was the son of that Ephrathite of Bĕyth Leḥem in Yahuḏah, whose name was Yishai, and he had eight sons, and in the days of Sha’ul the man was old among men.
We know that Ephraim was the son of Yoseph/Joseph who was given the first born blessing. Yaaqob had prophesied that the Mashiyach would spring out from Yoseph as well as Yahudah in Gen 49. In His wisdom Yahuah brought this to pass.
Mashiyach the Malchitsedek sprang out from Yahudah, a tribe Moshe never mentioned for priesthood.
Heb 7:14 For it is perfectly clear that our Master arose from Yahuḏah, a tribe about which Mosheh never spoke of concerning priesthood,
Heb 7:15 and this is clearer still, if another priest arises in the likeness of Malkitseḏeq,
Hence, Lewi (not son of Yaaqob but figurative for the actual Lewitical priesthood) paid the tithe while in the loins of his father Abraham with the penalty/redemption (gaal) of the tithe to Malchitsedek who was Shem who stood as a type of Mashiyach
Heb 7:8 And here it is men who die that receive tithes, but there it is someone of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
Heb 7:9 And one might say that through Aḇraham even Lĕwi, who received tithes, gave tithes,
Heb 7:10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Malkitseḏeq met him.
Heb 7:11 Truly, then, if perfection were through the Lĕwitical priesthood – for under it the people were given the Torah – why was there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of Malkitseḏeq, and not be called according to the order of Aharon?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.
Shem who received the tithe and the redemption of the fifth died but the receiver was Yahusha spiritually who lives eternally. Speaking of Mashiyach and the change of the law and the priesthood Heb 7:8 last part of the verse says '...but there it is someone of whom it is witnessed that he lives'
What did Malchitsedek bring out to Abraham when he gave him the tithe?
Gen 14:18 And Malkitseḏeq sovereign of Shalĕm brought out bread and wine. Now he was the priest of the Most High Ěl.
He brought bread and wine, the very emblems Yahusha ha Mashiyach used to spiritually depict His body and His blood, the redemption He would bring about for Yasharal. This is proof that He is the Malchitsedek and what He did on the night before He died on Pesach was showing us that He at the receiving end of the tithe and the redemption/gaal of it agreed to pay the price for His people.
Luk 22:17 And taking the cup, giving thanks, He said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves,
Luk 22:18 for I say to you, I shall certainly not drink of the fruit of the vine until the reign of Elohim comes.”
Luk 22:19 And taking bread, giving thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me.”
Luk 22:20 Likewise the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood which is shed for you.
When the Lewitical priesthood came to office and day on day, month on month received tithes from the people and also the penalty/redemption of the delay in tithing, there was a pause to the Malchitsedek priesthood. Until Mashiyach came and revealed that He is the Malchitsedek priest who was at the receiving end as He lives eternally while the earthly priests die.
The 'fifth' also shows number 5 which is the number for completeness of Torah.
Did Yaaqob tithe?
Gen 28:20 Then Ya’aqob vowed a vow, saying, If Elohim shall be with me and shall keep me on this path/derek that I walk/halak, and shall give me bread to eat and garments to wear,
Gen 28:21 and I return to my father’s house in peace, then Yahuah shall be my Elohim.
Gen 28:22 This stone, which I have set up as a memorial, shall be Elohim’s house, and of all that You give me I shall give a tenth to You.
On the way to Paddan Aram while fleeing from Esaw his brother, Yaaqob dreamed a dream at Bethel where he saw a ladder reaching to heaven and Yahuah standing at the top of it. The angels of Yahuah were ascending and descending on the ladder.
Gen 28:12 And he dreamed and saw a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached to the heavens, and saw messengers of Elohim going up and coming down on it.
Gen 28:13 And see, יהוה stood above it and said, “I am יהוה Elohim of Aḇraham your father and the Elohim of Yitsḥaq. The land on which you are lying, I give it to you and your seed.
We know that Yahusha is Yahuah Himself and the ladder which is the way to heaven
Joh 1:51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, from now on you shall see the heaven opened, and the messengers of Elohim ascending and descending upon the Son of Aḏam.”
Hence, Yaaqob after this vision made a vow to Aluahym that if Yahuah keeps him on the path he walks and provides him bread and garments & he returns to his father's house in peace then Yahuah will be his Aluahym, the place where he built the memorial will be the house of Aluahym and he will give a tenth of everything Yahuah gives him.
