Rambam - Sefer HaMitzvos: Positive Mitzvot 126 and 129: Positive Mitzvot 126 and 129

Positive Mitzvah 126: The Priestly Portion
Deuteronomy 18:4 "The first portion...you shall give him"

(This Mitzvah applies only in Eretz Yisrael.)

A Jew is commanded to give the priest the first portion of grain, wine and oil.

Our Sages also included in this Positive Mitzvah the obligation to give him portions from other produce as well.

Positive Mitzvah 129: The Levite's Priestly Gifts
Numbers 18:26 "Speak to the Levites...then you shall offer up from it a gift for the L-rd, a tenth part of the tithe"

(This Mitzvah applies only in Eretz Yisrael.)

Sammy was a young boy who came from a family of eight children.

His allowance was small, compared with that of his friends, and he could not treat them at the candy store like his other friends often did.

One Purim, Sammy's class put on a play in a home for the elderly.

Sammy had the main part. The people loved the play and when it was over, the director of the home presented Sammy with a box of chocolate.

Sammy was delighted to share the chocolate with his friends, even though it was intended just for him. He was pleased with the opportunity to give others from the candy that the director gave him.

The Levites serving HaShem in the Beit HaMikdash are also awarded an opportunity of fulfilling the Mitzvah of "giving a tithe" that HaShem commanded the rest of the Jews. Though the Levites do not own land, they were also granted the chance to give.

They are commanded to separate a tithe from the portion they receive and give it to the priest (see Positive Mitzvah 127).

Thus, they too, can share with others.

The natural state of Man, the way G-d created him, is to be happy. Look at children and you will see.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com