Tithing is ... Tithing in Ancient Rus

Tithing acted as a measure of a piece of land that had the form of a rectangular parallelogram with two variants of its sides:

• 80 and 30 fathoms - "thirty";
• 60 and 40 fathoms - the "fortieth".

It was given the name of "official tithes" and made the main Russian measure of the land.

Interpretation of this concept

Tithe is a Russian unit of measurement in ancient times in relation to the land area, which was equated to 2,400 square fathoms (about 1.09 hectares) and was used in Russia before the introduction of a special metric system.

Also it is necessary to define the term "sazhen" - the Russian measure of length, which is determined by the average size of the human body. So, for example, a small sazhen - from the shoulder to the floor, and oblique - from the inside of the foot of the left foot to the upper point of the fingers of the raised right hand.

Facts from the history of this concept

It is known that at the end of the XV century the land area was measured in two quarters. The tithe of the earth was a geometric figure, like a square with sides equal to 1/10 versts (2500 sq. Fathoms). In accordance with the boundary instruction, dating from 1753, its size was equivalent to 2,400 square fathoms (1,0925 ha).

Typology of the Old Russian land measure

During the late XVIII - early XX centuries. Tithing was also applied, the area of which was represented by such varieties as:

1. The slanting is 80 by 40 fathoms (3200 squares).
2. Round - 60 by 60 fathoms (3600 squares).
3. The hundredth is 100 by 100 fathoms (10,000 squares).
4. Melon - 80 on 10 sazhens (800 squares), etc.

Then, at the end of the October Revolution, in view of 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 measure of tithe was limited in use, and from September 1, 1927, it was banned altogether.

Together with it, other common units of measurement were left in the past:

• Vertosh (0,045 m);
• Arshin (0.71 m);
• Verst (1,06 km);
• Sazhen (2.13 m).

It is worth recalling once again that the tithe of land was equal in translation to our units of measurement of 1.09 hectares.

Another aspect of the use of the concept under consideration

Tithe in Ancient Rus is also a kind of tax, levied in favor of the clergy, authorities or religious community. To collect it at the chairs of the bishops, there was even a special official - a ten's.

At that time, tithing was also a small-size district in the dioceses, which were administered by the above-mentioned officials, and then - by the priest's elders. In addition to these, in these districts, after the Stoglav cathedral , priests of the priests appear, carrying out some of the duties of the above official. They were chosen in Moscow in the beginning of the XVIII century.

Origin of the term in question

It is worth recalling once again that the tithe in Ancient Rus is a tribute paid by the Rusichi horde in the era of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The management system in those days was represented by such posts as the foreman, centurion, thousandir, prince. And in this form it existed more than one hundred years. As it became clear, this system has a single root word - a ten's manager. This is not a random moment.

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 settling various kinds of issues within the community and representing her interests within the village, hundreds, etc. He was helped by the rest of the community - the peasants.

This support was of a physical nature - working out additional time in the tenant's household, and some kind of material transfer of part of his crop. Thus, 1 tithe was 10% of either working time or harvested crop. This acted as a so-called mite, which was introduced by every member of the community, except for the ten's manager himself, into a common cause.

Material form of tithing

It could be fruits, and grain, and vegetables, and wine, and later animals, which were regarded as the product of the earth. Never considered the tribute acted as money, since the law of Moses prescribed that it belongs to the Lord from all the products of the earth. The money was used exclusively for its purchase in the city and never acted as a replacement equivalent.

Tithe - it was a tribute in the form of animals and earthly gifts. Nowhere is it indicated in the scriptures that these can be banknotes or bank checks that need to be put on a church tray every week, as happens in modern church institutions with the appropriate cathedrals.

Tithe: this is how much

It is known that according to the biblical texts, Israel was commanded to sacrifice tithes for seven years. It was divided into three types. According to the Old Testament, the first tithe was transferred 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 was 10 - 90% of the remainder after the transfer of tithes to the Levites. She was eaten before the Lord. This tithe was separated only for the first, second, fourth and fifth year. The third - was given to the poor in the amount of 10 - 90%. The form of tribute considered was postponed only for the third and sixth year. None of its species was transferred to the seventh (Saturday) year.