Did he return to his father's house in peace? Yes he did.
Gen 35:27 And Yaʽaqoḇ came to his father Yitsḥaq at Mamrĕ, or Qiryath Arba, that is Ḥeḇron, where Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq had dwelt.
Gen 35:28 And the days of Yitsḥaq were one hundred and eighty years.
Gen 35:29 So Yitsḥaq breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, aged and satisfied of days. And his sons Ěsaw and Yaʽaqoḇ buried him.
Did he pay the tithe? No he didn't. Before he came back to his father's house Yahuah asked him to go upto Bethel and make an altar and sacrifice unto him. But there was no mention of tithe given to Yahuah because there was no priest there and no house of Yahuah built yet.
Gen 35:1 And Elohim said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “Arise, go up to Bĕyth Ěl and dwell there. And make an altar there to Ěl who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Ěsaw your brother.”
Yaaqob's act of building an altar, and later, pouring out offerings and making sacrifices on that altar, are a precursor to the "tithes" he would pay through his children, and later, his children by faith-who "rest" upon the Rock that Yaaqob had lain his head. The context is the House of Aluahym, which would become the physical tabernacle. It is to this tabernacle that the tithes are paid; and where the storehouse would kept. We already saw the redemption tithe was paid by Abraham to Malchitsedek until there is someone on the receiving end to receive the tithes i.e. Aharaon and his sons.
This is seen in Gen 28:22 when seen closely
Gen 28:22 This stone, which I have set up as a memorial, shall be Elohim’s house, and of all that You give me a tenth/ashar H6237 𐤏𐤔𐤓 of the tenth/ashar H6237 𐤏𐤔𐤓 I shall give you.
Who was commanded to give tenth of the tenth?
Num 18:26 “Speak to the Lĕwites and say to them, ‘When you take from the children of Yisra’ĕl the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution of it to יהוה, a tithe/ 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 (mashar) of the tithe 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 (mashar)
Tithe of a tithe and tenth of the tenth can be used interchangeably as they mean the same. Hence, this was the vow of Yaaqob which needs to be understood that he was referring to his seed serving in the house of Yahuah that he said will be built in the place he set up the memorial.
At face value Abraham only paid 10th/tithe to Malchitsedek but when we revisit Heb 7:4 as we saw both in Hebrew as well as Aramaic, we see that Abraham gave Malchitsedek a tithe of the BEGINNING OF ALL.
4. ur’u mah-gadol hu’ ‘asher gam-‘Ab’raham ‘abinu nathan-lo ma`aser mere’shith hakol.
Heb7:4 Now observe what great this one is that our father Abraham, also gave to him a tithe/𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 of the beginning/ 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 (rashayath) of all/𐤊𐤐.
For this we must understand what 'rashayath' means. The first time the word rashayath is used is in Gen 1:1
Gen 1:1 In/𐤁 the beginning 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 (rashayth) Elohim (El of all) created the heavens and the earth.
The Barashyath 𐤁𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 refers to the Son/𐤁𐤓 (Bar) the firstfruits/𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 (rashayath)
Rev 3:14 “To the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea write, These things say The Aman, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning/ 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 (rashayth) of the creation/ 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤀𐤕 (barayath) of the Elohim,”
The word translated as 'creation' is the word 'barayath' which has 2 words 'bara' 𐤁𐤓𐤀 which means create and barayath 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕 H1285 which means 'covenant'
The verse should read “To the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea write, These things say The Aman, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning/ 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 (rashayath) of the covenant creation/ 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤀𐤕 (barayath) of Elohim,”
The Peshitta also uses the same word 'barayath' but in English they translated as 'creation'
We must look at Strong's H1277 'baraya' in the sense of 'fatted flesh' 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤀, the word comes from two root words
1. bara H1254 𐤁𐤓𐤀 which means 'create'
2. barah H1262 𐤁𐤓𐤄 'fleshed' or 'rank'
Put together 'created flesh' which shows Yahusha saying He is the 'firstfruits/beginning of the created flesh/rank pointing to the covenant.
