Mishneh Torah — Second Tithes & 4th-Year Fruit הלכות מעשר שני ונטע רבעי, Chapter 6

מְעוֹת חֻלִּין וּמְעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ וְלִקֵּט מִיכַּן וּמִיכַּן. מַה שֶּׁלִּקֵּט לִקֵּט לְמַעֲשֵׂר עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִים. וְהַשְּׁאָר חֻלִּין. וְאִם בָּלַל וְחָפַן אוֹ שֶׁלִּקֵּט מִצַּד אֶחָד וּמָצָא חָסֵר הֲרֵי זֶה לְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן. כֵּיצַד. הָיוּ מָאתַיִם מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וּמֵאָה חֻלִּין. נִתְפַּזְּרוּ וּבְלָלָן וְחָפַן הַכּל נִמְצְאוּ מָאתַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים. הֲרֵי מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים מֵהֶן מַעֲשֵׂר וְתִשְׁעִים חֻלִּין. זֶה הַכְּלָל הַמִּתְלַקְּטִין לְמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְהַנִּבְלָלִין לְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן. מַתְנֶה וְאוֹמֵר אִם אֵלּוּ שֶׁבְּיָדִי הֵן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר הַשְּׁאָר חֻלִּין. וְאִם הֵן חֻלִּין הֲרֵי מְעוֹת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהֵן מְחֻלָּלִין עֲלֵיהֶם:

[The following rules apply when] ordinary money and money from the second tithe become scattered [in the same place]. If he gathered from both sides, what he gathers belongs to the second tithe until he reaches the original amount and then the remainder is ordinary produce. 2:5)]. The rationale is that it is possible that the coins of only one type were lost. As a stringency, we assume that it was the ordinary coins that were lost. If he mixed the coins together). and grabbed a handful or gathered only from one side, he should calculate the percentage proportionately.What is implied? There were 200 coins of the second tithe and 100 ordinary coins. They became scattered. He mixed them and picked them all up, but found only 270, 180 are the second tithe and 90 are ordinary coins. This is the general principle. Those that are gathered are considered as the second tithe. Those that are mixed together are divided according to the percentage.He should)]. make a stipulation and say: "If those in my hand are from the second tithe, the remainder are ordinary money and if they are ordinary money, the holiness from the coins from the second tithe wherever they are is transferred to them."

סֶלַע שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְשֶׁל חֻלִּיִן שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ מֵבִיא בַּסֶּלַע מָעוֹת וַאֲפִלּוּ מְעוֹת נְחשֶׁת וְאוֹמֵר סֶלַע שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִיא מְחֻלֶּלֶת עַל הַמָּעוֹת הָאֵלּוּ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹרֵר אֶת הַיָּפֶה שֶׁבִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן וּמְחַלֵּל הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת עָלֶיהָ וְתַחֲזֹר הַסֶּלַע הַיָּפָה לְמַעֲשֵׂר:

When a sela of the second tithe becomes mixed with a sela of ordinary money, one should bring coins - even brass coins - worth a sela and say: "Wherever the sela of the second tithe is, its holiness is transferred to these coins." Afterwards, he should chose the better of the two [selaim] and transfer the holiness of the brass coins to it. Thus the better sela has been become the money of the second tithe.

הָאוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בְּזָוִית זוֹ וְנִמְצָא בְּזָוִית אַחֶרֶת הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חֻלִּין. אָמַר לוֹ הֲרֵי שָׁם מָנֶה וְנִמְצָא מָאתַיִם הַשְּׁאָר חֻלִּין. הֲרֵי שָׁם מָאתַיִם וְנִמְצָא מָנֶה הֲרֵי הוּא חֻלִּין. הִנִּיחַ מָנֶה מַעֲשֵׂר וְנִמְצָא מָאתַיִם. מָאתַיִם וְנִמְצָא מָנֶה. אֲפִלּוּ הֵן בִּשְׁנֵי כִּיסִין הַכּל חֻלִּין:

When [a father] tells his son: "Produce from the second tithe is found in this corner," and is found in another corner, it is ordinary produce. If he told him: "A maneh there," and 200 were discovered, the remainder is ordinary money. "There are 200," and only a maneh was discovered, it is ordinary money. If he left a maneh and discovered 200 or 200 and discovered a maneh, the entire amount is ordinary money. 4:12) which states that all of the 100 are the second tithe. The Kessef Mishneh explains that the Rambam's ruling is based on Beitzah 10b which follows this line of thinking. [This applies] even if the money is found in two wallets.

אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו כִּיס מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי לִי בַּבַּיִת. הָלַךְ וּמָצָא שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה כִּיסִים. הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן מַעֲשֵׂר וְהַשְּׁאָר חֻלִּין. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יֹאכַל מִן הַקְּטַנִּים עַד שֶׁיְּחַלְּלֵם עַל הַגָּדוֹל:

If his father told him: "I have a pouch [with produce] from the second tithe at home," and [the son] found three pouches, the greater one is [considered as containing produce from] the second tithe and the remainder are [considered as containing produce containing] ordinary produce. Nevertheless, he should not make use of [the produce from] the smaller pouches until he transfers their holiness to the greater one.

מִי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּתֵּק וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁלְּךָ בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי. וְהִרְכִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁבּוֹדְקִין לְגִטִּין וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִין:

[The following laws apply when] a person loses his power of speech. If he was asked: "Is your produce from the second tithe in this-and-this place?" and he nodded his head, he should be tested three times like he is tested with regard to a bill of divorce. 2:16 which explains that a person who has lost his ability to speak, but is of sound mind is asked three questions which require different answers, i.e., two positive and one negative or vice versa. If he answers them correctly, the court concludes that he is mentally sound and continues asking him concerning the bill of divorce. See also Hilchot Mechirah 29:3. [If it is proven that he understands what he is being told,] his message has consequences.

אָמְרוּ לוֹ בַּחֲלוֹם מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל אָבִיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ הֲרֵי הוּא בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמָּצָא שָׁם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ אֵינוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר. דִּבְרֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת לֹא מַעֲלִין וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין:

If one was told in a dream: "The produce from the second tithe of your father that you are seeking is in this-and-this place," [the statements are of no consequence. This applies even] if he found the produce there like he was told. For words communicated in a dream are of no significance at all. 10:7.

הָאוֹמֵר לְבָנָיו אֲפִלּוּ אַתֶּם מֵתִים אַל תִּגְּעוּ בְּזָוִית זוֹ. וְנִמְצְאוּ שָׁם מָעוֹת הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חֻלִּין. טָמַן מָעוֹת מִפְּנֵיהֶם וְאָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי הֵן אוֹ שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי הֵן. אִם כְּמַעֲרִים אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לִדְבָרָיו. וְאִם כְּמִתְכַּוֵּן דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִין:

Although a person tells his sons: "Even if you are dying, do not touch [what is in] that corner," if money is found there, it is considered as ordinary money. [Different laws apply if] he buried money in their presence and told them: "It belongs to so-and-so" or "It is from the second tithe." If it appears that he is speaking with guile, we do not pay attention to his words. If it appears that he is serious, his words are given weight. 10:5.

הַמּוֹצֵא כְּלִי וְכָתוּב עָלָיו מ' הֲרֵי מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי. ד' דְּמַאי. ט' טֶבֶל. ת' תְּרוּמָה. ק' קָרְבָּן. וְאִם הָיָה שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת הוּא וּמַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ קָרְבָּן. שֶׁכֵּן הָיוּ כּוֹתְבִין אוֹת אַחַת מִן הַשֵּׁם בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה:

When a person finds a container 4:10). with the letter mem written on it, its contents [are considered as] the second tithe. stands for ma'aser, "tithes." We do not think that the intent is the first tithe or the tithe for the poor, for the consumption of these is not restricted to a specific group. When there is a dalet written on it, its contents are considered demai; a tet, tevel; kuf, for a sacrifice. If the container was metal, the container and its contents were consecrated for a sacrifice. For in dangerous times, they would write one letter from the name [as a sign].

