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I understand during temple times you needed to add a fifth when redeeming the produce onto money to take to Jerusalem. Today it’s only done on a small coin which is gotten rid of somehow.
A)Whats the reason and earliest source that it doesn’t need to be transferred to the amount of money of the actual produce’s worth?
B) Seemingly we should either apply the mitzvah or not apply the mitzvah (either cause Jerusalem exists even without the temple, or the temple doesn’t exist so no obligation).
C) How is the lack of obligation to take to Jeru a sufficient explanation for magic transfers not mentioned in Torah. Someone explain this to me please. Thanks.
You could ask similar questions regarding Shmitta.
The answer is :
The redemption of masser sheni is similar to the redemption of Hekdesh- items that one promised to give as a donation to the Temple.
Talmud Eruchin 29a Hekdesh worth any amount can be redemed on a small coin- “peruta”. In the time of the Temple, one was not supposed to do so, as the temple would loose out, but when there is no Temple, the temple is not loosing any money, so this can be done.
Maimondies Laws of Masher sheni chapter 2 law 2 states that the Geonim ruled that masher sheni is the same as hekdesh, and any amount can be redemed on a “peruta”.
The Talmud in many places brings that although the Temple is destroyed, the sanctity of Jerusalem remains- see megillah 10,zevachim 107b, therefore the mitvah still applies, just one can’t eat maser sheni nowadays, so one is obligated to redem it on a small amount of money.
I suggest you study more of the Talmud to gain an appreciation of the depth of the Halacha.A: Gemara Arachin 29a, Rambam Maaser Sheini 2:2, Yoreh Deiah siman 331 se’if 133.
B: The mitzvah of separating maaser sheini does in fact apply nowadays, but not the mitzvah of eating it. This is derived in the Gemara from a possuk that compares maaser sheini to korbanos. See Makkos 19a.
C: The reason we do it this way is to prevent accumulation of maaser sheini that is forbidden to be eaten – “mishum takalah”. The reason it works even with a ‘prutah’ is because m’doraisa the prohibition on cheating in transactions doesn’t apply to Hekdesh (including maaser sheini). לא תונו איש את עמיתו meaning ‘colleague’, excludes ממון גבוה. The Rabbanan established a prohibition on cheating Hekdesh, but limited it to when the Bais Hamikdash existed so as to avoid accidentally using Hekdesh nowadays which is forbidden.
Hope this clarified things for you.
Read This, it will answer all of your questions:
for a short answer
we do redeem the maaser sheini for what it’s worth, but since it can’t be eaten it is only worth a prutah, even if its a lot of fruit
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