Hence, when we see Heb 7:4 Abraham gave a tithe of the beginning/firstfruits of all, so how could he not have given the redemption tithe/penalty for his seed? Remember Shaul the emissary says
Gal 3:16 But the promises were spoken to Aḇraham, and to his Seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Messiah.
The exact same word 'barayath' is used in Gen 41:20 and is not translated as 'creation' but rightly translated as per the rank as 'choice'
Gen 41:20 and the thin and evil cows ate up the first seven choice/barayath 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤀𐤕 cows.
Yahusha is the firstfruits or beginning of the rank of Aluahym. Mashiyach was the end to end goal for Abraham, as Malchitsedek He accepted all the manner of tithe from Abraham, and as His SEED came to redeem/gaal all his seeds.
Is this carried over to the NT assemblies?
This will be easy to understand now because we saw
1. Tithe was limited to the tabernacle/temple when in the land
2. The Machitsedek priesthood was paused (until Mashiyach came) and a switch over was made to the Lewitical priesthood
3. The change of the Lewitical priesthood and the change of the law, with Mashiyach now being a priest forever according the order of Malchitsedek.
4. As Malchitsedek priest He received the redemption/gaal tithe and became our kinsman redeemer/gaal
New Testament giving:
1Co 16:1 And concerning the collections for the set-apart ones, you are to do as I gave orders to the assemblies of Galatia:
1Co 16:2 On the first day of the week let each one of you set aside, storing up whatever he is prospered, so that there are no collections when I come.
1Co 16:3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters, I shall send to bear your gift to Yerushalayim.
1Co 16:4 And if it is fitting for me to go, they shall go with me.
While the temple stood in Yerushalayim, the early Messianic talmidim faced a great persecution and sold their lands and brought the money to the apostles feet. Their inheritance allotted to them was based on their Yahudite ethnicity as per tribes, once they believed in Mashiyach they were considered heretic's and their tribal inheritance was forfeited.
Act 4:34 For there was not anyone needy among them, for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of what was sold,
Act 4:35 and laid them at the feet of the emissaries, and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
Act 4:36 And Yosĕph, who was also called Barnaḇah by the emissaries (which means Son of Encouragement), a Lĕwite, a native of Cyprus,
Act 4:37 having land, sold it, and brought the proceeds and laid it at the feet of the emissaries.
Hence, the relief from the other assemblies was sent to them.
Ro 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Yerushalayim.
Gal 2:9 So when Yaʽaqoḇ, Kĕpha, and Yoḥanan, who seemed to be supports, came to know the favour that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnaḇah the right hand of fellowship, in order that we go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised,
Gal 2:10 only that we might remember the poor, which I myself was eager to do.
These poor spoken of are within the assemblies/elect believers in Mashiyach. Not pagan institutions or orphanages which many give to, not knowing the scriptures.
Lets see the Torah of laying a tithe for the stranger sojourning in the land, widows and orphans as the NT giving is spiritually based on this type of giving.
In a Shemittah cycle of 7 years, in the 3rd & 6th year of sowing and reaping each one had to lay aside a separate tithe to be gathered for the Lewites, the stranger who crossed over (or a poor brother whose hand has failed him) in sojourn, the orphan and the widow.
Deut 14:28 At the end of three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it within your gates
Deut 14:29 The Lewi, because he has no portion nor inheritance among you, and the stranger, the orphan and the widow who are within your gates, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that Yahuah your El may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Similarly, the 7th year of the Sabbath rest for the land, no one was allowed to sow or reap as what was grown of itself was meant to be eaten by the strangers sojourning/poor, the hired servants etc. This was not a tithe but a law of the land
Lev 25:3 ‘Six years you sow your field, and six years you prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruit,
Lev 25:4 but in the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath of rest, a Sabbath to יהוה. Do not sow your field and do not prune your vineyard.
Lev 25:5 ‘Do not reap what grows of its own of your harvest, and do not gather the grapes of your unpruned vine, for it is a year of rest for the land.
Lev 25:6 ‘And the Sabbath of the land shall be to you for food, for you and your servant, and for your female servant and your hired servant, and for the stranger who sojourns with you,
Lev 25:7 and for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land. All its crops are for food.
In the 6 years of sowing and reaping, the ends of the fields were left for the poor
Lev 23:22 ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am יהוה your Elohim.’ ”
Again this was not a tithe but the law of the land with a spiritual heart to uplift a brother or sister who is poor.
