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1) WIDOWS THAT EAT TERUMAH AND MA'ASER

(a) (Beraisa - R. Meir): Terumah is given to a Kohen, and Ma'aser to a Levi;
(b) R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah permits it to a Kohen.

1. Question: To imply, there is an opinion that says it is forbidden?!

(c) Correction: R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah says it may be given even to a Kohen.
(d) Question: What is R. Meir's reason?
(e) Answer (Rav Acha Brei d'Rava, on tradition): "The Ma'aser ... Terumah" - just as Terumah is forbidden to a non-Kohen, so Ma'aser is forbidden to a non-Levi.

1. Suggestion: Just as a non-Kohen that eats Terumah is liable to death (at the hands of Heaven, if he ate it intentionally) and must add a fifth when paying for what he ate unintentionally, we should say the same by Ma'aser!
2. Rejection: "They will die for it ... and add a fifth on it" - "for it", and not for Ma'aser, "on it", and not on Ma'aser.

(f) Chachamim learn, just as failure to separate Terumah makes produce Tevel (i.e. forbidden to eat), so too by Ma'aser Rishon.

1. (Beraisa - R. Yosi): One might think, one is only liable for Tevel from which nothing has been separated; how do we know, one is liable if Terumah has been separated, but not Ma'aser Rishon; Ma'aser Rishon, but not Ma'aser Sheni, or even Ma'aser Ani?
2. "You cannot eat in your gates"; another verse says, "They will eat in your gates".

i. Just as the latter verse speaks of Ma'aser Ani, also the former, and the Torah forbids eating it (Tevel to Ma'aser Ani).

3. If only from these verses, one might think, it is only Chayavei Lavin; the comparison to Terumah teaches that one is liable to death.

(g) Question: You cannot say the Mishnah is as R. Meir - the end of the Mishnah says, a Bas Levi to a Kohen, or a Bas Kohen to a Levi may not eat Terumah nor Ma'aser!

1. Since R. Meir says that a Kohen may eat Ma'aser, there is no reason why she should not eat!

(h) Answer #1 (Rav Sheshes): 'She does not eat' means, she does not authorize separating (Terumah or Ma'aser).

1. Question: This implies, if married, she may authorize?!
2. Answer: Yes! (Beraisa): "You will eat ... and your household" - this teaches that a Bas Yisrael married to a Levi may authorize separation of Ma'aser;
3. Question: Perhaps this teaches that she may eat?
4. Answer: We already know this from a Kal v'Chomer!

i. Terumah is stringent, yet a Bas Yisrael married to a Kohen may eat it; Ma'aser, which is lenient, all the more so a Levi's wife may eat it!

(i) Answer #2 (Mar Brei d'Ravna): 'She does not eat' means, she does receive (Terumah or Ma'aser) at the granaries.

1. This fits well according to the opinion that the reason why women don't receive at the granaries is because it will lead to seclusion.
2. Question: According to the opinion that the reason is because she may be divorced (and continue to receive) - even if the Bas Levi is divorced from the Kohen, she may still eat Ma'aser!
3. Counter-question: If a Bas Kohen is divorced (from a Kohen), she is also allowed to eat Terumah (so why can't she collect while married?)!

i. You must say, it is a decree on account of a Bas Yisrael, lest she be divorced from a Kohen (similarly, we decree by Ma'aser on account of a Bas Yisrael).

(j) Question: If so, even if married, she should not receive!
(k) Answer: That is true! Since the beginning of the Mishnah talked of engagement, also the end.

(a) (Beraisa - R. Akiva): Terumah is given to a Kohen, and Ma'aser to a Levi; R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah says, to a Kohen.

(b) Question: To a Kohen, but not to a Levi?!
(c) Correction: Rather, even to a Kohen.
(d) Question: What is R. Akiva's reason?
(e) Answer: The Torah says, "To the Levi'im"!

1. R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah holds as R. Yehoshua Ben Levi.

i. (R. Yehoshua Ben Levi): In 24 places, Kohanim are called Levi'im - for example, "The Kohanim, the Levi'im the son of Tzadok".

2. R. Akiva says, this cannot apply here - "You will eat it in all places", and a Kohen cannot eat it in a cemetery.
3. R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah says, this verse comes to teach that it need not be eaten within the walls of Yerushalayim, and one is not lashed for eating it if he is Tamei.

(f) R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah used to receive Ma'aser from a certain woman. R. Akiva switched her door to open to a cemetery.

1. R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah: Akiva with his sack - what will be of my livelihood?

(g) Question: Why were Levi'im fined (that others should receive Ma'aser)?
(h) R. Yonason and elders gave different answers.

1. Answer #1: They did not come to Eretz Yisrael in the days of Ezra.
2. Answer #2: In order that Kohanim should have what to eat when they are Tamei.
3. Objection: That is no reason to fine the Levi'im!

(i) Retraction: Rather, all agree that the fine was because: They did not come to Eretz Yisrael in the days of Ezra; they argue, who received Ma'aser as a result of the fine.

1. Opinion #1: It was given to the poor.
2. Opinion #2: A Kohen, when he is Tamei, is as a poor man.
3. According to the opinion that it was given to the poor, we understand why R. Akiva switched her door to the cemetery (rich Kohanim are not entitled to Ma'aser).
4. Question: According to the opinion that Kohanim receive it, why did he switch the door?
5. Answer: He was telling R. Eliezer Ben Azaryah - if you are taking it because of the fine, you are entitled to it; if you believe that mid'Oraisa Kohanim receive it, you are not entitled to it.

(j) Question: How do we know that Levi'im did not return in the days of Ezra?
(k) Answer: "I did not find a Levi".
(l) (Rav Chisda): Originally, officers were only appointed from Levi'im - "The officers, the Levi'im in front of you";

1. Today, we only appoint from Yisrael - "The officers of the many in front of you."

(a) (Mishnah): A Bas Yisrael that married a Kohen eats Terumah; if he died, and she has a son from him, she eats Terumah;

1. If she married a Levi, she eats Ma'aser; if he died, and she has a son from him, she eats Ma'aser;
2. If she married a Yisrael, she may not eat Terumah nor Ma'aser; if he died, and she has a son from him, she eats neither Terumah nor Ma'aser;
3. If her son from the Yisrael died, she may eat Ma'aser; if her son from the Levi died, she may eat Terumah; if her son from the Kohen died, she may not eat Terumah nor Ma'aser;