{"id":12077,"date":"2026-07-08T00:01:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:01:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=12077"},"modified":"2026-08-05T08:54:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T05:54:18","slug":"17-08-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/17-08-01\/","title":{"rendered":"01. Produce Subject to Terumot and Ma\u2019asrot"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to most Rishonim, only the five grain species, wine, and olive oil \u2014 the staples of human life \u2013 are subject to terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> by Torah law, as the Torah states: \u201cThe first of your grain, your wine, and your oil\u201d (Devarim 18:4). This is the view of Rashi, Tosafot, R. Shimshon, Rashba, Ran, and Ritva. Grain provides basic food, such as bread and baked grain products; wine gladdens and sustains; and olive oil nourishes and enriches. In the days of King \u1e24izkiyahu, the Sages expanded the obligation, requiring terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> to be separated from other tree fruits, legumes, and vegetables as well.<\/p>\n

Others maintain that the Torah obligation extends beyond grain, wine, and oil to include legumes and tree fruits as well. Their view is based on the verses dealing with ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>: \u201cAll the tithe of the land, from the seed of the land, from the fruit of the tree, is the Lord\u2019s\u2026\u201d (Vayikra 27:30), and, \u201cYou shall surely tithe all the produce of your seed that comes forth from the field year by year\u201d (Devarim 14:22). According to this view, although the Torah explicitly mentions only three species, it uses them to teach the broader rule: grain teaches that legumes are included, and grapes and olives teach that tree fruits are included. The Sages then extended the obligation further, requiring separation of terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from all vegetables as well (Yerushalmi<\/em>, Ma\u2019asrot<\/em> 1:1; MT, Laws of Terumot 2:1, 6; R. Shlomo Sirilio).<\/p>\n

All of this applies only to produce that grows from the ground. Foods that come from animals, such as milk and meat, are therefore exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>. Although animals themselves are sustained by grass, their meat and milk are not considered produce of the field, but secondary products derived from what grows there. Mushrooms are exempt as well, since they do not grow from the soil. The same is true of plants that people do not normally eat: whether they are used as animal feed, or only to season food and are not eaten on their own, they are exempt, as explained in the next section.[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

By Torah law, one must separate terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from produce that he picks and gathers for his household\u2019s food, as the Torah states: \u201cYou shall surely tithe all the produce of your seed\u2026 and you shall eat\u201d (Devarim 14:22\u201323). The Sages extended the obligation to produce picked for sale as well. This distinction also applies when produce is sold before its final processing is complete. If one buys grapes to make wine, or olives to make oil, and intends the wine or oil for household use, the obligation applies by Torah law. If he intends to make them for sale, the obligation is rabbinic (Bava Metzia<\/em> 88b; MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser 2:1\u20132).<\/p>\n

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[1]<\/a>. The Torah refers to the produce subject to terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> in two different ways. Regarding teruma<\/em>, it mentions grain, wine, and oil specifically (Bamidbar 18:12; Devarim 18:3\u20134). Regarding ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>, however, it uses broader language: \u201cAll the tithe of the land, from the seed of the land, from the fruit of the tree, is the Lord\u2019s\u2026\u201d (Vayikra 27:30). Similarly, in Devarim it first states: \u201cYou shall surely tithe all the produce of your seed that comes forth from the field,\u201d and only afterward specifies \u201cthe tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil\u201d (Devarim 14:22\u201323).<\/p>\n

According to most authorities, the broader language used regarding ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> does not expand the Torah obligation to all produce of the field and all tree fruits. Rather, it is understood in light of the Torah\u2019s more specific language regarding teruma<\/em>, which limits the Torah obligation to grain, wine, and oil. This is also implied by the Bavli (Bekhorot<\/em> 54a). This is the view of Rashi, Tosafot, R. Shimshon, Rid, Riaz, Rosh, Rashba, Ran, Ritva, Ra\u2019ah, Meiri, and others. Some narrow the Torah obligation even further, maintaining that only wine and oil are subject to the Torah obligation, but not grapes and olives themselves (Talmidei Rabbenu Yona<\/em>; Riva; and others). Others broaden the obligation to include all seven species by Torah law (R. Yitz\u1e25ak Gi\u2019at). The Gemara in Nedarim<\/em> 55a explains that in the days of \u1e24izkiyahu, the Sages expanded the obligation to include separating terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from other fruits and vegetables as well (Rosh, Nedarim<\/em> 55a; R. Shimshon, Ma\u2019asrot<\/em> 1:1).<\/p>\n

By contrast, the Yerushalmi<\/em>, Ma\u2019asrot<\/em> 1:1, takes the more inclusive view. It understands the verse regarding ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> \u2013 \u201cfrom the seed of the land, from the fruit of the tree\u201d \u2013 as including all legumes and tree fruits in the Torah obligation. According to this view, the Torah\u2019s references to grain, wine, and oil are not meant to limit the obligation to those three categories. Rather, they are specific examples from which the broader rule is learned: grain teaches that legumes are included, and wine and oil teach that tree fruits are included. Only vegetables are excluded from the Torah obligation, and their obligation is rabbinic. Rambam rules this way (MT, Laws of Terumot 2:1, 6).<\/p>\n

The distinction can be explained as follows: vegetables are less nourishing than legumes, and they do not gladden a person as tree fruits do. Some maintain a third position: by Torah law, teruma<\/em> and ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> apply only to grain, wine, and oil, while ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> applies to all produce, including vegetables (Yere\u2019im<\/em>; Smag).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

According to most Rishonim, only the five grain species, wine, and olive oil \u2014 the staples of human life \u2013 are subject to terumot and ma\u2019asrot by Torah law, as the Torah states: \u201cThe first of your grain, your wine, and your oil\u201d (Devarim 18:4). This is the view of Rashi, Tosafot, R. Shimshon, Rashba, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[229],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-17-08"],"yoast_head":"\n01. 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