Mishneh Torah — Second Tithes & 4th-Year Fruit הלכות מעשר שני ונטע רבעי, Chapter 5

הַפּוֹדֶה מַעַשְׂרוֹ לְעַצְמוֹ בֵּין שֶׁהוּא שֶׁלּוֹ בֵּין שֶׁנָּפַל לוֹ בִּירֻשָּׁה בֵּין שֶׁנִּתַּן לוֹ בְּטִבְלוֹ מַתָּנָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹסִיף עָלָיו חֹמֶשׁ. אִם הָיָה שָׁוֶה אַרְבָּעָה נוֹתֵן חֲמִשָּׁה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כז לא) "וְאִם גָּאל יִגְאַל אִישׁ מִמַּעַשְׂרוֹ חֲמִשִׁיתוֹ יֹסֵף עָלָיו":

When a man redeems his produce for the second tithe for himself - whether it is from his own crops, he acquired it as an inheritance, or it was given to him while tevel as we explained, he must add a fifth [of the new total]. 69b). [Thus] if it was worth four, he should give five, as [Leviticus 27:31] states: "If a man will redeem from his tithes, he shall add a fifth to it."

וְאִשָּׁה שֶׁפָּדָת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁלָּהּ לְעַצְמָהּ אֵינָהּ מוֹסִיפָה חֹמֶשׁ. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ (ויקרא כז לא) "אִישׁ מִמַּעַשְׂרוֹ" וְלֹא אִשָּׁה. וְכֵן אִם פָּדָה פִּדְיוֹן פֵּרוֹת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר לְעַצְמוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ:

When a woman redeems produce for the second tithe that she separated, she is not required to add a fifth. According to the Oral Tradition, 24a. we have learned: "If a man [will redeem from] his tithes," excluding a woman. Similarly, if a man redeems [money used to] redeem produce from the second tithe for himself, he must add a fifth.

פָּדָה פֵּרוֹת מַעַשְׂרוֹ וְהוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ וְחָזַר וּפָדָה הַפִּדְיוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ שֵׁנִי עַל הַקֶּרֶן בִּלְבַד וְאֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ עַל הַחֹמֶשׁ:

When a person redeems the produce of his second tithe and adds a fifth, and then redeems the money itself a second time, he must add a second fifth of the principal alone. He need not add a fifth for the original fifth.

מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁאֵין בְּחֻמְשׁוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף עָלָיו חֹמֶשׁ. וְכֵן מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁאֵין דָּמָיו יְדוּעִין דַּיּוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמַר הוּא וְחֻמְשׁוֹ מְחֻלָּל עַל הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה. וְכָל מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ פּוֹדֵהוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ. וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל דְּמַאי אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף עָלָיו חֹמֶשׁ:

When the fifth of the produce of the second tithe is not worth a p'rutah, [the person redeeming it] need not add a fifth. 54b), by contrast, maintains that it need not be redeemed at all. Similarly, when the worth of the produce of the second tithe is unknown, it is sufficient for him to say: "The holiness of the produce and its fifth are transferred to this sela." Whenever a person does not redeem produce from the second tithe with his own money, he need not add a fifth. 4:3) derives this concept from the exegesis of Leviticus 27:31. [When one redeems] produce from the second tithe that is demai, he need not add a fifth. is merely Rabbinic in origin, this added stringency was not imposed.

הַפּוֹדֶה מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְהָיָה לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אַחֵר שֶׁלֹּא נִפְדָּה. אִם אֵין בְּחֻמְשׁוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה דַּיּוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמַר הוּא וְחֻמְשׁוֹ מְחֻלָּל עַל מָעוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לְפִי שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם לְצַמְצֵם אֶת מְעוֹתָיו:

When a person is redeeming produce of the second tithe and he has other produce from the second tithe that was not redeemed whose fifth is not worth a p'rutah, it is sufficient for him to say: "The holiness of it and its fifth are transferred to the money [set aside] originally." [Rashi (Bava Metzia 53b)]. [This leniency is granted,] because it is impossible to require a person to be precise with his money. is transferred to that extra amount (ibid.; Radbaz).

הַפּוֹדֶה מַעֲשֵׂר בְּיוֹתֵר עַל דָּמָיו לֹא נִתְפְּסָה הַתּוֹסֶפֶת לַמַעֲשֵׂר:

When a person redeems produce from the second tithe for more than its worth, that additional value is not considered as money from the second tithe. 4:3)].

בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אוֹמֵר בְּסֶלַע וְאַחֵר אוֹמֵר בְּסֶלַע. בַּעַל הַבַּיִת קֹדֶם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ. בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אוֹמֵר בְּסֶלַע וְאַחֵר אוֹמֵר בְּסֶלַע וּפְרוּטָה. הָאַחֵר קֹדֶם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹסִיף עַל הַקֶּרֶן:

When the owner of the produce bids a sela to redeem it and another person also bids a sela, the owner is given precedence, because he is required to add a fifth. If, however, the owner bids a sela and another person bids a sela and a p'rutah, that other person is given precedence, because he increases the principal. 4:3; based on the Jerusalem Talmud), the Rambam explains that an increase in the principal is favored over a lesser amount of principal but a greater total, because there are "guileful" means to avoid paying the additional fifth as will be explained.

מֻתָּר לְהַעֲרִים עַל פִּדְיוֹן מַעַשְׂרוֹ. כֵּיצַד. אוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ הַגְּדוֹלִים וּלְעַבְדּוֹ הָעִבְרִי הֵא לְךָ אֶת הַמָּעוֹת הָאֵלּוּ וּפְדֵה לְךָ בָּהֶן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ. אֲבָל לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ פְּדֵה לִי בָּהֶן. וְכֵן אִם אָמַר לוֹ פְּדֵה לִי מִשֶּׁלְּךָ אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ:

It is permitted to act "guilefully" with regard to the redemption of produce of the second tithe. What is implied? A person may tell his son or daughter who are beyond majority or his Hebrew servant: "Here is this money. Use it to redeem this produce from the second tithe," so that they will not have to add a fifth. He should not say, however: "Use them to redeem it for me." Similarly, he is not required to add a fifth if he tells them: "Redeem it for me using your money."

אֲבָל לֹא יִתֵּן הַמָּעוֹת לִפְדּוֹת לִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים וּלְעַבְדּוֹ וְשִׁפְחָתוֹ הַכְּנַעֲנִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּדָן כְּיָדוֹ. נָתַן לְשִׁפְחָתוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה אִם מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי זֶה מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיָה מֵעָצִיץ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקוּב דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִין. שֶׁאָמָה הָעִבְרִיָּה קְטַנָּה הִיא וְאֵין הַקָּטָן זוֹכֶה לַאֲחֵרִים אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר שֶׁהוּא מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם:

He should not, however, give money to redeem [the produce] to one of his sons or daughters who are below majority 4:5, this is speaking about an instance where the child has reached the age when his vows are significant. In such an instance, his actions are effective even with regard to matters of Scriptural Law. or to his Canaanite servants or maid-servants, because they do not have an independent financial capacity. 5:3, et al. If he gave the money to his Hebrew maidservant, his words are effective if [the obligation to separate] the second tithe from this produce is Rabbinic in origin, e.g., produce grew in a flowerpot without a hole. 5:14-16. [The rationale is that] a Hebrew maidservant is a minor and a minor can acquire property for others only with regard to matters of Rabbinic Law. 8:10 and Hilchot Zechiyah UMatanah 4:7 which explain that a minor can acquire for his or her self, but cannot do so on behalf of another person.

וְכֵן מַעֲרִים וְנוֹתֵן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר מַתָּנָה כְּשֶׁהוּא בְּטִבְלוֹ. וְאוֹמֵר הַנּוֹתֵן הֲרֵי הַפֵּרוֹת הָאֵלּוּ מְחֻלָּלִין עַל מָעוֹת שֶׁבַּבַּיִת:

Similarly, a person may act with guile and give produce from the second tithe as a present while it is still tevel and while giving it say: "The holiness from [the second tithe of] this produce is transferred to the money I have at home." 4:5), the Rambam explains that here also the owner desires to redeem the produce without paying the additional fifth. Nevertheless, we are speaking about an instance where he is in his field and does not have money at hand. Hence, none of the techniques mentioned in Halachah 8 are effective. What can he do? He can give the produce to another person and redeem it for him. Thus the produce is being redeemed by a person other than its owner at that time. Hence a fifth need not be added.

