Mishneh Torah — Second Tithes & 4th-Year Fruit הלכות מעשר שני ונטע רבעי, Chapter 11

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהִתְוַדּוֹת לִפְני ה' אַחַר שֶׁמּוֹצִיאִין כָּל הַמַּתָּנוֹת שֶׁבְּזֶרַע הָאָרֶץ וְזֶהוּ הַנִּקְרָא וִדּוּי מַעֲשֵׂר:

It is a positive commandment to make a declaration and the tithes are given to the priests and Levites is a result of the Jews' sin. Had that not occurred, these agricultural separations would have been given to the firstborn. before G‑d after all the presents from the agricultural products. (positive commandment 131) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 607) include this commandment among the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. This is called the declaration of the tithes.

וְאֵין מִתְוַדִּין וִדּוּי זֶה אֶלָּא אַחַר הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁמַּפְרִישִׁין בָּהּ מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יב) "כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר" (דברים כו יג) "וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בִּעַרְתִּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִן הַבַּיִת":

This declaration is made only after the year in which the tithe for the poor is separated, as [Deuteronomy 26:12-13] states: "When you complete tithing, and you shall declare before God your Lord: 'I have removed all the sacred substances from the house...'"

אֵימָתַי מִתְוַדִּין. בְּמִנְחָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח שֶׁל רְבִיעִית וְשֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יב) "כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר". בְּרֶגֶל שֶׁכָּל הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת כָּלִים בּוֹ. וְאֵין הַפֶּסַח מַגִּיעַ מִשָּׁנָה רְבִיעִית אֶלָּא כָּל פֵּרוֹת שְׁלִישִׁית נִתְעַשְּׂרוּ בֵּין פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן בֵּין פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ:

When is this declaration made? On the afternoon of the last festival 5:10) which states that the Jews were given the opportunity to partake of the second tithe throughout the Pesach holiday so that they would have ample resources with which to celebrate and partake of this food. For that same reason, the declaration is delayed until the afternoon. of the Pesach holiday 331:159). of the fourth and seventh year, as [the prooftext] states: "When you complete tithing...," i.e., on the festival when all the tithes are completed. Pesach of the fourth year will not arrive before all of the produce - both those that grow from the earth and those that grow from trees - have been tithed.

אֵין מִתְוַדִּין אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם. וְכָל הַיּוֹם כָּשֵׁר לְוִדּוּי הַמַּעֲשֵׂר. וּבֵין בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת חַיָּב לְבַעֵר וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת:

The declaration may only be made during the day. The entire day is appropriate for this declaration. Whether the Temple is standing or not, 1:1, the laws of terumah and the other agricultural requirements apply even if the Temple is not standing. he is obligated to remove [all the agricultural presents from his possession] and make the declaration.

וִדּוּי זֶה נֶאֱמַר בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ" בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר. וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד אוֹמְרוֹ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. וְאִם רָצוּ רַבִּים לְהִתְוַדּוֹת כְּאֶחָד מִתְוַדִּין:

This declaration may be made in any language, 3:10). as [indicated by the prooftext]: "You shall declare before God your Lord," i.e., in any language in which you declare.Each person should make this declaration individually. 331:161). If many desire to recite it together, they may. (Mitzvah 607) which states that the Rambam is speaking about a situation where one person speaks out loud and the others fulfill their obligation by listening.

וּמִצְוָתוֹ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "לִפְנֵי ה'". וְאִם הִתְוַדָּה בְּכָל מָקוֹם יָצָא:

[The proper way of performing] the mitzvah is to recite the declaration in the Temple, as [implied by] the phrase: "before God." [Nevertheless,] if he made the declaration in any other place, he fulfilled his obligation.

אֵינוֹ מִתְוַדֶּה עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר אֶצְלוֹ אַחַת מִן הַמַּתָּנוֹת. שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר בַּוִּדּוּי (דברים כו יג) "בִּעַרְתִּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִן הַבַּיִת". וְעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן הָיָה הַבִּעוּר וּלְמָחָר מִתְוַדִּין:

A person may not make this declaration until he has disposed of all the agricultural presents in his possession. and others question why the removal of the presents from one's property is not considered as an independent mitzvah. For in the declaration he states: "I have removed all the sacred substances from the house." On the day before the final day of the Pesach festival, 5:6 states "The day before the first holiday of the Pesach festival." The Rambam apparently had a different version of that mishnah. The Kessef Mishneh justifies the Rambam's version, explaining that on the passage from the Jerusalem Talmud cited above which explains that the declaration was delayed so that the people would be able to partake of the presents during the festival indicates that they would not have to remove the presents from their possession until the festival's conclusion. one must remove [the last of the presents] and on the following day, the declaration is made.

