Commentary for Demai 7:4

הלוקח יין מבין הכותים – before they (i.e., the Rabbis) decreed regarding their wine, their wine was definitely eatables forbidden pending the separation of priestly gifts (i.e., טבל), but here we are speaking about someone who purchases on the Eve of the Sabbath at twilight or who purchases while it is still daytime and forgot to separate [tithes] until twilight, and then it is prohibit to separate [tithes] as it is taught in the Mishnah [Tractate Shabbat, Chapter 2, Mishnah 7]: “If it is a matter of doubt whether or not it is getting dark, they do not tithe that which is certainly not tithed produce,” therefore it is forbidden to establish for it a place for the establishment of a place is considered like setting something aside and that is forbidden at twilight, and because of this it (i.e., our Mishnah) does not teach in the concluding clause “and Second Tithe is redeemed for coins,” for since it is not permitted to establish for it a place to the north or to the south, it is impossible to redeem it, but [only] to designate for it a name, that he said, “that in the future I will separate,” is permitted, for all that much is not decreed at twilight.

Introduction While Samaritans did seem to tithe the produce that they ate, according to the rabbis they did not tithe that which they sold. Therefore, one who buys produce from them will have to tithe it himself. In the case in our mishnah, the person is in Samaria, the northern part of Israel, and he wants to buy wine from the Samaritans, drink it there, and separate the tithes later. In this way he will avoid having to carry the tithes and terumah with him in separate containers so that when he returns to his home he can give them to the priest and Levites. The mishnah provides a means for him to separate tithes in the future from the wine which he is drinking now think of this as trading in futures, or if you’re into sports, trading for a player to be named later. I should note that I have explained this mishnah according to Albeck. Others explain the mishnah as referring to someone who wants to separate tithes on the eve of Shabbat for wine that he will get on Shabbat.

שאני עתיד להפריש – here it does not teach, “that I will separate tomorrow,” as it is taught above (see Chapter 7, Mishnah 1) regarding inviting one’s fellow over, for especially, when specifically when he doesn’t make fit for use by separating the priestly gifts other than what he is eating and drinking, they (i.e., the Rabbis) permitted him to separate for the morrow from the left-over of his food and his drink that remains on the rim of the cup, but to make fit for use all of the leather bottle/skin on Shabbat, they (i.e., the Rabbis) did not permit to him. But here he does not designate a name for the heave-offering of the tithe as in the segment dealing with doubtfully tithed produce as above, concerning the case of someone who invites his fellow (see again, Tractate Demai, Chapter 7, Mishnah 1) because regarding doubtfully tithed produce that he tithes, and they are his, he designates them for the heave-offering of the tithe in order to make things legally fit by giving priestly dues for the tithe and to consume it, but here, which is certainly eatables forbidden pending the separation of priestly gifts, he must give the [First] Tithe to the Levite and the Levite will designate it for the heave-offering of the tithe.

One who buys wine among Samaritans, he may say: “Two logs which I shall set apart shall be terumah, ten logs tithe, and nine logs second tithe.” He may then pour the wine and drink it. In general what the person does is declare that he will separate the terumah and tithes in the future from the wine that he is drinking now. This will allow him to drink the wine and only later take out the terumah and tithes. The first thing that he does is declare that he will separate 1/50 of the wine, that is 2 logs out of 100, for terumah. Then he declares that the next ten logs will be tithe, and that after that, the following nine logs, which is about ten percent of that which is left, will be second tithe. Note that in this case, because the produce is actually tevel, that is certainly untithed produce, he does not redeem the second tithe before he separates it. In the previous examples of similar types of arrangements, such as those in mishnayot 1-3, he was separating tithes from demai and hence he could redeem the demai immediately. After having declared that he will separate the necessary tithes and terumah in the future, he may now pour the wine and drink it.

ועשרה מעשר ראשון ותשעה מעשר שני – not exactly, for after he separated from one-hundred, two LOGS (i.e., 1/50th - the Great Terumah for the Kohen), and there remains ninety-eight, the [First] Tithe will not be other than ten LOGS less one-fifth and Second Tithe [will be] eight LOGS and eight tenths and one fifth of a tenth.

מיחל ושותה (he regards as unconsecrated produce)– he begins and drinks. Another explanation: he pours and drinks. [The word] "מיחל" is like מיהל – the language from (Isaiah 1:22): “[Your silver has turned to dross;] Your wine is cut with water.” But the anonymous Mishnah comes from Rabbi Meir who said that even according to the Torah there is a choice, and that which remains in the bottom of the cup it is as It was separated from the outset. But it is not the Halakha but rather we hold according to the Rabbis who state that there is a choice/subsequent selection (i.e., the legal effect resulting from an actual selection or disposal of things previously undefined as to their purpose), but according to the Torah, there is no choice, and therefore, regarding something that is definitely eatables forbidden pending the separation of priestly gifts (i.e., טבל), he should not eat nor drink until he separates [tithes].