Mishnah Demai 1

Mishnah Demai ("Doubtful Produce"), in the order Zera'im (Seeds). Produce bought from someone who may not have tithed it, and what the buyer must set aside. The Mishnah is the first written code of Jewish oral law, compiled in the land of Israel about AD 200 under Rabbi Judah the Prince; it is rabbinic law and teaching, not scripture. English by Joshua Kulp (Mishnah Yomit), Hebrew from the Torat Emet edition.

1The [following] are treated leniently in regard to [the rules of] demai: unripe figs, wild jujuba, azarolus, wild white figs, young sycamore figs, fallen dates, fennel and capers. In Judea also sumac, Judean vinegar, and coriander. Rabbi Judah says: all unripe figs are exempt, except for those from a tree that bears fruit twice a year. All wild jujuba are exempt, except the wild jujuba of Shikmonah. All young sycamore figs are exempt, except those that have been scarified.

הַקַּלִּין שֶׁבַּדְּמַאי, הַשִּׁיתִין, וְהָרִימִין וְהָעֻזְרָדִין, וּבְנוֹת שׁוּחַ, וּבְנוֹת שִׁקְמָה, וְנוֹבְלוֹת הַתְּמָרָה, וְהַגֻּפְנִין, וְהַנִּצְפָּה. וּבִיהוּדָה, הָאוֹג, וְהַחֹמֶץ שֶׁבִּיהוּדָה, וְהַכֻּסְבָּר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַשִּׁיתִין פְּטוּרִין, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל דּוּפְרָה. כָּל הָרִימִין פְּטוּרִין, חוּץ מֵרִימֵי שִׁקְמוֹנָה. כָּל בְּנוֹת שִׁקְמָה פְּטוּרוֹת, חוּץ מִן הַמֻּסְטָפוֹס: (12275)

2The [second tithe of] demai is not subject to [the rules of adding a] fifth. It has no mandated time of removal. It may be eaten by an onen. It may be brought into Jerusalem and taken out again. They may allow a small amount to be lost on the road. One may give it to an am haaretz and consume its equivalent in Jerusalem. [Second tithe money of demai] may be redeemed silver [coins] for [other] silver [coins], copper [coins] for [other] copper [coins], silver for copper, and copper for produce, provided that the produce is again redeemed for money, the words of Rabbi Meir. But the sages say: the produce itself must be brought up and eaten in Jerusalem.

הַדְּמַאי אֵין לוֹ חֹמֶשׁ, וְאֵין לוֹ בִעוּר, וְנֶאֱכָל לְאוֹנֵן, וְנִכְנָס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְיוֹצֵא, וּמְאַבְּדִין אֶת מִעוּטוֹ בַּדְּרָכִים, וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְעַם הָאָרֶץ, וְיֹאכַל כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וּמְחַלְּלִים אוֹתוֹ כֶּסֶף עַל כֶּסֶף, נְחֹשֶׁת עַל נְחשֶׁת, כֶּסֶף עַל נְחֹשֶׁת, וּנְחֹשֶׁת עַל הַפֵּרוֹת, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וְיִפְדֶּה אֶת הַפֵּרוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יַעֲלֶה הַפֵּרוֹת וְיֵאָכְלוּ בִירוּשָׁלָיִם: (13609)

3If a man bought [grain from an am haaretz] to be used for seed or for animal [feed], flour for hides, oil for a lamp, or oil for greasing utensils, it is exempt from [the rules of] demai. [Produce grown] beyond Cheziv and north is exempt from [the rules of] demai. The hallah of an am haaretz, produce mixed with terumah, produce bought with second tithe money, and the leftovers of minhah offerings are exempt from [the rules of] demai. Oil spiced [with spices from an am haaretz]: Bet Shammai makes it liable [to the rules of demai]. But Bet Hillel exempts it.

הַלּוֹקֵחַ לְזֶרַע וְלִבְהֵמָה, קֶמַח לְעוֹרוֹת, שֶׁמֶן לְנֵר, שֶׁמֶן לָסוּךְ בּוֹ אֶת הַכֵּלִים, פָּטוּר מִן הַדְּמַאי. מִכְּזִיב וּלְהַלָּן, פָּטוּר מִן הַדְּמַאי. חַלַּת עַם הָאָרֶץ, וְהַמְדֻמָּע, וְהַלָּקוּחַ בְּכֶסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי, וּשְׁיָרֵי הַמְּנָחוֹת, פְּטוּרִין מִן הַדְּמַאי. שֶׁמֶן עָרֵב, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי מְחַיְּבִין, וּבֵית הִלֵּל פּוֹטְרִין: (10403)

4Demai may be used to make an eruv, and to make an [alley] partnership, and they recite a blessing over it, and they make an invitation [to recite Birkat Hamazon] over it, and one may separate [tithes] from it even when one is naked, or when it is twilight [on the eve of Shabbat]. And if he took out second tithe from it before the first tithe, it doesn’t matter. The oil with which the weaver greases his fingers is liable to [the rules of] demai, but [the oil] which the wool-comber puts on the wool is exempt from [the rules of] demai.

הַדְּמַאי, מְעָרְבִין בּוֹ, וּמִשְׁתַּתְּפִין בּוֹ, וּמְבָרְכִין עָלָיו, וּמְזַמְּנִין עָלָיו, וּמַפְרִישִׁין אוֹתוֹ עָרוֹם, בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. הָא אִם הִקְדִּים מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי לָרִאשׁוֹן, אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם. שֶׁמֶן שֶׁהַגַּרְדִּי סָךְ בְּאֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו, חַיָּב בִּדְּמַאי. וְשֶׁהַסּוֹרֵק נוֹתֵן בַּצֶּמֶר, פָּטוּר מִן הַדְּמָאי: (10613)

English translation: Joshua Kulp, Mishnah Yomit (Conservative Yeshiva), via Sefaria, licensed CC BY; changes made (line breaks, spacing, a typo, and Kulp's study notes removed from five mishnayot). Hebrew: Torat Emet 357, public domain; Bikkurim chapter 4 from Dan Be'eri's edition of the Kaufmann manuscript, public domain.