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Terumot & Ma’aserot

Taking terumot and ma’aserot from a tree in a shared courtyard

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

There is a guava tree in my apartment building’s shared courtyard (with 15 families). Every week I pick two to four fruits and take them home. Am I supposed to take terumot and ma’aserot from the guava with a blessing? If the tree was in a public playground, would its fruit also be subject to terumot and ma’aserot?

 

Perutah for ma'aser sheni - how does it work?

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi Amichay, Elul 5785

I didn’t quite understand the issue of the coin used for terumot and ma‘aserot. What exactly is this coin? Is it just regular money? Also, does this mean I can’t eat fruit from a garden if I don’t have the coin with me at that moment—for example, if I’m at the school where I work and there are fruit trees there?

 

How do I know which type of ma'aser (sheni/ani) to take from the fruit on my trees?

Rabbi Moshe Bloom, Nissan 5785
We have 2 apple trees, a lemon tree and a clementine tree. What is the ma'aser year for the fruit?

Are fruit on trees in public parks obligated in terumot and ma'aserot?

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

Are the fruit trees in public parks hefker and does it matter how much you take and what you plan on doing with it? For instance, large-scale olive harvest.

Terumot and ma'aserot from Jewish produce in closed military zones

Rabbi David Eigner, Shevat 5784, Annual Conference of Torah VeHa'aretz Institute at Sederot

Do we need to separate terumot and ma'aserot from produce found in closed military zones during the War of Iron Sword?

Picking herbs on the roadside

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

Am I allowed to take cuttings from overgrown wild sage or rosemary at the side of the road in public areas? A few people I know have said that you’re allowed because they grow back and it’s actually good for the trees to take cuttings… but is there an issue of stealing? What about terumot and ma'aserot?

 

I didn't realize my celery was obligated in terumot & ma'aserot - what now?

Rabbi Netanel Oyerbach | Av 5785

I recently planted celery in my garden and used the leaves for soup. Since we don't actually eat the leaves, I thought it was exempt from terumot and ma'aserot since it only imparts flavor. Following the conversation I just had with you about celery, you said since most people do eat celery, it is obligated in terumot and ma'aserot with a berachah, I'm wondering what to do now.

I know it's a ma'aser ani year, and the gifts to both the Levi and the poor are monetary obligations. We finished the soup. Can I give now the monetary value of the ma'aserot to a Levi and poor?  

Does aloe vera require terumot & ma'aserot when eaten?

Avraham Sochovolsky

I saw an article discussing the  shemitah-year sanctity (kedushat shevi’it) regarding the aloe vera plant. However, I couldn’t find whether one must separate terumot and ma’asrot from aloe vera leaves if the contents of the leaves are used for consumption?
Thank you.

 

Do I need to understand the nusach for separating terumot and ma'aserot?

Dr. Mordechai Shomron, agronomist; addition by Rabbi Moshe Bloom | Av 5785

I don't really understand the nusach for separating terumot and ma'aserot - with the percentages, locations, etc. Does it matter?                              

Separating terumot and ma’aserot at a cherry-picking festival

Rabbi Ehud Ahituv

There is a cherry-picking festival taking place in Gush Etzion, and I’d like to go with a few friends. You can pick cherries, blueberries, and raspberries.

  1. Is there a problem with orlah (is there supervision by the Gush Etzion rabbinate)?
  2. If we pay upfront and it’s “all you can eat,” how can we eat the fruit without first taking terumot and ma’aserot, and at which point do we need to separate them? The same question regarding eating the fruit in the car on the way home.
  3. I know there are guidelines about checking fruit for infestation (and that raspberries are very difficult to check). Do you have current information about infestation status?

This seems like such a nice event, and it is difficult for me to believe that in a place like Gush Etzion, where there are so many observant Jews, there would be a festival that would trip people up in eating tevel mide’oriyta.