Maaser SheniEdit
Maaser Sheni is one of the traditional agricultural tithes mandated in the Hebrew Bible as part of the system governing how the produce of the land is reserved for sacred use and for communal responsibility. It is the second tithe in the sequence of tithes tied to the land of Eretz Yisrael and to the central cultic life centered in Jerusalem. In ancient times, the commandment required that this portion be eaten in the city of the divine Presence during the pilgrimage festivals, or redeemed for money that would be spent in Jerusalem on food. In the absence of the Beit HaMikdash (the Temple in Jerusalem), rabbinic authorities developed mechanisms to adapt the law, leading to a complex set of practices that persist in various forms in modern Jewish life.
Historical and legal framework
The legal basis for Maaser Sheni appears in the Torah as part of a structured system of sanctified produce. It follows Terumah and Maaser Rishon in the broad sequence of agricultural tithes tied to the land of Israel, but it has its own distinct purpose and ritual requirements. The basic biblical text refers to setting aside a portion of one’s grain, wine, and oil for consumption in the place that the LORD will choose. This arrangement incentivized pilgrimage to the capital and reinforced a social order in which Jerusalem functioned as a spiritual and economic hub. See for instance the discussions in the classical codes and commentaries that trace how a household or farm handles Maaser Sheni alongside other tithes. For context, related topics include Terumah, Maaser Rishon, and the broader system of tithes described in the Mishnah and Talmud.
In the days of the Beit HaMikdash, Maaser Sheni was to be consumed in a state of ritual purity within Jerusalem during the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. The requirement to eat the Maaser Sheni in the holy city was designed to bind agricultural life to the sacred calendar and to the central institutions of Jewish worship. If the owner could not bring the Maaser Sheni to Jerusalem, a rabbinic provision allowed redemption of the produce for money, with the money then used to purchase food in Jerusalem. This redemptive mechanism preserved the link to Jerusalem even when travel or exile prevented direct consumption on site. See discussions in the rabbinic literature about how to implement redemption and the conditions under which consumption or redemption may take place.
The practice of Maaser Sheni sits within a broader framework that includes Maaser Ani (the tithe given to the poor in Jerusalem during certain periods) and Maaser Rishon (the first tithe that historically accompanied the Leviim). Together, these laws shaped both religious life and social welfare in ancient Israel and created a distinctive pattern of economic and religious obligation tied to the land. For readers who want to compare different components of the system, see Maaser Ani and Maaser Rishon as well as Shmita (the sabbatical year) and Terumah.
Modern observance and practical considerations
Today, the full biblical protocol of Maaser Sheni cannot be enacted in the same way as in ancient times because there is no functioning Temple in Jerusalem. As a result, modern practice on Maaser Sheni varies among communities and halakhic authorities, with a strong emphasis on the principle of returning to the original intent: tying agricultural life to a sense of sacred obligation and social responsibility.
In the land of Israel, some authorities still discuss the theoretical status of Maaser Sheni in a modern agricultural economy. The central question is whether the commandment remains binding when the central acts of consumption in Jerusalem are not possible in the absence of the Temple. In many communities, the practical effect is that Maaser Sheni is not observed as a formal obligation in daily farming, and farmers instead engage in other forms of tzedakah or Maaser practices that align with the spirit of the law. See the discussions linked to Maimonides and Shulchan Aruch for traditional positions on how the laws function when the Temple is not standing.
In the diaspora, the consensus among many Torah authorities is that Maaser Sheni is not a binding, active obligation, precisely because the core ritual (eating in Jerusalem) cannot be performed. The practical corollary is that people living outside Israel typically follow other tithing and charitable practices, such as Maaser Ani (the tithe to the poor) and general charitable giving, while maintaining an awareness of the original intention to support Jerusalem and its institutions. See discussions around Maaser Ani and the general category of tithes, Tithes.
Some modern households and communities still maintain a mindset of Maaser Sheni by earmarking a portion of produce for Jerusalem-centered use or by directing funds to Jerusalem-based charitable institutions or educational and religious institutions that connect to the historical intent of the tithe. In this sense, the spirit of Maaser Sheni endures even if the letter of the law is not enacted in the same way as in the Temple era.
For agricultural producers in Israel, the conversation often runs alongside other land-related halakhic topics, such as Shmita (the sabbatical year) and the broader system of terumot and maasrot. The way farmers approach these laws today reflects a balance between fidelity to traditional prescriptions and the realities of modern agriculture and commerce. See Maaser Rishon and Terumah for related frameworks.
Controversies and debates
The discussions around Maaser Sheni in modern times illuminate broader tensions within traditional Jewish law between returning to a ritual center and adapting to a global, modern community. From a traditionalist perspective, the central point is fidelity to the historical model: the land of Israel, the Temple in Jerusalem, and the moral impulse to sustain the poor and support communal life through a system of sacred tithes. Critics—whether in the diaspora or within Israel—often argue for practical adaptation to contemporary life, emphasizing that the moral goals of Maaser Sheni can be achieved through other means without demanding a Jerusalem-centric ritual that cannot be performed in present circumstances.
The core controversy concerns whether Maaser Sheni remains a binding obligation outside of the Temple-era framework. Proponents of continuity stress the Torah’s commands and the rabbinic insistence on maintaining the connection between the land, the people, and Jerusalem, arguing that the obligation is not merely about a ritual act but about preserving a religious geography and identity. See debates touching on the role of Jerusalem as a spiritual center in Beit HaMikdash and the expectation of a future Temple.
Opponents of formal Maaser Sheni argue that in a post-Temple world, the practical, halakhic significance of the commandment diminishes and that time, distance, and the impossibility of eating in Jerusalem during most years make the obligation untenable. Their position often aligns with broader arguments for adapting ritual obligations to the realities of modern life, while still honoring the underlying aims of sanctity, charity, and communal cohesion.
Another axis of debate concerns the substitutes for the original mechanism. Some advocate reinforcing Maaser Ani and general acts of tzedakah in place of the shared, locational consumption of Maaser Sheni, arguing that the essential spiritual goal—care for the poor and connection to Jerusalem—can be pursued through charitable institutions and education in Israel and the diaspora. See discussions on how different communities interpret the relationship between ritual law and social welfare, including the interplay of Maaser Ani with communal philanthropy.
There is also an ongoing conversation about how future political and religious developments—such as the prospect of a third Temple or changes in the status of Jerusalem—could affect the practical status of Maaser Sheni. These debates touch on the broader topic of how law adapts to historical moments while maintaining fidelity to tradition.