Mishnah Demai
About This Entry
The biblical commandment to tithe produce gave rise to a prohibition against consuming untithed produce. But what if the status of produce is uncertain—that is, demai—either because its status is simply unknown or because its owner is suspected of dishonesty? Mishnah Demai 4:1 provides guidance on how those who are scrupulous about tithing are to deal with the produce of persons who cannot be trusted to have tithed it.
He who purchases produce from one who is not [deemed] trustworthy in the matter of tithing, and forgot to tithe it, [and—Ed.] inquires of him [of the vendor] on the Sabbath, may eat at his [the vendor’s] word. [But] at nightfall at the close of the Sabbath, he should not eat until he has tithed [the produce].
[If] he did not find him [the vendor, on the Sabbath], [and if] someone else who is not [deemed] trustworthy in the matter of tithing said to him, “It is tithed,” he eats at his word. [But] at nightfall at the close of the Sabbath, he should not eat until he has tithed [the produce].
[Regarding] heave offering1 of the tithe from demai produce which returned to its place [which fell back into the now-tithed demai produce from which is was originally separated, thus rendering the entire mixture prohibited to a non-priest]—R. Simeon of Sezur says, “Even on a weekday he inquires of him [the vendor] and eats at his word.”
Notes
Words in brackets appear in the original translation unless otherwise noted.
[The heave offering (Heb., terumah) is heaved or hefted up when it is offered.—Ed.]
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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