1. All fruits and vegetables that are grown in Israel must have certain matanos taken off from them in order for us to be allowed to eat them.
   1. There is a difference between what is done to these matanos nowadays and what was done to them in the time of the Gemara. We will deal only with what should be done at the present time.
   2. We will also make the assumption that the fruit and vegetables that the average person buys will be those that have a "safek" status. They have gone through the standard Tnuva marketing process and as such may have had the proper matanos removed by the Rabanut.
   3. Obviously, anyone that buys at a store that has a special hechsher need not take off the matanos again unless he wants to be machmir.

2. Which matanos have to be removed nowadays and what is done with them:
   1. Truma Gedola consists of a minute amount of the food and should be wrapped in some paper or a plastic bag and discarded.
   2. Maaser Rishon consists of 10% of the remaining food and it must have its place "designated" (as will be explained below) and then may be eaten.
   3. Trumas Maaser consists of 10% of the Maaser Rishon (and is therefore 1% of the food) and is dealt with in the same manner as Truma Gedola.
   4. Maaser Sheni consists of 10% of the food that is left over after the Maaser Rishon has been removed. We "designate" its place and then we redeem it onto a coin that has been set aside for this purpose. Then it can be eaten.
   5. Maaser Ani consists of 10% of the food that is left over after the Maaser Rishon has been removed. We "designate" its place and then we can eat it.
   6. There is a seven-year "Shmita" cycle connected with these matanos. In the 1, 2, 4, & 5 years of the cycle Maaser Sheni is given and Maaser Ani is not. In the 3 & 6 year of the cycle Maaser Ani is given and Maaser Sheni is not.

3. The proper way that the hafrasha should be done:
   1. First we cut off a little more than 1% of the food that we want to fix.
      1. This will contain the Truma Gedola and the Trumas Maaser that will have to be discarded as mentioned above.
      2. If more than one kind of food is being dealt with, then it is necessary to cut off a bit more than 1% of each of the different kinds of food.

2. Then we "designate" the place of the Truma Gedola.
   1. This means that we say “that part of this piece on its northern side that is in excess of 1% of all the food should become Truma Gedola.”
   2. It makes no difference that side is designated, but you should realize that the same side cannot be used for two different matanos.

3. Then we "designate" the place of the Maaser Rishon.
   1. This consists of both 1% of the food (the remainder of the piece that we have cut off) and 9% of the food (still connected to the major part of the food).
   2. We therefore say “that 1% of the food and another 9 quantities like it on the northern side of the food should become Maaser Rishon.”
   3. Previously we spoke about the northern side of the piece and now we mention the north side of the food.

4. Then we "designate" the place of the Trumas Maaser. We therefore say “1% of the food that I have made Maaser Rishon should now become Trumas Maaser.”
5. Then we "designate" the place of the Maaser Sheni or of the Maaser Ani and redeem the Maaser Sheni.
   1. In the case of the Maaser Ani, we say, "Let 10% of the remaining food on its southern side become Maaser Ani.”
   2. In the case of the Maaser Sheni, we say, "Let 10% of the remaining food on its southern side become Maaser Sheni, and let it and an additional fifth be redeemed on a peruta in the coin that I have set aside for this purpose.”
   3. If you are uncertain which year the food is from, then first say the nusach for the Maaser Sheni and then add on that "if it is necessary to take off Maaser Ani then let it be Maaser Ani.”

6. The nusach is printed in most Israeli siddurim and can be read from there.
   1. In case of need, it is also possible for you to cut off a little more than 1% of the food and say, "I want the hafrashas Trumos and Maasros to be done as it appears in the siddur.”
   2. It is still necessary to put aside a coin for purposes of the Maaser Sheni.

7. Since each time you use a peruta in the coin, you can use any coin only as many times as the number of perutos it contains. The value of a peruta can fluctuate, but we can assume that nowadays it is about 2-4 agorot.
   1. After your coin is "filled," you can transfer the Maaser Sheni in the coin to a peruta in another coin and start all over again.
   2. According to the Chazon Ish, if the Maaser Sheni itself is worth less than a peruta, then a regular coin cannot be used and a peruta chamura (a coin that has had some Maaser Sheni already redeemed on it) is required.
   3. This Maaser Sheni must be from either the five grains or grapes and must be vadai and not with a safek status.
   4. A peruta chamura can be obtained at the Badatz or you can become a member in a Keren Maasros (an organization that has in its possession a large number of these coins that it gives permission to members to use).

Close Article