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Our Community Approach to Giving

Tithe • Offering • Freewill Offering

(A Torah-aligned explanation for today)

We believe giving should never be confusing, manipulative, or rooted in fear. In our community, giving is about responsibility, care, and shared purpose, not pressure or religious control. For clarity and accountability, we recognize three distinct forms of giving, each with its own purpose and boundaries: the tithe, the offering, and the freewill offering. These are not interchangeable, and we do not blur them.

The Tithe (מַעֲשֵׂר – Ma‘aser)

What it was

The tithe was not a general “give-to-the-leader” system. 

In Torah culture, the tithe had three primary purposes, depending on the year:

A.

Support of the Levites

• The Levites did not receive land inheritance

• Their role was service, instruction, guarding sacred knowledge

• The tithe sustained them so they could serve the people full-time

Important point:

The tithe supported function, not status. Since this office of the Levitical office is no longer widely acknowledged today, this doesn’t remove the need for its functioning in today’s time. Leaders are still looked to for the function 

of the Levitical order because of the state that we are in today.

B.

Care for the vulnerable

• The poor

• The widow

• The fatherless

• The stranger WITHIN the gates (THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CULTURALLY)

This was COMMUNAL economic justice, not charity theater to those outside of the community.

C.

Community stability

The tithe ensured:

• No one starved

• Teachers were not forced into neglecting instruction (due to their family obligations, not feeding the Supreme King Yhwh people with what is needed, even today)

• Justice remained centralized and accountable

Key cultural truth

The tithe was not optional, but it was also not abused.

It was regulated, visible, and accountable.

Purpose: Community care and sustaining instruction. 

In ancient Israel, the tithe was a communal responsibility, not a personal donation to a leader. Its primary role was to ensure that no one within the community was neglected and that those laboring in instruction were able to serve without abandonment of their duty.

In today’s context, the tithe is directed primarily toward:

• Community needs and assistance

• Ministry-related infrastructure that directly serves people

• Care for vulnerable members of the communityA measured portion of the tithe may be used to support those who labor heavily in teaching,

guidance, and oversight when that labor limits their ability to provide for themselves in other ways. This support exists so that the people remain served—not so that leadership is elevated.

The Offering (קָרְבָּן – Qorban)

What it was

An offering was purpose-based, not percentage-based.

Offerings were given:

• For specific needs

• For repairs

• For journeys

• For sacred service

• For communal projects

Offerings were situational, not recurring obligations.

Cultural function

Offerings addressed immediate or designated needs:

• Building

• Travel

• Teaching tools

• Hospitality

• Sacred gatherings

Applying the Offering Today

An offering can rightly support:

• Teaching materials

• Conferences

• Outreach

• Ministry expenses

• Community projects

It may support the leader, but:

• Only as it relates to a specific task

• Not as an assumed entitlement

An offering supports the work, not the title.

How we apply the offering today:

Offerings are given toward clearly identified purposes, such as:

• Educational materials

• Conferences or gatherings

• Outreach efforts

• Operational needs tied directly to ministry work

Offerings may support leadership only as it relates to a defined task or work, not as an assumed

entitlement.

The Freewill Offering (נְדָבָה – Nedabah)

What it was

This is the most misunderstood—and most abused—today.

A freewill offering was:

• Voluntary

• Spirit-prompted

• Not commanded

• Not pressured

• Not publicly leveraged

It was given because the heart desired to give, not because it was requested.

Cultural function

Freewill offerings expressed:• Gratitude

• Honor

• Personal conviction

• Desire to participate beyond obligation

Applying the Freewill Offering Today

This is the only category that can rightly go directly to a leader without restriction

It must:

• Never be demanded

• Never be guilt-driven

• Never be tied to promises of blessing

If someone gives freely to the leader, it is between them and the Supreme King Yah.

How we apply the freewill offering today:

• A freewill offering may be given to the community or directly to leadership

• It must never be demanded or “suggested”

• It carries no promises, expectations, or spiritual leverage. 

Freewill offerings are a matter between the giver and the Supreme King Yah alone.

A Note on Transparency and Trust

We do not teach giving through fear, guilt, or threats of loss. We do not promise blessings in exchange for money. We believe giving should be informed, willing, and purposeful.

Each category of giving exists to protect:

• The people from exploitation

• The leadership from corruption

• The community from imbalance. 

Why All Three Matter Today

In today’s world, community care, shared responsibility, and sustainability still matter. 

When handled correctly:

• The tithe protects the vulnerable

• The offering advances the work

• The freewill offering preserves sincerity and freedom. 

Together, they allow a community to function without coercion and without neglect.

“The tithe exists first for the care of the people — especially the vulnerable.

When those who teach and guide must give a large portion of their time to the community, a measured part of the tithe may support them so their households are not harmed by their service. This support has limits, is reviewed, and never replaces our responsibility to care for the needy"

How to Give

We make giving simple and secure. Choose one of the options below:

CashApp:
Send your tithes, offerings, or freewill offerings to $HouseOfBalance

OR

Zelle:
Send your tithes, offerings, or freewill offerings to Houseofbalance12@gmail.com

SECONDARY OPTIONS BELOW:

RECURRING Contributions or donations:
Set up a monthly gift and partner with us in ongoing ministry work

OPTIONS FOR RECURRING DONATIONS ARE BELOW

May the Supreme King Yhwh Tsebah'ot Elohayee Ab'raham, Elohayee Yits'chaq, Elohayee Yis'rah'ayl/Ya'aqob bless you and multiply your blessings as you give with a joyful heart. 

Every gift, big or small, makes a lasting difference. We are deeply grateful for your support.
 

Contact Info:

Questions or prayer requests? 

Email us at Houseofbalance12@gmail.com,

Click the icon below the recurring donation options

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