Gifts to the Kohen
Giving begins with the recognition that what we possess can serve a purpose greater than ourselves.
The Torah—the divine instruction given through Moses—gives that recognition a practical expression. It designates gifts for the Kohanim, the descendants of Aaron entrusted with Israel’s priesthood. Through these gifts, honoring God becomes part of ordinary life: our food, our families, our livelihoods, and the use of our possessions.
A gift with a purpose
The priestly gifts connect the giver’s acknowledgment of God with the support of those appointed to priestly service. Some set aside the first portion of what we produce; others accompany redemption, offerings, or the dedication of property. Each has its own purpose and conditions.
Explore the gifts
Open a subject below for a brief introduction and links to the individual gift pages.
From the home, the harvest, and the flock
Challah · The first of the dough
A portion of dough is set apart, bringing acknowledgment of God into the preparation of our daily bread.
First fruits and produce
The harvest includes distinct gifts: the first fruits brought to the Temple, the priestly portion of produce, and the priestly portion taken from the Levite’s tithe.
The first shearing of wool
A portion of the flock’s first shearing is given to the Kohen, extending the practice of giving beyond food.
Redemption and gifts from livestock
Redemption of the firstborn son
In the circumstances prescribed by the Torah, a father redeems his firstborn son through a payment of five silver shekels to a Kohen.
Redemption of the firstborn donkey
A firstborn donkey is redeemed with a sheep or goat, which is given to a Kohen, under the conditions of this distinct biblical gift.
The foreleg, cheeks, and maw
These designated portions from qualifying slaughtered cattle, sheep, and goats are given to the Kohen.
Property, dedication, and restitution
Charamim · Dedicating possessions to God
A person may choose to set possessions apart for God. The biblical laws of dedication distinguish gifts designated for the Kohanim from those designated for the Temple.
This gift gives expression to a deeper understanding of ownership: what we have can become part of what we stand for.
Sedeh Achuzah · An ancestral field
A separate gift concerns an ancestral field dedicated to the sanctuary that passes to the Kohanim under the Torah’s prescribed redemption and Jubilee rules. It provides another biblical foundation for land entering priestly ownership.
Explore Sedeh Achuzah: land, stewardship, and priestly inheritance
Restitution when there are no heirs
In the specific biblical case of restitution owed to a deceased convert who has no heirs, the payment is directed to the Kohanim. This is a law of restitution, rather than a general rule for estates without heirs.
The twenty-four priestly gifts
The gifts span both everyday life and the Temple service. The traditional count below offers a view of the whole, with each gift governed by its own laws.
View the complete list of twenty-four gifts
Select a gift to read its article or open a short explanation. The traditional groups below do not mean that every gift applies in every place or circumstance.
Ten associated with the Temple
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Meat of the animal sin offering
The portions of qualifying animal sin offerings assigned to the officiating Kohanim. See Leviticus 6:17–23.
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Meat of the bird sin offering
The bird sin offering belongs to the Kohen according to its prescribed service. See Leviticus 5:7–10 and 6:19.
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Meat of the definite guilt offering
The priestly portion of a guilt offering brought for an established obligation. See Leviticus 7:1–7.
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Guilt offering for uncertain liability
The priestly portion of the offering brought in the prescribed case of uncertainty about a transgression. See Leviticus 5:17–19.
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Communal peace offerings
The two lambs brought with the Shavuot loaves are communal peace offerings assigned to the Kohanim. See Leviticus 23:19–20.
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The log of oil from the metzora’s offering
The remainder of the prescribed measure of oil used in the metzora’s restoration ceremony is a priestly gift. See Leviticus 14:10–18.
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The two loaves of Shavuot
Two loaves from the new wheat harvest are presented on Shavuot and assigned to the Kohanim. See Leviticus 23:17–20.
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The showbread
The twelve loaves placed on the sanctuary table are renewed each Sabbath. The removed loaves belong to Aaron and his sons. See Leviticus 24:5–9.
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Remainders of meal offerings
In qualifying grain offerings, the portion remaining after the altar’s share is taken belongs to the Kohanim. See Leviticus 2:1–3 and 6:7–11.
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The remainder of the Omer offering
The remainder of the barley offering that marks the beginning of the harvest is assigned to the Kohanim after its prescribed service. See Leviticus 23:10–14.
Four associated with Jerusalem
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The firstborn of kosher livestock
The firstborn of qualifying cattle, sheep, and goats is assigned to the Kohen, with its own rules of offering and consumption. See Numbers 18:15–18.
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The first fruits
The first fruits of the Land of Israel’s seven species are brought to the sanctuary in acknowledgment of God’s gift of the land and its harvest. They are received by the Kohen. See Deuteronomy 26:1–11 and Numbers 18:13.
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Priestly portions of peace offerings
This group includes the breast and thigh, the designated breads of the thanksgiving offering, and the designated portions of the Nazirite’s ram. See Leviticus 7:11–14, 28–34 and Numbers 6:19–20.
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Hides of the most holy offerings
The hides of qualifying offerings are assigned to the Kohanim. The Torah expressly identifies the hide of the burnt offering as belonging to the priest. See Leviticus 7:8.
Ten outside the Temple
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Terumah · The priestly portion of produce
A portion of the harvest is set apart for God and given to the Kohen. It includes the first of the grain, wine, and oil. See Numbers 18:12 and Deuteronomy 18:4.
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Terumat ma’aser · The portion of the tithe
From the tithe received by the Levite, a tenth is set apart and given to the Kohen. See Numbers 18:25–32.
- Challah · The portion of dough
- The first shearing of wool
- The foreleg, cheeks, and maw
- Redemption of the firstborn son
- Redemption of the firstborn donkey
- Charamim · Property devoted to the Kohanim
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Sedeh Achuzah · The ancestral field
An ancestral field dedicated to the sanctuary can pass to the Kohanim under the prescribed redemption and Jubilee rules. This is a distinct gift from Charamim. See Leviticus 27:16–21. Read the full Sedeh Achuzah article .
- Restitution owed to a convert who died without heirs
Biblical sources and further reading
- Numbers 18: priestly gifts and the covenant with Aaron.
- Deuteronomy 18:3–5: designated animal portions, produce, and the first shearing.
- Numbers 15:17–21: the first of the dough.
- Exodus 13:11–15: redemption of the firstborn.
- Leviticus 2; 5–7; 14; 23–24: offerings and their priestly portions.
- Deuteronomy 26:1–11: the bringing of first fruits.
- Leviticus 27: dedicated property, ancestral fields, and devoted gifts.
- Numbers 5:5–10: restitution and the priestly recipient.
- Ezekiel 44:30: first gifts and blessing in the home.
- Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits, chapter 1 : the enumeration and grouping of the twenty-four gifts.
An address for giving
Igud HaKohanim helps people understand the priestly gifts and arrange their giving with care. Whether your interest concerns a particular gift, a family occasion, or the dedication of property, we welcome the conversation.
Support the Blessing in the Home
This work is supported through our Ezekiel Vision Fund, dedicated to strengthening kehuna, sacred readiness, Temple consciousness, and the full realization of Israel’s priestly service, so that blessing may rest upon the homes of Israel.
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