שְׁנֵי אַחִין אוֹ שְׁנֵי שֻׁתָּפִין [אָב וּבְנוֹ] פּוֹדִין זֶה לָזֶה מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ. אִשָּׁה שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה לְבַעְלָהּ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי הוֹאִיל וְהוּא מָמוֹן גָּבוֹהַּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ לֹא קָנָה בַּעַל. לְפִיכָךְ אִם פָּדָהוּ אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ:

Two brothers, emphasizes, this leniency does not, however, apply to the redemption of produce which is owned in partnership. two partners, a father and his son, may redeem produce from the second tithe for each other so that they will not have to add a fifth. When a woman brings produce from the second tithe to her husband's home, the husband does not acquire it as his own, since it belongs to the Most High, as we explained. Therefore, if he redeems it, he need not add a fifth.

הַפּוֹדֶה מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי לְעַצְמוֹ וְנָתַן אֶת הַקֶּרֶן וְלֹא נָתַן אֶת הַחֹמֶשׁ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין הַחֹמֶשׁ מְעַכֵּב וַהֲרֵי נִתְחַלֵּל לֹא יֹאכַל עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן הַחֹמֶשׁ וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִפְשַׁע וְלֹא יִתֵּן:

A person who redeems produce from the second tithe for himself, who paid the principal, but did not pay the additional fifth, should not partake of [the produce] until he pays the fifth. [This applies] even on the Sabbath. [And it applies] even though the payment of the fifth does not hold back the transfer of holiness [from the produce to the coins]. Indeed, that transfer takes place. [This restriction is] a decree, lest the person be negligent and fail to pay.

מָעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אִם רָצָה לְצָרְפָם בְּדִינְרֵי זָהָב כְּדֵי לְהָקֵל מַשָּׂאָן מְצָרְפָן. וְאִם צֵרְפָן לְעַצְמוֹ אֵינוֹ מוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ שֶׁאֵין זֶה דֶּרֶךְ פְּדִיָּה:

If a person desires to exchange money from the redemption of the second tithe for golden dinarim, 2:7 which states that Rabbi Akiva made such a transfer on behalf of Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua. so that his burden will be lighter, he may. Even if he exchanged [the two] with his own money, he need not add a fifth, for this is not considered as redemption.

הַפּוֹרֵט סֶלַע מִמְּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בֵּין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם בֵּין חוּץ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא יְצָרְפֶנָּה כֻּלָּהּ בְּמָעוֹת נְחשֶׁת אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁקֶל מָעוֹת כֶּסֶף וּבְשֶׁקֶל מָעוֹת נְחשֶׁת:

When a person exchanges a sela of money is a coin of relatively large value. It is easier to shop for food with smaller coins. See the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Ma'aser Sheni 2:9). from the second tithe - whether in Jerusalem or outside the city - he should not exchange it entirely for brass coins. Instead, it should be divided into a shekel's worth of silver coins and a shekel's worth of brass coins.

מֻתָּר לְחַלֵּל כֶּסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר עִם פֵּרוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר עַל הַכֶּסֶף וְהוּא שֶׁיְּהוּ בַּפֵּרוֹת פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁוֵה דִּינָר. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה בָּהֶן שְׁוֵה דִּינָר לֹא יְחַלְּלֵם עִם הַכֶּסֶף אֶלָּא בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן. כֵּיצַד. הָיוּ לוֹ פֵּרוֹת שְׁוֵה דִּינָר וּשְׁלֹשָׁה דִּינָרִין שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אֵינוֹ מְחַלֵּל הַכּל עַל סֶלַע אַחַת. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה לוֹ חֲצִי דִּינָר פֵּרוֹת וַחֲצִי דִּינָר מָעוֹת מְחַלֵּל שְׁנֵיהֶם עַל דִּינָר אֶחָד:

It is permissible to transfer the holiness of money of the second tithe together with produce from the second tithe to money, provided the produce is worth less than a dinar., it is not fit to be redeemed. (For a coin less than a dinar is small and of comparatively little value.) Hence it is to the benefit of the produce from the second tithe that the money be redeemed with it (Kessef Mishneh; based on the Jerusalem Talmud, Ma'aser Sheni 2:8). If, however, [the produce] is worth a dinar, its holiness should not be transferred together with that of money. Instead, [it should be transferred] by itself. What is implied? A person possessed produce that was worth a dinar and three dinarim that were of the second tithe, he may not transfer the holiness of the entire amount to one sela. is four dinarim. If, however, he has a half a dinar of produce and a half a dinar of money, he may transfer the holiness of both to one dinar.