Shop עברית

Terumot & Ma’aserot

Bringing fruit into the house through the window

Rabbi Yoel Friedemann

Fruit brought into the house through the window is not subject to the obligation of separating teruma and ma’aser. I live in a private house, though, and the fruit first goes into my yard and only after that is brought through the window. Is the fruit still exempt from teruma and ma’aser in this case, too?

Taking terumot and ma’aserot from seeds

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

I grow several vegetables in my garden such as string beans, peas, and potatoes. Sometimes I take all or some of the seeds to plant the next round of crops in my garden.

1) Am I supposed to take ma’aser from the seeds before planting, or does ma’aser only apply to edible produce?

2) If there is an obligation of taking ma’aser at this point, do I need to take ma’aser from seeds I buy at a nursery?

 

When tithed grapes are used for wine

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

If I buy grapes or olives from which terumot and ma’aserot were taken, and then use them to make wine or olive oil, do I need to take terumot and ma’aserot again (at the completion of the process, gemar melacha)?

Taking ma’aserot from pine nuts

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

My four-year-old son collects pine nuts that fall under the trees and also brings them into the house.

  1. Are they subject to terumot and ma’aserot?
  2. If so, how do I prevent him from eating them first before taking terumot and ma’aserot?

 

Taking ma’aserot from garden-grown mint

Dr. Mordechai Shomron, Agronomist

Do I need to take ma’aserot from the mint growing in my garden that I use to make tea?

 

Taking ma’aserot from herbs grown in planters

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

Which poskim are lenient about eating herbs grown in planters without first taking terumot and 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?

 

Taking terumot and ma’aserot from crops grown in the house or balcony

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

Are fruits and vegetables that grow on the balcony or inside the house subject to ma’aserot?

 

Taking terumot and ma’aserot from herbs in advance

Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy Amichay

I grow herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.) and use them as seasoning. We actually eat them; they don’t only provide a flavor. How am I supposed to go about taking terumot and ma’aserot from them? Each time I pick a small bunch of leaves, so I would set aside less than a leaf? For example: how much am I supposed to take from the 2-3 basil leaves that I add to the spaghetti sauce?