Mandatory Fun
lesson on Parashah 47; Re’eh (See)
by MMin Kevin “Oriyan” Phipps

 When I originally gave this message, I was still in the military. This was where I first heard the term “mandatory fun”. This is how that came about. We did very well, made our supervision look good, and so they gave us a day of fun. There were games, activities, food, and good times had by all. However, we had to be there. It was not a day off, rather, the park where the picnic was held was called an alternate duty location. In other words, yesterday the picnic was our job. This is what we call mandatory fun. Lest you think this would only happen in the military, let's read part of this week's parashah again.

"Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces in the field, and eat it in the presence of ADONAI your God. In the place where he chooses to have his name live you will eat the tenth of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep, so that you will learn to fear ADONAI your God always. But if the distance is too great for you, so that you are unable to transport it,because the place where ADONAI chooses to put his name is too far away from you; then, when ADONAI your God prospers you, you are to convert it into money, take the money with you, go to the place which ADONAI your God will choose, and exchange the money for anything you want - cattle, sheep, wine, other intoxicating liquor, or anything you please - and you are to eat there in the presence of ADONAI your God,
and enjoy yourselves, you and your household. [D'varim/Deuteronomy 14:22-26]

This is God's mandatory fun. I think many people would be surprised at the idea of God commanding His people to buy intoxicating liquor and drink it in His presence. Actually, I did a little research and found out what is actually going on here. First, there are three different kinds of tithes in Israel. One is the regular tenth which went to the cohenim. They had no inheritance in Israel, so they relied on the tithe of the people for their survival. Actually, this was more a payment for services rendered since the office of the priesthood involved service to both God and Israel. This tithe is called Ma'aser Rishon, the first tithe.

The next tithe is what I just read in the passage above. It is the Ma'aser Sheni, or second tithe. This was an annual tithe of an additional tenth set aside for use by the person setting aside the tithe and his family. The place mentioned in the passage is Jerusalem, the place where the temple would be built and thus the place where God would dwell. This tithe was set aside to be used specifically during the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Note, they were festivals. They were also moadim, appointed feasts. In other words, mandatory fun. Israel was given a sabbatical year every seventh year, so they had a seven year cycle with the annual tithes. The Ma'aser Sheni was set aside on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th years of the cycle.

The third tithe was the Ma'aser Ani, or the poor tithe. This was set aside the same way the Ma'aser Sheni was, only it was done on the 3rd and 6th years of the cycle. There was to be no poor in Israel. This tithe as well as other laws in Torah are important lessons to us of God's love and concern for the poor. God's mandatory fun is to be enjoyed by all of Israel, not just those who can afford it. In a seven year period, one tenth of all the produce of Israel would be given to the Levi'im. Approximately 6.6% would be set aside for the festivals. Also approximately 3.3% would be used to help the poor in the land.

When it comes to tithing, I think it is a personal decision between a person and God. There are many things to consider, such as the fact we have no cohenim to support with the tenth. If they are not here to need it, do we need to give it? Can the local congregation legitimately take the place of the levi'im in that tithe? If so, should we give that tithe and the others giving 20%? What about the seven year cycle and the sabbatical year? We live in a very different culture, one which we as the people of God do not control, so it can be nearly impossible to follow some of these laws the way Israel did. Do we ignore them then? No. Jewish
people have always followed Torah in whatever ways they could in the given situations they find
themselves in. If there are things they can't do, they either improvise or they don't worry about it, but at the same time work toward being able to change their situation so they can follow Torah the way God prescribes. This is not a lesson on tithing, however. This is about having joy in our lives because God commands it of us, and what we must do to have it. Take a look at this passage later in the parashah. Referring to observing the festival of Sukkot, God says this to Israel.

Seven days you are to keep the festival for ADONAI your God in the place ADONAI your God will choose, because ADONAI your God will bless you in all your crops and in all your work, so you are to be full of joy! [D'varim/Deuteronomy 16:15]

And what if this was not followed?

"All these curses will come on you, pursuing you and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you didn't pay attention to what ADONAI your God said, observing his mitzvot and regulations that he gave you. These curses will be on you and your descendants as a sign and a wonder forever. Because you didn't serve ADONAI your God with joy and gladness in your heart when you had such an abundance of everything; ADONAI will send your enemy against you; and you will serve him when you are hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed and lacking everything; he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he destroys you. [D'varim/Deuteronomy 28:45-48]

Some may think that they need to have prosperity before they can rejoice in it. Keep in mind that these laws are given to Israel in the wilderness. God is providing their needs, but they do not have the kind of prosperity they will later experience after they arrive in the Promised Land. You don't have to be a Donald Trump or Bill Gates to be prosperous. In fact most of us are more prosperous than we may think. Count your blessings and you will find plenty to be joyful about.