מָעוֹת הַנִּמְצָאוֹת בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם אֲפִלּוּ דִּינְרֵי זָהָב עִם הַכֶּסֶף וְעִם הַמָּעוֹת הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חֻלִּין. הוֹאִיל וְשׁוּקֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם מִתְכַּבְּדִין בְּכָל יוֹם. מָצָא בְּתוֹכָן חֶרֶס וְכָתוּב בּוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה. אֲבָל בָּרֶגֶל הַכּל מַעֲשֵׂר:

When coins - even golden dinarim, together with silver, and [brass] coins - are found in Jerusalem, they are considered as ordinary money. [The rationale is that] the streets of Jerusalem are swept every day. 26a) resolve that query by explaining that since - as a precaution, to remove dead lizards or other objects that impart ritual impurity - the streets of Jerusalem are swept every day, we can assume that any money lost on the festivals would already have been discovered and these are ordinary funds. If a shard upon which was written ma'aser, it is considered as the second tithe. 4:9)].When does the above apply? During the majority of the days of the year. On the pilgrimage festivals, by contrast, all [the money found] is considered as from the second tithe.

מָעוֹת הַנִּמְצָאוֹת לִפְנֵי סוֹחֲרֵי בְּהֵמָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם לְעוֹלָם מַעֲשֵׂר. שֶׁחֶזְקַת רֹב הָעָם מְבִיאִין מְעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר וְקוֹנִין בּוֹ בְּהֵמוֹת. וְהַנִּמְצָאוֹת בְּהַר הַבַּיִת לְעוֹלָם חֻלִּין. שֶׁחֶזְקָתָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה שֶׁחִלְּלוּם הַגִּזְבָּרִין עַל בְּהֵמָה:

Money which is found in front of a seller of livestock in Jerusalem is always considered as from the second tithe. We operate under the assumption that the majority of the clients are bringing money from the second tithe and using it to purchase animals. 1:4)]. Even during the remainder of the year, there were some pilgrims who came to Jerusalem and they were the majority of the purchasers of animals for slaughter. [Money] which is found on the Temple Mount is always considered as ordinary funds. We operate under the assumption that it came from the Temple treasury and the treasurers had already transferred its holiness to an animal. 7:2). Hence it is most likely that the money found there came from the Temple treasury. Now the priests would not take the money from the Temple treasury until they transferred its holiness to an animal. Hence we can assume that the holiness of the money had already been transferred and the status of the money found was ordinary [see the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 7:2)].

תֵּבָה שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ חֻלִּין וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי. וְנִמְצָא בְּתוֹכָהּ מָעוֹת. אִם רֹב מַנִּיחִין מַעֲשֵׂר הֲרֵי הַמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר. וְאִם רֹב מַנִּיחִין חֻלִּין חֻלִּין. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה חֻלִּין:

[The following rules apply when] money is found in a chest that had been used for both ordinary produce and the second tithe. If the majority of the people who placed money [in the chest placed money] from the second tithe, the money is considered as from the second tithe. If the majority placed ordinary money, the money is considered as ordinary money. notes that this situation is discussed in greater detail in Pesachim 7a and questions why the Rambam does not cite all the particulars mentioned there. If the ratio is half and half, the money is considered as ordinary money.

מָצָא פֵּרוֹת בֵּין פֵּרוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר לְפֵרוֹת תְּרוּמָה יִפְּלוּ לַקָּרוֹב. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה יֵאָכְלוּ כְּחֻמְרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶן. אֲסוּרִין לְזָרִים וּטְעוּנִין רְחִיצַת יָדַיִם וְהַעֲרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ כִּתְרוּמָה. וַאֲסוּרִים לְאוֹנֵן וּטְעוּנִים הֲבָאַת מָקוֹם כְּמַעֲשֵׂר. וְכֵן הַמָּעוֹת הַנִּמְצָאוֹת בֵּין חֻלִּין לְמַעֲשֵׂר:

When one find produce between produce of the second tithe and produce that is terumah, it should be included among the type to which it is closest. 3:15; Hilchot Gezeilah ViAveidah 15:18. If it is equidistant [from both], it should be eaten according to the stringencies that apply to both. Thus it is forbidden to non-priests; one must wash his hands [before partaking of it], 11:7. and must wait until sunset [on the day of one's purification before partaking of it] 7:2. like terumah. [Similarly,] it is forbidden to one in an acute state of mourning and must be brought [to Jerusalem] as required of the second tithe.Similar principles apply with regard to coins that are found between ordinary coins and coins from the second tithe.

מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל דְּמַאי וְשֶׁל וַדַּאי שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ יֵאָכְלוּ כְּחָמוּר שֶׁבָּהֶן:

When produce that is from the second tithe of demai and produce that is definitely from the second tithe are mixed together, [the mixture] must be eaten according to the more stringent requirements. emphasizes that the Rambam does not say "according to the stringencies that apply to both," because there are no stringencies in the laws applying to the second tithe of demai over produce that is definitely from the second tithe. The stringencies applying to produce that is definitely from the second tithe are mentioned in Chapter 3, Halachot 8-9, Chapter 5, Halachah 4, and Chapter 11, Halachah 8.

פֵּרוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ בְּפֵרוֹת חֻלִּין יֹאכַל הַכּל בְּטָהֳרָה בַּמָּקוֹם אוֹ יִפְדֶּה אֶת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר. לְפִיכָךְ אִם נִתְעָרְבוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם אֲסוּרִין בְּכָל שֶׁהֵן כְּמִנְיָן. הוֹאִיל וְהוּא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הֲרֵי הוּא כְּדָבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מַתִּירִין. וְיֵאָכֵל הַכּל בְּטָהֳרָה:

When produce from the second tithe becomes mixed with ordinary produce, [the mixture] should be eaten in a state of ritual purity in Jerusalem or the second tithe should be redeemed. Therefore if such a mixture takes place in Jerusalem, even the smallest amount of the same species and is based on authoritative manuscripts and early printings. Note the Kessef Mishneh which offers an alternative explanation.See Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot 15:12 which states that the stringency governing an entity that can be permitted applies only to mixtures of the same species. becomes forbidden [to be eaten as ordinary produce]. Since the produce is in Jerusalem, it is considered as an entity that can be permitted and should be eaten in a state of ritual purity.

הַזּוֹרֵעַ מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אַחַר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם הַגִּדּוּלִים מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי. זְרָעוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הַגִּדּוּלִין חֻלִּין. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין זַרְעוֹ כָּלֶה. וּפוֹדִין אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁעַת זְרִיעָתוֹ:

When a person sows produce from the second tithe after it had entered Jerusalem, the produce which grows is considered as produce from the second tithe. If he sows it before it enters Jerusalem, the produce which grows is considered as ordinary produce even if its seed does not decompose. [Preferably, however,] it should be redeemed at the time it was sown. 16:12). After the fact, however, the prohibition is nullified.

מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בָּטֵל בְּרֹב. בְּאֵיזֶה מַעֲשֵׂר אָמְרוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְיָצָא וְנָפְלוּ מְחִצּוֹת. שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין שָׁם מְחִצּוֹת לְהַחֲזִירוֹ לְשָׁם וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִפְדּוֹתוֹ מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּכְנַס וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה וְנִמְצָא דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַתִּירִין וּבָטֵל בְּרֹב כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת אִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָלוֹת:

When produce from the second tithe is mixed with other substances, it is considered as nullified when mixed with a simple majority.To which produce from the second tithe does this apply? To produce that entered Jerusalem and then departed from there and afterwards, the walls of the city fell. Thus it is impossible to return it to [the holy city] and it is impossible to redeem since it has already entered that place. [This applies] even though [its fifth] is not worth a p'rutah. It is a substance that has no way to be permitted and is therefore nullified by a simple majority, as stated in Hilchot Issurei Ma'achalot. 15:11 places restrictions on nullifying substances that can become permitted. Implied is that if a substance cannot become permitted, no such restrictions apply.