Tithing acted as a measure of a plot of land in the form of a rectangular parallelogram with two variants of its sides:
- 80 and 30 fathoms - “thirty”;
- 60 and 40 sazhens - “magpie”.
She was given the name "tithe" and made the main Russian measure of land.
Interpretation of this concept
Tithing is a Russian unit of measure in ancient times in relation to land area, which was equivalent to 2400 square fathoms (about 1.09 hectares) and was used in Russia before the introduction of the special metric system.
It is also worthwhile to define the term “fathom” - a Russian measure of length, which is determined by the average size of a person’s body. So, for example, small fathom - from the shoulder to the floor, and oblique - from the inside of the left foot to the upper point of the fingers of the raised right hand.
Facts from history regarding this concept
It is known that at the end of the 15th century it was customary to measure land area in two quarters. The tithe of the earth was such a geometric figure as a square with sides equal to 1/10 versts (2500 sq. Fathoms). In accordance with the boundary instruction dated 1753, its size was equal to 2400 square fathoms (1.0925 ha).
Typology of Old Russian land measure
In the period of the late XVIII - early XX centuries. tithe was also used, the area of which was represented by such varieties as:
- Oblique - 80 for 40 fathoms (3200 squares).
- Round - 60 to 60 fathoms (3600 squares).
- Hundredth - 100 per 100 fathoms (10,000 squares).
- Melon - 80 per 10 fathoms (800 squares), etc.
Then, at the end of the October Revolution, due to the transition to the metric system, according to the decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR dated September 14, 1918, the tithe measure was limited in use, and from September 1, 1927 it was forbidden at all.
Together with it, other units of measurement common at that time remained in the past:
- apex (0.045 m);
- arshin (0.71 m);
- verst (1.06 km);
- fathom (2.13 m).
It is worth recalling once again that the tithe of the earth was equal to 1.09 hectares in our units of measurement.
Another aspect of the use of the concept under consideration
Tithing in Ancient Russia is also a kind of tax levied in favor of the clergy, authorities, or religious community. For its collection at the departments of the bishops there even existed a special official - a decimal.
In that era, tithing is also a district of small size in dioceses, which were administered by the above officials, and then by the priests. In addition to them, in these districts, after the Stoglavy Cathedral , dozens of priests appear, carrying out some of the duties of the above official. They were chosen in Moscow at the beginning of the XVIII century.
The origin of the term in question
It is worth recalling once again that tithe in Ancient Russia is a tribute paid to the horde by the Rus in the era of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The management system in those days was represented by such positions as the ten's manager, centurion, thousand-strong, prince. And in this form, it has existed for more than one hundred years. As it has already become clear, in this system there is a single-root word - ten's manager. This is not a coincidence.
This word means an elected position, that is, one candidate is selected from ten well-known to each other, for example, peasants. This person was engaged in the settlement of various kinds of issues within the given community and represented its interests within the village, hundreds, etc. The other members of the community, peasants, helped him.
This support was both physical in nature - working out the extra time on the ten's farm, as well as some kind of material - transferring part of its crop. Thus, 1 tithe was equal to 10% of either the working time or the harvest. This was the so-called mite, which was introduced by each member of the community, except the ten's manager, into the common cause.
The material form of tithing
It could be fruits, and grain, and vegetables, and wine, and later animals, which were regarded as a product of the earth. The tribute in question never acted as money, since the Law of Moses stipulates that it belongs to the Lord from all the works of the earth. Money was used exclusively for its purchase in the city and never acted as a substitute equivalent.
Tithing was a tribute in the form of animals and gifts of the earth. Nowhere in the scriptures is it indicated that these may be banknotes or bank checks, which must be put on the church tray every week, as is the case in modern church institutions with the respective cathedrals.
Tithing: how much
It is known that, according to biblical texts, Israel was commanded to sacrifice tithe for seven years. It was divided into three species. According to the Old Testament, the first tithe was given to priests and Levites in the amount of 10 - 100% of the total aggregate of the land for the first six-year cycle.