There is another aspect to this. The command states that if a person has too much to bring with them on the journey to the place where God designates, thus making the journey too long and difficult, the person could sell his tithe for money, then buy what he needs when he gets to where God wants him to be. What happens in this is the community where the person comes from benefits from the produce being sold, the traveler then has an easier journey and is actually able to get to his destination, then the money from the tithe is able to be used to benefit the person later when he buys what he needs to participate in the festival. Compare that to these scriptures.

My Father's house are many places to live. If there weren't, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. [Jochanan/John 14:2-3]

"Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also. [Mattityahu/Matthew 6:19-21]

Have you ever gone hiking and taken off some gear, then realized how much weight you were carrying? Have you ever thought that your prosperity can make your journey longer just as much as hardship? As God prospers us, if we keep our prosperity for ourselves, we have to bring it with us on our journey to the kingdom, and we are the only ones to enjoy it. If we share our prosperity with others, we not only share God's light with others, and the blessing that goes with it, but we also end up trading our worldly prosperity heavenly treasure. When Yeshua was talking to the rich man and told him to sell everything he had to the poor, he was sad. This is because he thought all that wealth would be gone, never to be seen again. Little did he know that in doing that he would be making his journey on earth lighter, and storing up treasure in heaven which would be waiting for him to enjoy in the Kingdom. This was less charity and more an investment. Yeshua had more to teach us on this concept of prosperity and joy.

He looked at his talmidim and said: "How blessed are you poor! for the Kingdom of God is yours. "How blessed are you who are hungry! for you will be filled. "How blessed are you who are crying now! for you will laugh. "How blessed you are whenever people hate you and ostracize you and insult you and denounce you as a criminal on account of the Son of Man. Be glad when that happens; yes, dance for joy! because in heaven your reward is great. [Luke 6:20-23]

David had something similar to say.

Tears may linger for the night, but with dawn come cries of joy. Once I was prosperous and used to say, that nothing could ever shake me when you showed me favor, ADONAI, I was firm as a mighty mountain. But when you hid your face, I was struck with terror. I called to you, ADONAI; to ADONAI I pleaded for mercy: "What advantage is there in my death, in my going down to the pit? Can the dust praise you? Can it proclaim your truth? Hear me, ADONAI, and show me your favor! ADONAI, be my helper!" You turned my mourning into dancing! You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent; ADONAI my God, I will thank you forever! [Tehellim/Psalms 30:5-12]

If we follow Torah, God has promised to prosper us. Of course prosperity can come in many forms. However, if you enjoy your prosperity only for yourself, then it is used in this life, nobody else benefits from it, and there is nothing set aside to use in the place Yeshua has promised He is preparing for you. It takes a great deal of trust in God to rely on Him for your prosperity. So as you can see, everything is intertwined. Joy is commanded by God, however, it doesn't work to just “don't worry and be happy”. Joy must be prepared for. Our lives must be altered in order to make room for and cultivate joy in our lives. This comes from living obediently to Torah, which itself requires trust. As we do this more and more in our lives,we learn to use our prosperity God gives us to bless others, thus increasing our prosperity, if not in this world, then certainly in the Kingdom to come.

In the Kingdom, there will be much celebration, feasting, and fun. Participating in the fun is mandatory. If you don't know how to dance, you will learn, and you will like it. If messianic praise music is not your forte, you will eventually gain an ear for it. If you don't drink wine, you will. Apparently Yeshua makes the best. If you like being depressed and bored the Kingdom of God is not the place to go, because even without casinos, the fun will never end. However, we must prepare now. Keep in mind that before the feast of Sukkot, we have the cleansing of Yom Kippur. Our joy cannot be complete with sin in our lives. Joy comes from God, and the closer we draw to God, the more of His joy we experience in our lives. Don't wait until the end of your life to get things straight with God. You won't have much treasure stored up in heaven if you do. Besides, not all the celebrating is reserved for the Kingdom. If we delight ourselves in God, He gives us the desires of our heart. That is now, not in the Kingdom. As we live for Him, he gives us His joy now. Then when people ask you why you are so happy all the time, you tell them, “I am a child of God. It's mandatory.”