Procedure for Separating Terumot and Ma’aserot

How exactly do we separate terumot and ma'aserot – the full procedure and the exact text

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

1.  Set aside a little more than 1% of each type of produce (if there are several types). Make sure that the “1% plus” that you set aside, along with the rest of the produce, is all in front of you and in close proximity to each another.
2. Only if the produce is definitely tevel (no one separated terumot and ma’aserot from it), make the following blessing before reciting the full text:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַפְרִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת

3. Recite the following text for setting aside* terumot and ma’aserot:

What I am about to say applies to each type of produce separately:

• The 1% that is on the lower side of the produce I have set aside remains tevel for the time being. The rest of what I have set aside is teruma gedola for all of the produce.
• The 1% I mentioned and another 9% on the upper side of the produce is ma’aser rishon.
• The 1% that I previously set aside is terumat ma’aser.
• Another 9% on the lower part of the produce is ma’aser sheni,
  and if the year requires ma’aser ani, it is ma’aser ani.

4. Only if the produce is definitely subject to ma’aser sheni and is undoubtedly tevel, recite the following blessing: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִפְדּוֹת מַעֲשֵׁר שֵׁנִי
5. Recite the following text and redeem the produce on a coin** (even in cases where it is unclear whether the produce is subject to ma’aser sheni):

What I have designated as ma’aser sheni, plus a quarter of its value, is now redeemed by transferring its sanctity to a peruta-and-a-quarter’s worth of my designated coin. This redemption applies to each type of produce in accordance to its level of obligation.

6. Only if the fruit is neta revay (fruit of a tree’s fourth year):

• If the fruit is undoubtedly neta revay and tevel, (1) recite the following blessing and
  (2) proceed to redeem the fruit on a coin:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִפְדּוֹת נֶטַע רְבָעִי 

• If you are not sure whether or not it is neta revay, redeem the fruit on a coin and recite the following formula:
  If I have fruit of neta revay, the fruit plus a quarter of its value is now redeemed by transferring its sanctity to a peruta-and-a-quarter’s worth of my designated coin. This redemption applies to each type of produce in accordance to its level of obligation.

7. After reciting the formula(s) above, either bury or double bag the portion you set aside and place it in the garbage.
8. If the produce is definitely subject to terumot and ma’aserot (it is tevel vaday), give the ma’aser rishon to a Levite.*** Even in cases when the produce is not tevel vaday, on ma’aser ani years (three and six of the shemita cycle), give the ma’aser ani to a poor person.

5778 is the third year of the shemita cycle, so it is a ma’aser ani year.
5779 is the fourth year of the shemita cycle, so it is a ma’aser sheni year.
5780 is the fifth year of the shemita cycle, so it is a ma’aser sheni year.
5781 is the sixth year of the shemita cycle, so it is a ma’aser ani year.
5782 is the seventh year of the shemita cycle, so it is a Shmitah year.

 For more info see here.

For 40 basic concepts connected to terumot and ma'aserot see here.

* Even though we use the term “setting aside terumot and ma’aserot,” in practice, part of this separation is performed only by indicating the location of the gifts and naming them out loud (for ma’aser rishon and ma’aser sheni/ma’aser ani). Only the gifts that are forbidden for consumption (teruma gedola and terumat ma’aser) are physically set aside at the beginning of the procedure.

** A coin is designated on behalf of members of Beit HaOtzar, located at the Beit HaOtazar headquarters.

*** For members of Beit HaOtzar, ma’aser rishon and ma’aser ani are given on their behalf to Levites and poor people, respectively, through the Beit HaOtzar Fund.