כֵּיצַד הוּא עוֹשֶׂה. אִם נִשְׁאָר אֶצְלוֹ תְּרוּמָה וּתְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר נוֹתְנָהּ לַכֹּהֵן. מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן נוֹתְנוֹ לְלֵוִי. מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי נוֹתְנוֹ לָעֲנִיִּים. נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶצְלוֹ פֵּרוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל וַדַּאי אוֹ נֶטַע רְבָעִי אוֹ מְעוֹת פְּדִיָּתָן הֲרֵי זֶה מְבַעֲרָן וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לַיָּם אוֹ שׂוֹרֵף. נִשְׁאָר אֶצְלוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל דְּמַאי אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְבַעֲרוֹ. נִשְׁאָר אֶצְלוֹ בִּכּוּרִים הֲרֵי הֵן מִתְבַּעֲרִין בְּכָל מָקוֹם:

What must one do? If he has terumah or terumat ma'aser in his possession, he should give them to a priest. The first tithe should be given to a Levite and tithe of the poor to the poor. If produce that was definitely from the second tithe or neta reva'i 5:6. That mishnah does not mention neta reva'i. Nevertheless, the Rambam adds it because all the laws that apply to the second tithe apply to it (Kessef Mishneh). or money from their redemption remained in his possession, he must destroy it and cast it in the sea or burn it., removal of agricultural presents: giving presents to those to whom they are supposed to be given and destroying, those which one keeps for oneself (ibid.). If the second tithe of demai remains in his possession, he is not obligated to destroy it. If the first fruits remain in his possession, they may be destroyed in any place.

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים שֶׁשּׂוֹרֵף וּמְבַעֵר כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ אֶצְלוֹ פֵּרוֹת שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֶאֱכל כֻּלָּן קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס יוֹם טוֹב. אֲבָל אִם נִשְׁאָר תַּבְשִׁיל שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְנֶטַע רְבָעִי אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבַעֲרוֹ שֶׁהַתַּבְשִׁיל כִּמְבֹעָר. וְכֵן יַיִן וְתַבְלִין הֲרֵי הֵן כִּמְבֹעֲרִין:

When does the obligation to burn and remove apply? When there remains in his possession [fresh] produce that one cannot consume before the commencement of the holiday. If, however, cooked food from the second tithe or neta reva'i remain, it need not be removed, for cooked food is considered as if it was removed. 5:6)]. Similarly, wine and spices are considered as if they were removed.

פֵּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעוּ לְעוֹנַת הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר אֵין מְעַכְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לְהִתְוַדּוֹת וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְבַעֲרָן:

Produce that has not reached the "phase of tithing" 2:5. by the time the removal [of the agricultural presence] arrives does not prevent a person from making a declaration, nor is he obligated to remove them from his possession.

מִי שֶׁהָיוּ פֵּרוֹתָיו רְחוֹקִין מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִגִּיעַ יוֹם הַבִּעוּר הֲרֵי זֶה קוֹרֵא שֵׁם לַמַּתָּנוֹת וּמְזַכֶּה לָהֶן לְבַעְלֵיהֶן עַל גַּב קַרְקַע אוֹ לְמִי שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לָהֶן לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן וּמִתְוַדֶּה לְמָחָר. שֶׁנְּתִינַת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא מַתָּנָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חִזּוּק. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַקְנוֹת לָהֶם הַמַּעֲשֵׂר בַּחֲלִיפִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כִּמְכִירָה. וְהַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת וְהַתְּרוּמוֹת וְהַמַּתָּנוֹת נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן נְתִינָה לֹא מְכִירָה:

When produce belonging to a person was distant from him [when] the time for its removal arrived, 5:9 relates that once when the time to remove produce arrived, Rabban Gamliel was on a sea journey and could not physically give the produce to anyone else. He therefore transferred the presents to other sages in the manner described here. Since Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was a priest, he gave him terumah, Rabbi Yehoshua was a Levite and so he gave him the tithes, and since Rabbi Akiva was a collector of gifts for the poor, he gave him the tithes for the poor. he should designate the presents [appropriately] and transfer them to their owners by giving them together with land., ch. 6, which describes how this transfer of property operates. This means of transfer is used, because this is the only way the ownership of the produce can be given to these individuals without an actual physical transfer. Alternatively, [he may give them to] someone who will acquire them for their owners. He may then recite the declaration the following day.[The rationale is] that transferring movable property to a person together with landed property is a present that has been strengthened. He may not, however, transfer [the produce from] the tithes to them via an exchange,, a legal act that formalizes a transaction. See Hilchot Mechirah, ch. 5, for a description. Although this legal act is frequently employed, it is not appropriate in this instance, because the gift would resemble a sale and not a present. because it resembles a sale and [the Torah] speaks of giving, not selling, the tithes, terumah, and the other presents.

