Talmud zu Nechemja 10:78

Rebbi Eleazar said, they accepted the tithes voluntarily. What is the reason? (Neh. 10:1) “In view of all this, we execute a contract and write, signed by our princes, Levites, and priests.¹¹Neh. 10 contains the contract between the people and God in which they accept the Biblical obligations connected with Land and Temple. If the obligations were Biblical, no contract would have been needed.” How does Rebbi Eleazar uphold (10:37): “The first-born of our cattle and flock¹²Even though Ex. 13:11 explicitly connects the sanctity of the first-born to the conquest of the Land, it is generally accepted that the obligation does not depend on the Land.”? Since they accepted upon themselves matters they were not obligated for, even matters they were obligated for are credited to them as if they were accepted voluntarily¹³The Babli (Qiddušin 31a, Baba Qama 38a, 87a, Avodah Zarah 3a) holds that the person who is obligated receives greater reward than the person who is not obligated. This opinion, quoted in the name of R. Ḥanina and undisputed in the Babli, clearly is not accepted in the Yerushalmi and is never quoted there. One must assume that the statement was the opinion of R. Ḥanina when he was still in Babylonia..

“When Israel returned from the Babylonian exile they gave as Temple tax darics,” denars⁶³Aurei, Roman gold denarii. The numismatic evidence shows that the Dareikos was worth about twice the aureus., “they continued to give sela`im,” as their meaning<sup>64</sup>The Accadic sila used in both Talmudim to designate the Roman tetradrachma., “they continued to give minted coins,” half tetradrachmas, they wanted to give denars,” quarters<sup>65</sup>With J. Levy reading as Latin quarta., but these were not accepted by the following: and we accepted for us as commandment to give a sheqel three times<sup>66</sup>Neh. 10:33, following the changed wording in B which is understood also in S. The usual translation is “a third of a sheqel.” The verse declares the collection of sheqalim a post-exilic institution. Babli Bava batra9a. in the year for the service in our God’s House. Rebbi Ḥilkiah in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: From here that a person has to give his sheqel three times a year; <from here that a person is responsible for the alienation of his sheqel three times a year;><sup>67</sup>Added from the other two sources. The omission in the text probably is a scribal error. from here that one does not importune people more than three times a year. Rebbi Abbin said, from here the three se`ah, from here the three boxes, from here the three collection times⁶⁸Mishnah 3:1–2: Money was disbursed from the sheqalim3 times a year; each disbursement yielded three boxes of sheqalim, three se`ah each..

Rebbi Binjamin bar Gidul and Rebbi Aḥa were sitting together and saying, is it not written (Neh. 10:39): “The Cohen, descendant of Aaron, will share with the Levites in the Levite’s tithe”? To give him heave of the tithe. But is it not written (Neh. 10:39): “The Levites shall bring [the tithe of]⁹¹From the masoretic text, missing in the quote, but carrying the essence of the proof. The first argument was that the verse associates Cohanim with Levites in receiving tithe. This was countered by the argument that Cohanim always receive the heave of the tithe and, therefore, are always getting part of the Levite’s tithe. That argument is disproved since the heave of the tithe is explicitly mentioned in the second part of the verse, “the Levites shall bring the tithe of the tithe to the Temple.”
This establishes that the right of Cohanim to take tithe was part of the constitution of Nehemiah. This is the accepted doctrine of the Babli (Yebamot 86b) which only discusses the reason behind the decree but does not deny that the right of Cohanim to tithe is purely rabbinical. The Yerushalmi denies this since it continues to find the pentateuchal basis for the rights of Cohanim. the tithe”? Rebbi Ḥuna and the colleagues, one of them said “to the descendants of Levi”. Why does the verse say (Num. 18:21): “And to the descendants of Levi⁹²“And to the descendants of Levi I gave all tithes in Israel as inheritance.” The first argument is that the beginning “and” also includes the Cohanim. The second argument notes that the verse declares tithes to follow the laws of inheritance. If somebody in his will gives some special part to a son before the general distribution, that son is not excluded from taking part in the division of the inheritance. Therefore, the fact that the Cohanim got heave and the heave of the tithe does not exclude them from the ranks of “descendants of Levi”. If the verse had been addressed instead to “the Levites”, the Cohanim would have been excluded.”? From here that one gives tithes to Cohanim. The other said, even if it were only written “to the descendants” one would give tithes to Cohanim. If somebody would say, my son X shall take property Y [before distribution] and the rest of my properties my sons shall inherit, does he not participate with them?

¹⁵³A copy of this text, except for the last sentence, is in Shevi`it9:7, Notes 95–97. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, Rebbi Abba bar Mamal asked: If he said, I am obligated [to offer] a log, does he bring one log? Rebbi Eleazar said, a Mishnah says that each one is a separate sacrifice, as we have stated¹⁵⁴Mishnah Yoma 2:5., “two, holding in their hands two wooden logs.” This adds single logs.

