{"id":12112,"date":"2026-07-08T00:13:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=12112"},"modified":"2026-08-05T09:52:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:52:47","slug":"17-08-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/17-08-13\/","title":{"rendered":"13. Demai and Other Doubts"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the language of the Sages, tevel<\/em> refers to produce from which terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> have not yet been separated. The word tevel<\/em> may be understood as tov-lo<\/em> \u2013 \u201cnot good\u201d \u2013 meaning that the produce is not yet fit to eat. Demai<\/em> refers to produce about which there is uncertainty: perhaps terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> were separated from it, and perhaps not. The word demai<\/em> is Aramaic, meaning, \u201cWhat is this?\u201d In other words, the produce stands in question: were the required separations performed or not?<\/p>\n

In the time of the Sages, most amei ha\u2019aretz<\/em> separated terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em>, but some did not do so properly. The Sages therefore gave produce bought from them the status of demai<\/em>. Since teruma gedola<\/em> was commonly separated even by amei ha\u2019aretz<\/em>, the Sages did not require one to separate it from demai<\/em>. They did require one to separate ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em>, terumat ma\u2019aser<\/em>, and either ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> or ma\u2019aser ani<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Even so, the Sages did not require one to distribute the ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> to a levi or the ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> to a poor person. Since these gifts are monetary obligations, they follow the general rule: \u201cOne who seeks to take money from another bears the burden of proof.\u201d Unless the levi or poor person can prove that the ma\u2019asrot<\/em> were not already separated from this produce, the owner need not give them the gifts. He must, however, separate terumat ma\u2019aser<\/em> from the ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> and give it to a kohen, because terumat ma\u2019aser<\/em> has sanctity and may not be eaten by a non-kohen. Similarly, since ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> has sanctity, it must be separated and eaten in Jerusalem in purity.<\/p>\n

One does not recite a berakha when separating terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> from demai<\/em>, nor when redeeming its ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>, following the well-known rule that we are lenient in cases of doubt concerning berakhot (see MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser 9:1\u20134). If one redeems ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> of demai<\/em>, he need not add the additional fifth (MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser Sheni and Neta Reva\u2019i 5:4).<\/p>\n

Today, when there is doubt whether produce has been tithed, that doubt includes teruma gedola<\/em> as well, since even that is generally not separated by amei ha\u2019aretz<\/em>. Therefore, one separates all the terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> without a berakha. As explained above, the monetary gifts \u2013 ma\u2019aser rishon<\/em> and ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> \u2013 need not be given to the levi or the poor person. The sanctified portions, however \u2013 teruma gedola<\/em> and terumat ma\u2019aser<\/em> \u2013 must be set aside out of doubt, wrapped, and discarded respectfully. Ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> must likewise be redeemed onto a peruta<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Whenever one is unsure whether the produce before him belongs to a ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> year or a ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> year, he should separate both out of doubt and say: \u201cIf this produce requires ma\u2019aser ani<\/em>, this shall be ma\u2019aser ani<\/em>; and if it requires ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>, this shall be ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>.\u201d He then redeems the ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> onto a peruta<\/em> and gives the ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> to a poor person. One who wishes to be lenient may separate ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> alone.[18]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

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[18]<\/a>. The Mishna<\/em> states that if produce from a ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> year became mixed with produce from a ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> year, the status follows the majority. If the mixture is exactly half and half, one must be stringent (Mishna<\/em>, Makhshirin<\/em> 2:11). Many explain this to mean that one must account for both possibilities: he separates ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> and redeems it onto money to be brought to Jerusalem; the redeemed produce is then given to the poor as ma\u2019aser ani<\/em> (R. Shimshon; Raavad; Rosh; R. Ovadia of Bartenura; the Vilna Gaon). Rambam understands the Mishna<\/em> differently: one separates only ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em>, the more stringent possibility, because it has sanctity (MT, Laws of Ma\u2019aser Sheni and Neta Reva\u2019i 1:11). SA rules accordingly (YD 331:128). Still, most authorities maintain that one should separate both ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> and ma\u2019aser ani<\/em>, and that is the proper practice. One who wishes to be lenient, however, may separate ma\u2019aser sheni<\/em> alone. Since the A\u1e25aronim rule that terumot<\/em> and ma\u2019asrot<\/em> today are rabbinic, Rambam and SA provide a basis on which to rely.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the language of the Sages, tevel refers to produce from which terumot and ma\u2019asrot have not yet been separated. The word tevel may be understood as tov-lo \u2013 \u201cnot good\u201d \u2013 meaning that the produce is not yet fit to eat. Demai refers to produce about which there is uncertainty: perhaps terumot and ma\u2019asrot […]<\/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-12112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-17-08"],"yoast_head":"\n13. 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