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1) CAN MA'ASER BE NULLIFIED?

(a) (Chizkiyah): Ma'aser Sheni worth less than a Perutah - he redeems it and the added fifth on coins already used to redeem Ma'aser, for surely he was not exact.
(b) Question (Mishnah): The following apply to Terumah and Bikurim, but not to Ma'aser: A non-Kohen or Tamei Kohen who eats them is liable to death at the hands of Heaven; a non-Kohen who unintentionally eats them adds a fifth when paying for them; they are forbidden to a non-Kohen; they are the property of the Kohen; if they become mixed with Chulin, they are nullified if there is 100 times as much Chulin; one must wash his hands before eating them; a Tamei person who immersed cannot eat them until nightfall.

1. Suggestion: It says that Terumah (or Bikurim) is nullified in 100 parts of Chulin, not Ma'aser - implying, Ma'aser is nullified in a majority of Chulin!

i. According to Chizkiyah, Ma'aser can be redeemed (even less than a Perutah's worth) - anything which can be permitted in some way is never nullified!

2. Question: Perhaps the Mishnah teaches that Terumah is nullified in 100 parts, but Ma'aser is never nullified!
3. Rejection #1: The Mishnah lists stringencies of Terumah over Ma'aser, not leniencies.
4. Objection: But it says, it is the property of the Kohen (a leniency)!
5. Rejection #2 (Beraisa): Ma'aser is nullified in a majority of Chulin;

i. This applies to less than a Perutah's worth of Ma'aser, or Ma'aser that entered Yerushalayim and left (therefore, it cannot be redeemed nor eaten).
ii. According to Chizkiyah, it can be redeemed on prior coins!

(c) Answer: The case is, he has no prior coins.
(d) Question: He can redeem the Ma'aser (that became mixed with Chulin) together with other Ma'aser worth a Perutah!
(e) Answer: No - mid'Oraisa, the Ma'aser is nullified in the mixture, it is only considered Ma'aser mid'Rabanan - it does not help to join it with mid'Oraisa Ma'aser.
(f) Question: He should redeem it with a Perutah's worth of Demai (produce bought from someone untrustworthy regarding Ma'aser - since most people Ma'aser, this is also only Ma'aser mid'Rabanan)!
(g) Answer: We decree lest he redeem it with mid'Oraisa Ma'aser.
(h) Question: He should redeem a Perutah and a half of mid'Oraisa Ma'aser on two coins, each one Perutah, and redeem the mixed Ma'aser on the other half-Perutah!
(i) Answer: If he tries this, a Perutah of Ma'aser is redeemed on one coin, but the other half-Perutah of Ma'aser cannot be redeemed on the other coin (since it is less than a Perutah)!
(j) Question: He should redeem mid'Oraisa Ma'aser (worth less than an Isar) on an Isar, and redeem the mixed Ma'aser on Chulin that remains in the Isar!
(k) Answer: We decree lest he redeem on Perutos.

(a) Question: The Beraisa said, also Ma'aser that entered Yerushalayim and left is nullified - he can return it to Yerushalayim and eat it there (since it can be permitted, it should not be nullified)!
(b) Answer #1: The case is, it became Tamei.

1. Question: If so, he can redeem it!

i. (R. Elazar): Tamei Ma'aser Sheni can be redeemed even in Yerushalayim (since it cannot be eaten)- "Ki Lo Suchal Se'eiso";

ii. "Se'eiso" is a language of eating - "va'Yisa Masa'os".

2. Answer: The Ma'aser was bought with Ma'aser money.
3. Question: Even so, he can redeem it!

i. (Mishnah): Produce bought with money of Ma'aser Sheni that became Tamei, it can be redeemed.

4. Answer: The Beraisa is R. Yehudah, who says that it must be buried.
5. Question: If (it became Tamei, according to) R. Yehudah - even if it did not leave Yerushalayim, it cannot be eaten, it can be nullified!

(c) Answer #2: Rather, it is still Tahor - when the Beraisa says it left Yerushalayim, it means, the walls of Yerushalayim fell (so it can no longer be eaten).

1. Question: But Rava taught, mid'Oraisa, Ma'aser can only be eaten within the walls; mid'Rabanan, once Ma'aser enters the walls, it cannot be redeemed.

i. Presumably, Chachamim only decreed when there are walls (and it can be eaten) - if the walls fell, why shouldn't it be redeemed?!

2. Answer: Chachamim did not distinguish whether or not there are walls.

(d) Answer #3 (Rav Huna bar Yehudah): The Beraisa teaches one case - less than a Perutah's worth of Ma'aser that entered Yerushalayim and left, can be nullified.
(e) Question: He can return it to Yerushalayim and eat it (so why is it nullified)?
(f) Answer: The case is, the walls of Yerushalayim fell.
(g) Question: If so, he can redeem it!

1. Rava taught, mid'Oraisa, Ma'aser can only be eaten within the walls; mid'Rabanan, once Ma'aser enters the walls, it cannot be redeemed.

i. Chachamim only decreed when there are walls (and it can be eaten) - if the walls fell, why shouldn't it be redeemed?!

(h) Answer: Chachamim did not distinguish whether or not there are walls.
(i) Question: If so, even if it is worth a Perutah, it can be nullified!
(j) Answer: The Beraisa teaches a bigger Chidush.

1. Not only when it is worth a Perutah, Chachamim decreed that it cannot be redeemed once it entered Yerushalayim;
2. But even when it is not worth a Perutah, and it is not common to redeem it (on a prior coin), Chachamim decreed that it cannot be redeemed once it entered.

(a) (Beraisa): "Mi'Ma'asero" - not all his Ma'aser - this excludes Ma'aser Sheni that is not worth a Perutah (it cannot imbue Kedushah to a Perutah).
(b) (Rav Ami and R. Yochanan): The Beraisa speaks of Ma'aser worth less than a Perutah.
(c) (Rav Asi and Reish Lakish): The Beraisa speaks of Ma'aser whose added fifth is worth less than a Perutah.
(d) Question (Beraisa): Ma'aser worth less than a Perutah - it suffices to say that it and its fifth are redeemed on prior coins.

1. We understand according to Rav Asi - even though the Ma'aser is more than a Perutah, since the fifth is not, 'it suffices' to redeem on prior coins (he need not take it to Yerushalayim or redeem it with more Ma'aser);
2. But according to Rav Ami - the Ma'aser is less than a Perutah - why does it say 'it suffices' - it should just say, he redeems it on prior coins!
3. This is left difficult.