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְוַדּוֹת עַד שֶׁיּוֹצִיא כָּל הַמַּתָּנוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "בִּעַרְתִּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִן הַבַּיִת". הַקֹּדֶשׁ זֶה מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְנֶטַע רְבָעִי הַקָּרוּי קֹדֶשׁ. מִן הַבַּיִת זוֹ חַלָּה שֶׁהִיא הַמַּתָּנָה שֶׁל כֹּהֲנִים בַּבַּיִת. נְתַתִּיו לַלֵּוִי זֶה מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן. וְגַם נְתַתִּיו מִכְּלָל שֶׁקְּדָמַתּוּ מַתָּנָה אַחֶרֶת וְהִיא תְּרוּמָה גְּדוֹלָה וּתְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר. לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה זֶה מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי וְלֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה מְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַוִּדּוּי:

What source teaches that he cannot recite the declaration until he removes all the presents [from his possession]? [It is written:] "I have removed all the sacred substances from the house." "The sacred substances" refers to the second tithe and neta reva'i which are called "sanctified." "From the house" refers to challah, for it is a present given to the priests in one's home. 5:10)]. [The prooftext continues:] "I gave it to the Levite" - this refers to the first tithe. "And I also gave it" - this implies that it was preceded by another present, i.e., the great terumah and terumat ma'aser. "To the stranger, the orphan, and the widow" - this refers to the tithe given to the poor, leket, shichachah, and pe'ah. [The latter three are mentioned] even though [the failure to give them] does not prevent recitation of the declaration., and pe'ah and the other presents. For the Torah does not prescribe giving the latter three to the poor, but rather leaving them for them.

וְצָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ הַמַּתָּנוֹת עַל הַסֵּדֶר וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְוַדֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "כְּכָל מִצְוָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָנִי". הָא אִם הִקְדִּים מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי לְרִאשׁוֹן אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְוַדּוֹת. נִשְׂרַף טִבְלוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְוַדּוֹת שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא הִפְרִישׁ מַתָּנוֹת וְלֹא נְתָנָן לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹתְנִין מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן לַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא הָיוּ מִתְוַדִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "וְגַם נְתַתִּיו לַלֵּוִי":

The presents must be separated according to the desired order 3:23 with regard to the desired order of the presents. and afterwards, the declaration is made, as [implied by the continuation of the verse:] "according to all Your mitzvot which You commanded me." Thus if he gives the second tithe before the first tithe, he cannot recite this declaration.If a person's tevel is burnt, he cannot make this declaration, for he did not separate the presents or give them to the people designated. In the era when the first tithe was given to the priests, after the Babylonian exile, by and large, the Levites did not accompany him. Therefore, he punished them, decreeing that the tithes should be given to the priests instead (Hilchot Ma'aser 1:4). From the Rambam's statements here and also in that source, some have inferred that Ezra's decree applied only in his generation and not in later eras. This conclusion is not, however, borne out by his Commentary to the Mishnah (ibid. 5:15)]. the declaration was not made, [because it contains the words:] "I gave it to the Levite."

מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בִּלְבַד מִתְוַדֶּה. שֶׁעִקַּר הַוִּדּוּי בַּמַּעֲשֵׂר הוּא. וְכֵן אִם לֹא הָיָה לוֹ אֶלָּא בִּכּוּרִים בִּלְבַד מִתְוַדֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יג) "בִּעַרְתִּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ". הַקֹּדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא הַבִּכּוּרִים. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא תְּרוּמָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ אֵינוֹ מִתְוַדֶּה שֶׁאֵין הַתְּרוּמָה טְעוּנָה וִדּוּי אֶלָּא בִּכְלַל שְׁאָר הַמַּתָּנוֹת:

When a person possesses only the second tithe, he should make the declaration, for the fundamental dimension of the declaration concerns the [second] tithe. Similarly, if he possesses only the first fruits, he should make the declaration, for [the prooftext] states: "I removed the holy substances" and the first type of produce that is holy is the first fruits. When, however, a person only possesses terumah, he does not recite the declaration, states that the same rule applies to the first tithe. For neither of them must be removed from one's possession at a given time. because terumah [in and of itself] does not require a declaration except as part of all the presents [together].

