In the Jewish system it was required that beneficence should first be shown to the Lord. At the harvest and the vintage the first fruits of the field—the corn, the wine, and the oil—were to be consecrated as an offering to the Lord. The gleanings and the corners of the fields were reserved for the poor. Our gracious heavenly Father did not neglect the wants of the poor. The first fruits of the wool when the sheep were shorn, of the grain when the wheat was threshed, were to be offered to the Lord; and it was commanded that the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the strangers, be invited to their feasts. At the close of every year all were required to make solemn oath whether or not they had done according to the command of God. {4T 77.2}

Under den jødiske husholdning blev det krævet, at godgørenhed først skulle vises over for Herren. Ved indhøstningen og i vinhøsten skulle markens førstegrøde kornet og vinen og olien helliges som et offer til Herren. Sanke efter og markens yderkanter var forbeholdt de fattige. Vor nådige himmelske Fader overså ikke de fattiges tarv. Førstegrøden af ulden, når fårene klippedes og af kornet, når hveden blev tærsket, skulle ofres til Herren; og det var påbudt, at de fattige, enkerne, de faderløse og de fremmede skulle indbydes til deres højtider, Ved hvert års udgang skulle alle lægge højtidelig ed på, hvorvidt de havde gjort alt efter Guds befaling eller ikke.