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Why did Avrohom give maaser on spoils of war while Yitzchok gave maaser on crops? The Raavad sees maaser as emulating God's kindness—just as parnasa is an unearned gift, we give to others. The Rambam (רמב"ם) sees it as ground rent to God, ensuring recipients feel no dependence on human givers. Each approach reflects the giver's character: Avrohom's chesed (חסד) versus Yitzchok's self-earned dignity.
This shiur analyzes the fundamental disagreement between the Rambam (רמב"ם) and the Raavad regarding who instituted the mitzvah (מצוה) of maaser (tithing). The Rambam holds that Yitzchok instituted maaser, citing the verse in Parshas Toldos where Yitzchok planted and found a hundredfold yield, which Rashi (רש"י) explains was assessed for tithing purposes. The Raavad, however, argues that Avrohom instituted maaser when he gave ten percent of the spoils of war to Malchizedek after defeating the four kings. The Kesef Mishneh defends the Rambam by distinguishing between spoils of war and regular produce, but Rabbi Zweig asks: the Raavad surely knew this was war spoils, so why does he consider it the source for maaser? The answer reveals a profound understanding of what maaser represents.
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Bereishis 26:12 (Parshas Toldos), Bereishis 14:20
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