{"id":12085,"date":"2026-07-08T00:04:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=12085"},"modified":"2026-08-05T09:12:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:12:20","slug":"17-08-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/17-08-04\/","title":{"rendered":"04. Neta Reva\u2019i, Shevi\u2019it, and Gifts to the Poor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some produce is exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> because it already belongs to a different halakhic category. This is the case with neta reva\u2019i<\/em>, seventh-year produce, and the gifts that must be left for the poor.<\/p>\n

The fruit of neta reva\u2019i<\/em> is exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>. During a tree\u2019s first three years, its fruit is forbidden as orla<\/em>. In the fourth year, the fruit becomes neta reva\u2019i<\/em>: it is sacred, and there is a mitzva to eat it in purity in Jerusalem (see above, 2:9). Since the fruit is already consecrated for this mitzva, one does not leave leket<\/em>, shik\u1e25a<\/em>, or pe\u2019a<\/em> from it for the poor, and one does not separate terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from it (MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser Sheni and Neta Reva\u2019i 9:4).<\/p>\n

If there is doubt whether fruit is neta reva\u2019i<\/em> or fifth-year fruit, one separates terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> without a berakha. However, one need not give ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> to a levi or ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> to a poor person. Since these gifts are monetary obligations, they are treated like all doubtful monetary claims: without clear proof that one truly owes the payment, one is not required to pay (MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser 13:20\u201321).<\/p>\n

Produce that grows during the seventh year is hefker<\/em> and is therefore exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>.[6]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Similarly, produce that must be left for the poor \u2014 leket<\/em>, shik\u1e25a<\/em>, pe\u2019a<\/em>, peret<\/em>, and olelot<\/em> \u2014 is exempt from terumot and ma\u2019asrot[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

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[6]<\/a>. If a field owner violated the Torah commandment by preventing others from entering his field and picked the seventh-year produce for himself, authorities disagree whether terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> must be separated. According to Beit Yosef<\/em>, he must separate, since he treated the produce as his own rather than leaving it hefker<\/em>. According to Mabit, however, the produce remains exempt, because seventh-year produce is inherently hefker<\/em> even when the owner acts improperly.<\/p>\n

The same dispute applies when produce grown in a non-Jew\u2019s field during the seventh year was sold to a Jew, who then gathered it from the field. According to Mabit, the produce has shevi\u2019it<\/em> status; it is sacred and exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>. According to R. Yosef Karo, produce grown by a non-Jew does not have shevi\u2019it<\/em> status. Therefore, when the Jew gathers it \u2013 the stage at which the obligation of terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> takes effect \u2013 he must separate terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In practice, one separates terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from such produce without a berakha. Since ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> and ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> are monetary obligations, and the obligation to give them is uncertain, one need not give them to a levi or a poor person. According to R. Yosef Karo\u2019s position, the ma\u2019aser<\/em> to be separated is ma\u2019aser ani<\/em>. Some were also careful to separate ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> out of concern for the other possibility, and Rav Kook writes that this is proper le-khat\u1e25ila<\/em> (Mishpat Kohen<\/em> 82; Da\u2019at Kohen<\/em> 239; Peninei Halakha: Shevi\u2019it<\/em> 3:2; 5:11).<\/p>\n

In ordinary years, Tu Bi-Shvat determines the tithing year for tree fruit. In the seventh year, however, the determining date is the first of Tishrei. Any fruit that reaches \u1e25anata<\/em> during the seventh year, from the first of Tishrei through the twenty-ninth of Elul, has shevi\u2019it<\/em> status and is exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> (Peninei Halakha: Shevi\u2019it<\/em> 3, note 6).<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a>. The Torah states: \u201cThen the levi shall come, for he has no portion or inheritance with you\u201d (Devarim 14:29). The Sages infer that terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> are required only from produce in which the levi has no share. Therefore, since a poor levi has a right to collect the gifts left for the poor like any other poor person, such gifts are exempt from terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> (Yerushalmi<\/em>, Terumot<\/em> 1:3; MT, Laws of Terumot 2:9).<\/p>\n

In practice, today, it is generally not worthwhile for poor people to come to the fields and collect these gifts. As a result, they belong to the field owner, and terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> apply to them. If, however, the owner knows that poor people wish to collect the gifts in his field, they retain their exempt status (Ritva, Gittin<\/em> 47a; see above, 6:9).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some produce is exempt from terumot and ma\u2019asrot because it already belongs to a different halakhic category. This is the case with neta reva\u2019i, seventh-year produce, and the gifts that must be left for the poor. The fruit of neta reva\u2019i is exempt from terumot and ma\u2019asrot. During a tree\u2019s first three years, its fruit […]<\/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-12085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-17-08"],"yoast_head":"\n04. 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