The second - was given on holidays and amounted to 10 - 90% of the remaining part after the transfer of tithing to the Levites. She ate in front of the Lord. This tithe was separated only in the first, second, fourth and fifth year. The third - was given to the poor in the amount of 10 - 90%. The tribute in question was postponed exclusively to the third and sixth year. None of its species was carried over to the seventh (Saturday) year.
Answer the question: “Tithing is how much?” - in the modern aspect, even the church officials themselves are at a loss.
The History of Tithing in Christianity
For the first time this concept was heard from the Old Testament. This reference was made in the context of the fact that all the gifts of the Earth belong to the Lord, and the retention of even its smallest part was regarded as an act of theft from God. Not a single believer was even visited by the thought of not tithes.
In the Old Testament era, there was no temple or church, which is why Noah, Abel and other believers made a donation to the tithes directly in the open. It was allowed, if desired, to each person to build a personal altar, where tribute to God could be brought.
However, after some time, the Lord chose the people and specific people for worship and the procedure for collecting tithing. All, without exception, brought her during the wandering period of Moses three times during the year.
Thus, tithing is a kind of help to the temple, which consists in supporting its activities and ministry, which acted as a salary for priests, as well as their assistants, preaching both in houses and in the temple.
Such rituals were performed before the coming of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion at Calvary. After this kind of sacrifice, the destruction of the temple in Calvary followed, and some Christians interpreted this as the abolition of tithing. However, in the New Testament you can see that no one has canceled it. Even in the absence of temples, tithing was still continued to be given, because it was a necessary means for the secular existence of both clergy and religion in general. It has become not so much a means of ensuring livelihoods as a kind of symbol of faith and humility.
Tithing gathered for priests and apostles, broadcasting their sermons both in Jerusalem and around the world. To confirm the words of Jesus regarding the continued existence of the laws on its collection, contained in the texts of the Old Testament, adherents of Christianity cite an example from his speech: “I came not to break, but to fulfill.”
The value of the number 10 in Christianity
It expresses a kind of perfection in relation to the divine order and appears as the third number in the sacred chain - 3, 7, 10. The number "ten" indicates the absence of a lack that the complete cycle is completed. And the tribute in question expresses exactly as much as necessary.
We can emphasize the following moments in the sacred history, marked by the number 10, namely:
1. The end of the era of antiquity by Noah occurred in the X century (Gen. 5).
2. The Ten Fundamental Sacred Commandments in Christianity.
3. The prayer of the Lord consists of ten main points.
4. In the role of tithing was presented what a person should give to God.
5. The atonement of the soul was expressed in 10 ger. (0.5 shekels).
6. The cycle of God's judgment on Egypt was presented in ten sores (Exodus 9:14).
7. The power of the Antichrist implied 10 kingdoms expressed by ten horns of the fourth beast and ten toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar. There were ten nations that Abraham would have to have according to the promise.
8.10 The veils covered the tabernacle (Ex. 26: 1).
9. The fire descended from heaven exactly 10 times.
10. By the ten virgins they express the fullness of the called: faithful and unfaithful.
Thus, this number was not chosen by the Lord by chance, since, once again, it is worth recalling that this is the third number in conjunction with perfection.
Afterword
Summing up all the above, three main definitions of the term in question can be distinguished, in particular:
1. A tenth of the total income, which was collected by church institutions from the population, was the church tithe. In Ancient Russia, it was established by Prince Vladimir the Holy after the great Baptism of Russia and is intended for the Kiev Tithe Church, and subsequently acquired the color of the widespread tax levied by the relevant religious organizations, except for monasteries.
2. The church district in Russia, a certain part of the diocese until the beginning of the 18th century, served as the tithe. At the head was a man holding a special position - a ten's manager. Since the beginning of 1551, its functions have partially migrated to dozens of priests and priests elders.
3. Tithing of land - an old Russian measure of the area of a land plot. Since the end of the 15th century, it was originally calculated in two quarters and had the appearance of a square, the sides of which were 0.1 versts (2500 sq. Fathoms). Subsequently, according to the boundary instruction dated 1753, the considered measure of land was equated to 2400 square fathoms (1.0925 ha).
As for the modern perception of this biblical law regarding tithing, each believer decides for himself whether he should pay the tribute considered above or not and to what extent.