Answer the question: "Tithing is how much?" - in the modern aspect even the church ministers themselves are hampered.

The history of tithing in Christianity

For the first time this concept was heard from the Old Testament. This mention was made in the context of the fact that all the gifts of the Earth belong to the Lord, and the retention of even the smallest part of it was regarded as an act of stealing from God. No believer even thought of not giving tithes.

In the era of the Old Testament there was no temple or church, so Noah, Abel and other believers made a donation in favor of the tithes directly under the open sky. It was allowed, if desired, to build a personal altar for each person, where it was possible to pay tribute to God.

However, after a while, the Lord chose the people and specific people for performing services and the procedure for collecting tithing. All without exception brought it during the wanderings of Moses three times during the year.

Thus, the tithe is a kind of help to the temple, consisting in the maintenance of its activities and ministry, which served as a salary for the priests, as well as for their assistants, preaching both in the houses and in the temple.

Such ceremonies were carried out before the coming of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion on Calvary. After this kind of sacrifice, the temple in Kalwaria was destroyed, and some Christians interpreted it as the abolition of tithing. However, in the New Testament you can see that it has not been canceled. Even in the absence of temples, tithing was still given, because it was an indispensable means for the worldly existence of both clergymen and religion as a whole. It has become not so much a means to ensure life, as a kind of a symbol of faith and obedience.

Tithes were collected for priests and apostles, broadcasting their sermons both in Jerusalem and throughout the world. To confirm the words of Jesus regarding the continuation of the laws on its collection contained in the texts of the Old Testament, the adherents of Christianity give an example from his speech: "I did not break, but fulfilled."

The value of 10 in Christianity

It expresses a kind of perfection in relation to the divine order and acts as the third number in the sacred chain - 3, 7, 10. The figure "ten" indicates the absence of a flaw that the complete cycle is completed. And the tribute in question expresses just as much as is necessary.

We can emphasize the following points in the sacred history, marked by the number 10, namely:

1. Completion of the era of antiquity Noah occurred in the tenth century (Gen.

2. Ten basic sacred commandments in Christianity.

3. The Lord's prayer consists of ten main points.

4. In the role of tithing, it was presented what man should give to God.

5. The redemption of the soul was expressed in 10 ger. (0.5 shekel).

6. The cycle of God's judgment over Egypt was presented with ten sores (Ex. 9:14).

7. The power of the Antichrist implied 10 kingdoms, expressed by the ten horns of the fourth beast and the ten fingers of the toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar. There were ten nations that Abraham would have to have by promise.

8. 10 Cover covered the tabernacle (Ex. 26: 1).

9. Fire from heaven descended exactly 10 times.

10. Ten virgins express the fullness of the called: faithful and unfaithful.

Thus, this number was chosen by the Lord not by chance, since, once again, it is worth recalling that this is the third number associated with perfection.

Afterword

Summing up all the above, we can distinguish three basic definitions of the term in question, in particular:

1. The tithe church performed a tenth of the total income that church institutions charged the population. In Ancient Rus it was established by Prince Vladimir the Holy after the great Baptism of Rus and is destined for the Kiev Tithe Church, and subsequently acquired the color of the universal tax levied by the relevant religious organizations, except for the monasteries.

The church district in Russia served as the tithe, a certain part of the diocese before the beginning of the XVIII century. At the head was a man holding a special post - foreman. His functions since the beginning of 1551 partially migrated to the priests of the priests and priest priests.

3. Tithing of the land is an Old Russian measure of the area of the land plot. From the end of the 15th century it was originally calculated in two quarters and had the form of a square, the sides of which were equal to 0.1 versts (2500 sq. Fathoms). Subsequently, according to the boundary instruction, dated 1753, the measure of land in question was equivalent to 2,400 square fathoms (1,0925 ha).

As for the modern perception of this biblical law regarding tithing, each believer decides for himself whether he should give the above tribute or not and in what size.