Tithes & Alms

Isaiah 58:3-12

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Ahayah? 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of Ahayah shall be thy rereward. 9 Then shalt thou call, and Ahayah shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And Ahayah shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

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Shepherd of Hermas Parable 5 

1:1 As I was fasting and seated on a certain mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all that He had done unto me, I see the shepherd seated by me and saying; "Why hast thou come hither in the early morn?" "Because, Sir," say I, "I am keeping a station." 2 "What," saith he, "is a station?" "I am fasting, Sir," say I. "And what," saith he, "is this fast that ye are fasting?" "As I was accustomed, Sir," say I, "so I fast." 3 "Ye know not," saith he, "how to fast unto the Lord, neither is this a fast, this unprofitable fast which ye make unto Him." "wherefore, Sir," say I, "sayest thou this?" "I tell thee," saith he, "that this is not a fast, wherein ye think to fast; but I will teach thee what is a complete fast and acceptable to the Lord. Listen," saith he; 4 "Alahayim desireth not such a vain fast; for by so fasting unto Alahayim thou shalt do nothing for righteousness. But fast thou unto Alahayim such a fast as this; 5 do no wickedness in thy life, and serve the Lord with a pure heart; observe His commandments and walk in His ordinances, and let no evil desire rise up in thy heart; but believe Alahayim. Then, if thou shalt do these things, and fear Him, and control thyself from every evil deed, thou shalt live unto Alahayim; and if thou do these things, thou shalt accomplish a great fast, and one acceptable to Alahayim.

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What Can We Add Unto A True Fast?

Shepard of Hermas Parable 5

2:1 "Hear the parable which I shall tell thee relating to fasting. 2 A certain man had an estate, and many slaves, and a portion of his estate he planted as a vineyard; and choosing out a certain slave who was trusty and wellpleasing and held in honor, he called him to him and saith unto him; "Take this vineyard [which I have planted], and fence it till I come, but do nothing else to the vineyard. Now keep this my commandment, and thou shalt be free in my house." Then the master of the servant went away to travel abroad. 3 When then he had gone away, the servant took and fenced the vineyard; and having finished the fencing of the vineyard, he noticed that the vineyard was full of weeds. 4 So he reasoned within himself, saying, "This command of my Adọnọ I have carried out I will next dig this vineyard, and it shall be neater when it is digged; and when it hath no weeds it will yield more fruit, because not choked by the weeds." He took and digged the vineyard, and all the weeds that were in the vineyard he plucked up. And that vineyard became very neat and flourishing, when it had no weeds to choke it. 5 After a time the master of the servant and of the estate came, and he went into the vineyard. And seeing the vineyard fenced neatly, and digged as well, and all the weeds plucked up, and the vines flourishing, he rejoiced exceedingly at what his servant had done. 6 So he called his beloved son, who was his heir, and the friends who were his advisers, and told them what he had commanded his servant, and how much he had found done. And they rejoiced with the servant at the testimony which his master had borne to him. 7 And he saith to them; "I promised this servant his freedom, if he should keep the commandment which I commanded him; but he kept my commandment and did a good work besides to my vineyard, and pleased me greatly. For this work therefore which he has done, I desire to make him joint-heir with my son, because, when the good thought struck him, he did not neglect it, but fulfilled it." 8 In this purpose the son of the master agreed with him, that the servant should be made joint-heir with the son. 9 After some few days, his master made a feast, and sent to him many dainties from the feast. But when the servant received the dainties sent to him by the master, he took what was sufficient for him, and distributed the rest to his fellow servants. 10 And his fellow-servants, when they received the dainties, rejoiced, and began to pray for him, that he might find greater favor with the master, because he had treated them so handsomely. 11 All these things which had taken place his master heard, and again rejoiced greatly at his deed. So the master called together again his friends and his son, and announced to them the deed that he had done with regard to his dainties which he had received; and they still more approved of his resolve, that his servant should be made joint-heir with his son."

3:1 I say, "Sir, I understand not these parables, neither can I apprehend them, unless thou explain them for me." 2 "I will explain everything to thee," saith he; "and will show thee whatsoever things I shall speak with thee. Keep the commandments of the Lord, and thou shalt be well-pleasing to Alahayim, and shalt be enrolled among the number of them that keep His commandments. 3 But if thou do any good thing outside the commandment of Alahayim, thou shalt win for thyself more exceeding glory, and shalt be more glorious in the sight of Alahayim than thou wouldest otherwise have been. If then, while thou keepest the commandments of Alahayim, thou add these services likewise, thou shalt rejoice, if thou observe them according to my commandment." 4 I say to him, "Sir, whatsoever thou commandest me, I will keep it; for I know that thou art with me." "I will be with thee," saith he, "because thou hast so great zeal for doing good; yea, and I will be with all," saith he, "whosoever have such zeal as this. 5 This fasting," saith he, "if the commandments of the Lord are kept, is very good. This then is the way, that thou shalt keep this fast which thou art about to observe. 6 First of all, keep thyself from every evil word and every evil desire, and purify thy heart from all the vanities of this world. If thou keep these things, this fast shall be perfect for thee. 7 And thus shalt thou do. Having fulfilled what is written, on that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing but bread and water; and from thy meats, which thou wouldest have eaten, thou shalt reckon up the amount of that day's expenditure, which thou wouldest have incurred, and shalt give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to one in want, and so shalt thou humble thy soul, that he that hath received from thy humiliation may satisfy his own soul, and may pray for thee to the Lord. 8 If then thou shalt so accomplish this fast, as I have commanded thee, thy sacrifice shall be acceptable in the sight of Alahayim, and this fasting shall be recorded; and the service so performed is beautiful and joyous and acceptable to the Lord.

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• Alahayim willing, this information helped understand what a true fast is. For further edification on whom to give and not to give, please check out the website tab on "Tithes & Alms:" https://www.hebrewreaders.com/tithing-alms ​​