The following are spelt with a waw but read with a yod: prisoners;⁹⁹Gen. 39, 20, written ’asurë and read ’asirë. Abigail;¹⁰⁰1 Sam. 25, 18, written Abugail and read Abigail. I make thee … go up and down;¹⁰¹2 Sam. 15, 20, written anu‘aka and read ani‘aka. chief men;¹⁰²2 Kings 24, 15, written ’ulë and read ’elë. I will … make … straight;¹⁰³Isa. 45, 2, written ’aushir and read ’ayashsher. I will … make them run away;¹⁰⁴Jer. 50, 44, written ’aruẓem and read ’ariẓem. on mine eye;¹⁰⁵2 Sam. 16, 12, written ba‘awoni and read be‘eni. cistern;¹⁰⁶Jer. 6, 7, written bor and read bayir. in their march;¹⁰⁷Nahum 2, 6, written bahalokotham and read bahalikotham. set apart;¹⁰⁸2 Chron. 26, 21, written haḥofshuth and read haḥofshith. V inserts here another example, viz. ‘my way’, but N.Y. declares it to be incorrect and H omits it. wilt thou set;¹⁰⁹Prov. 23, 5, written hata‘uf and read hata‘if. ye might provoke Me;¹¹⁰Jer. 25, 7, written hik‘oseni and read hak‘iseni. make straight;¹¹¹Ps. 5, 9, written haushar and read hayeshar. who were set;¹¹²Ezra 8, 17, written hannethunim and read hannethinim. that taught;¹¹³2 Chron. 35, 3, written hammebonim and read hammebinim. Birzaith;¹¹⁴1 Chron. 7, 31, written Birzoth and read Birzaith. will greatly rejoice;¹¹⁵Prov. 23, 24, written gol yagul and read gil yagil. Dehites;¹¹⁶Ezra 4, 9, written Dehawë and read Dehayë. bring forth;¹¹⁷Gen. 8, 17, written hawẓë’ and read hayẓë’. Harsith;¹¹⁸Jer. 19, 2, written haḥarsoth and read haḥarsith. Luhith;¹¹⁹ibid. XLVIII, 5, written halluḥoth and read halluḥith. the entry;¹²⁰Ezek. 42, 9, written hammebo’ and read hammebi’. the strong;¹²¹Zech. 11, 2, written habbaẓur and read habbaẓir. made to murmur;¹²²Numb. 14, 36, written wayyillonu and read wayyalinu. and Shahazim;¹²³Josh. 19, 22, written weshaḥaẓumah and read weshaḥaẓimah. and a royal diadem;¹²⁴Isa. 62, 3, written uẓenuf and read uẓenif. and a thing of nought and the deceit;¹²⁵Jer. 14, 14, written we’elul wetarmuth and read we’elil wetarmith. and the swallow;¹²⁶ibid. VIII, 7, written wesus and read wesis. and the galleries thereof;¹²⁷Ezek. 41, 15, written we’attoḳeha and read we’attiḳeha. and Tilon;¹²⁸1 Chron. 4, 20, written wetolon and read wetilon. Jehiel;¹²⁹2 Chron. 29, 14, written Jeḥu’el and read Jeḥi’el. and prepare ye;¹³⁰ibid. XXXV, 4, written wehikkonu and read wehakkinu. thy bosom;¹³¹Ps. 74, 11, written ḥoḳeka and read ḥeḳeka. a side-structure;¹³²1 Kings 6, 5, written yaẓu‘a and read yaẓi‘a. Jair;¹³³1 Chron. 20, 5, written Ya‘or and read Ya‘ir. alienate;¹³⁴Ezek. 48, 14, written ya‘abor and read ya‘abir. Jeiel;¹³⁵1 Chron. 9, 35, written Je‘u’el and read Je‘i’el. they wander up and down;¹³⁶Ps. 59, 16, written yenu‘un and read yeni‘un. let … cover them;¹³⁷ibid. CXL, 10, written yekassumo and read yekassemo. they cause … to fall;¹³⁸Prov. 4, 16, written yiksholu and read yakshilu. to strive;¹³⁹Judg. 21, 22, written larub and read larib. singing;¹⁴⁰1 Sam. 18, 6, written lashur and read lashir. Laish;¹⁴¹2 Sam. 3, 15, written Lush and read Layish. for fishers;¹⁴²Jer. 16, 16, written ledogim and read ledayyagim. dross;¹⁴³Ezek. 22, 18, written lesog and read lesig. for a spoil;¹⁴⁴Isa. 42, 24, written limshoseh and read limshissah. their furrows;¹⁴⁵Ps. 129, 3, written lema‘anotham and read lema‘anitham. Mephaath;¹⁴⁶Jer. 48, 21, written mopha‘ath and read mepa‘ath. from Naioth;¹⁴⁷1 Sam. 20, 1, written minnawoth and read minnayoth. stretched-forth;¹⁴⁸Isa. 3, 17, written neṭuwothn and read neṭioth. fruit;¹⁴⁹ibid. LVII, 19, written nob and read nib. Nebai;¹⁵⁰Neh. 10, 20, written Nubai and read Nebai. Nephishesim;¹⁵¹ibid. VII, 52, written Nefushesim and read Nefishesim. leave;¹⁵²2 Sam. 14, 7, written sum and read sim. ready dressed;¹⁵³1 Sam. 25, 18, written ‘asuwoth and read ‘asiyoth. Ephai;¹⁵⁴Jer. 40, 8, written ‘ufai and read ‘ephai. Ephrain;¹⁵⁵2 Chron. 13, 19, written ‘Efron and read ‘Efrain. V incorrectly reads ‘Abarim. the second¹⁵⁶This excludes the first ready in Esth. 3, 14. ready;¹⁵⁷Esth. 8, 13, written ‘athudim and read ‘athidim. their lads;¹⁵⁸Jer. 14, 3, written ẓe‘orehem and read ẓe‘irehem. her little ones;¹⁵⁹ibid. XLVIII, 4, written ẓe‘oreha and read ẓe‘ireha. dung.¹⁶⁰Ezek. 4, 15, written ẓefu‘ë and read ẓefi‘ë. [38b]

Rebbi Eleazar said, they accepted the tithes voluntarily. What is the reason? (Neh. 10:1) “In view of all this, we execute a contract and sign.” How does Rebbi Eleazar uphold (10:37): “The first-born of our cattle and flock”? Since they accepted upon themselves matters they were not obligated for, even matters they were obligated for the Omnipresent credited to them as if they were accepted voluntarily.