Q&A

Shalom, on a farm there is a wooden open-air pavilion where meals are served, and salads are prepared from produce picked in the field. When vegetables are brought there, is there an obligation to separate tithes (ma‘aserot)? Additionally, if vegetables are placed in a small crate before being brought into the packing house, may one take from the crate and eat without separating tithes? All the best.

Question:
Is it permissible to give terumah and terumat ma‘aser to a Kohen (with a confirmed family tradition) for the purpose of feeding animals? Furthermore, may a farm transfer ownership of a goat pen or chicken coop to a Kohen, and subsequently use terumat ma‘aser separated from its produce as animal feed?

I live in the Jerusalem area and have a garden. I would like to start a vegetable patch and also plant some fruit trees. Could you please tell me about the halachic issues I have to take into account?

If in my case, I must have my own coin, how long is it used for? Somebody told me that it’s forever, which I didn’t think was the case, according to your notes?

I understand the importance of joining the fund, however, is joining the fund applicable to me? If I am a member of the fund, I understand then that its remote: because the fund holds the coin, as it were, when the text /Brocha is recited, I am designating various parts of the produce for a Kohen, Levi

But that in some years, when it comes to redeeming the holiness of ma'aser sheni and the ma’aser ani produce, in these cases, I must have my own coin.

Please explain how one works with the fund. I’m sure that I won’t have to let them know each time I have picked a cucumber.

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?

Will the following apply in my case?:  I read that “while there is a halachic solution to separate in advance once every week, it should only be employed if you are concerned that someone (family member, perhaps) will harvest without separating”. (I assume that in advance means like a spiritual separation; that can be done before one has any produce picked/in one’s hand), In my circumstance, until I have I bigger yield, should / could I separate in advance once every week? If this is applicable in this case, please advise how this is done?

I understand that after the produce is designated and named, it is no longer tevel and can be eaten. I  don’t understand how this works in my case. And at what point practically, can produce be eaten.

Am I to understand that in the event I pick one cucumber, that I will be required to physically cut (take the tithes on) one cucumber that is only going to be consumed later that night or the next day? Please clarify.

I understand that when reciting the text, I will be designating and naming various parts of the produce for a Kohen, Levi, and on some years for a poor person, and on other years, as ma'aser sheni.

I understand the need to separate terumot and ma'aserot from every batch I harvest. Bearing in mind that I am growing at home, please advise:

-If the size of each ‘picking’ relevant (‘harvest’ doesn’t sound like the right word). I imagine that there might only be a few (even one or two or three) at a time. Of course it might be more.

-in time, there might well be 1 or 2 vegetables from different vegetable types.

When must /or can the blessing be said?

And when must the tithes be taken?