In summary, there were 5 types of tithes in the OT:
1. Terumah/Lifting up H8641 𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤄 : The daily, eaten in the Set-Part place by the priests
Exodus 29:27 And you shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering (tenupah) which is waved (verb nuph), and the shoulder of the "raised offering" (terumah) which is raised up (verb rum), of the ram of the consecration, even that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons
The Terumah offering was one out of the whole in grain offerings and the right shoulder/leg portion in the peace offerings. The Terumah offering/heave offering had to be eaten besides the altar by the priests when in a ritual clean state. The Terumah/Heave offering of the right shoulder/thigh (Numbers 18:18)
Num 18:18 And the flesh of them shall be yours, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are yours.
Lev 7:32 And את eth-the right/yamiyin H3225 shoulder/shuq H7785 shall ye give unto the priest for a heave offering/terumah H8641 of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
Lev 7:34 For את eth-the wave/tanupah 8573 breast/chazeh H2373 and את eth-the heave/ terumah H8641 shoulder/ shuq H7785 have I taken of the children of Yashar’el from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings and have given them unto Aharon the priest and unto his sons by a statute forever from among the children of Yashar’el.
2. The Levitical tithe-10% (Num. 18: 21, 24) called The first/rashayath tithe/mashar 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓:
3. The tithe of the feasts (Deut. 14:22-27), also called The second/shanay tithe/mashar 𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓:
When someone who dwells away from the land and his produce is large that it cannot be brought as a tithe into the land, he was commanded to give it in silver, and with the rest of the silver he could eat, drink and make merry during the annual feasts of Yahuah in the land. Remember, tithe was always in produce and in the land. This was the only exception to convert it to silver.
Deu 14:22 “You shall tithe without fail all the yield of your grain that the field brings forth year by year.
Deu 14:23 “And you shall eat before יהוה your Elohim, in the place where He chooses to make His Name dwell, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and of the firstlings of your herds and your sheep, so that you learn to fear יהוה your Elohim always.
Deu 14:24 “But when the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to bring the tithe, or when the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to put His Name is too far from you, when יהוה your Elohim is blessing you,
Deu 14:25 then you shall give it in silver, and shall take the silver in your hand and go to the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses.
Deu 14:26 “And you shall use the silver for whatever your being desires: for cattle or sheep, for wine or strong drink, for whatever your being desires. And you shall eat there before יהוה your Elohim, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.
Deu 14:27 “And do not forsake the Lĕwite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.
4. The tithe for the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29). 10% for the poor only on 3rd and 6th yr of a 7 year Shemittah cycle. Also called the poor man’s tithe/anay mashar 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓:
Deu 14:28 “At the end of every third year you bring out all the tithe of your increase of that year and store it up within your gates.
Deu 14:29 “And the Lĕwite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the sojourner and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, shall come and eat and be satisfied, so that יהוה your Elohim does bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
5. Terumat mashar 𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 also called Tithe of the Tithe 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 : Tithe of the tithe given by Levites to the kahan ha gadul/high priest and his sons serving from all portions
Num 18:26 “Speak to the Lĕwites and say to them, ‘When you take from the children of Yisra’ĕl the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave offering/ H8641 terumath 𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤕 of it for YAHUAH, a tithe/ 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 (mashar) of the tithe 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓 (mashar)
The number 5 speaks of completeness of Torah, all these were fulfilled by our kinsman redeemer Yahusha ha Mashiyach but that doesn't mean we won't give cheerfully to the poor brethren, also to the ones Yahuah has raised to teach and share His word as the Torah is fulfilled, but not done away with or else we would be lawless, in fact its upheld in love, just as Yahuah loved and gave laws of tithes and laws of the land to support the priests, the stranger, the widows, orphans & poor of the land. Quoting Torah see what the emissary Shaul says about the ox being muzzled.
1Co 9:7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not feed on the milk of the flock?
2Co 9:6 And this: He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows on blessing shall also reap on blessing.
2Co 9:7 Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not of grief or of necessity, for Elohim loves a joyous giver.
Its just that the 5 tithes are summed up in New Testament as cheerful giving emphasizing on the 2 commandments to Love Yahuah your Aluahym with all your heart, mind and soul and to Love your neighbor as yourself. For if you obey these 2 commandments you fulfill the Royal Law of giving.
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