(דברים כו יג) "לֹא עָבַרְתִּי מִמִּצְוֹתֶיךָ" שֶׁלֹּא הִפְרִישׁ מִמִּין עַל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִינוֹ. וְלֹא מִן הַתָּלוּשׁ עַל הַמְחֻבָּר. וְלֹא מִן הַמְחֻבָּר עַל הַתָּלוּשׁ. וְלֹא מִן הֶחָדָשׁ עַל הַיָּשָׁן. וְלֹא מִן הַיָּשָׁן עַל הֶחָדָשׁ. וְלֹא שָׁכַחְתִּי שֶׁלֹּא שָׁכַח מִלְּבָרְכוֹ וּמִלְּהַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו. לֹא אָכַלְתִּי בְאֹנִי מִמֶּנּוּ הָא אִם אֲכָלוֹ בַּאֲנִינוֹ אֵינוֹ מִתְוַדֶּה. וְלֹא בִעַרְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ בְּטָמֵא הָא אִם הִפְרִישׁוֹ בְּטֻמְאָה אֵינוֹ מִתְוַדֶּה. וְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת שֶׁלֹּא לָקַח מִמֶּנּוּ אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ לְאוֹנְנִים אֲחֵרִים. שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּקוֹל ה' אֱלֹהָי שֶׁהֱבִיאוֹ לְבֵית הַבְּחִירָה. עָשִׂיתִי כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָנִי שֶׁשָּׂמַח וְשִׂמֵּחַ בּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו יא) "וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְכָל הַטּוֹב":

[The prooftext continues:] "I did not violate your commandments," 5:13)]. i.e., he did not separate from one species for another, nor from produce that has been reaped for produce that is still attached to the ground, nor from produce that is attached to the ground for produce that has been reaped, nor from produce from the present year for that of the previous year, nor from produce of the previous year for that of the present year. 5:18; 5:9, 5:11, and Hilchot Ma'aser 1:12 which explains that separating the presents in such a manner is forbidden.[The prooftext continues:] "I did not forget," I did not forget to bless Him and recall His name with regard to them. "I did not partake of it in a state of acute mourning"; thus if he partakes of it in a state of acute mourning, he does not recite the declaration. "I did not partake of it in a state of impurity," thus if he separates it in a state of acute mourning, he does not recite the declaration. "I did not give of it to a corpse." This implies that he did not use [money from the redemption of the tithes] for a coffin or shrouds, nor did he give it to other people in a state of mourning. "I heeded the voice of God my Lord," i.e., I brought it to the Temple. "I performed everything that You commanded me," I rejoiced. And I shared that rejoicing with others with it, as [Deuteronomy 26:11]: "And you share rejoice in all the good."

(דברים כו טו) "הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם" עַד (דברים כו טו) "כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ" זוֹ בַּקָּשָׁה שֶׁיִּתֵּן טַעַם בַּפֵּרוֹת:

[The passage continues:] "Look down from Your holy habitation heaven... as You swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey." This is a prayer that the fruits be flavorful.

יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַמְזֵרִים מִתְוַדִּים. אֲבָל לֹא גֵּרִים וַעֲבָדִים מְשֻׁחְרָרִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ וַהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים כו טו) "וְאֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ". כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּים מִתְוַדִּים שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהֶם עָרֵי מִגְרָשׁ: סְלִיקוּ לְהוּ הִלְכוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְנֶטַע רְבָעִי בְּסִיַעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא

Israelites and mamzerim may make this declaration, but not converts and freed slaves, because they do not have an ancestral portion in Eretz Yisrael, they were not granted an ancestral heritage when the land was divided among the tribes and thus there is no portion of Eretz Yisrael that is theirs in an ultimate sense. For during the Jubilee year, any purchased land will return to its owner. Note the contrast to the declaration concerning the first fruits which they are required to make (Hilchot Bikkurim 4:3). and in the declaration one says: "And the land that You gave us." Priests and Levites may make the declaration. Although they did not receive a portion in the division of the land, they were granted cities in which to dwell..