I didn't realize my celery was obligated in terumot & ma'aserot - what now?
Question
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?
Answer
Part of the process of separating terumot and ma'aserot is naming and designating parts of the produce as the various gifts. If this was not done, and if the food no longer exists, there is nothing to do (other than teshuva, like what we do if we accidently did the wrong thing in any other halachic matter) for retroactive fixing the situation. However, going forward, it's a good idea to learn the halachot of terumot and ma'aserot. We have lots of guides, lectures, and tutorials available on our website and our staff is available to answer any questions you may have.
Lechatchilah, you should also kasher your pot, since it absorbed tevel (untithed produce), which is forbidden to eat.