One who exchanges a sela-worth of second-tithe money [i.e., one who has copper coins of second-tithe (ma'aser sheni) money, and he comes to exchange them for a silver sela to take up to Jerusalem because of the burden of the way] — Beth Shammai say: For the whole sela, coins. [i.e., If he comes to exchange them, he exchanges all of them, and he gives (copper) coins for the whole sela.] And Beth Hillel say: (He should take with him) a shekel [half a sela] in silver, and a shekel in (copper) coins. [For when he comes to Jerusalem, he will need coins immediately to buy what he needs to eat; and if all run to the money changer to change (a whole sela for copper coins), the coins will become dear and ma'aser sheni will suffer a loss. Therefore, they should take (copper) coins with them for their immediate needs, and, when they give out, he should exchange the silver that he has, little by little.] R. Meir says: Silver and fruits are not to be redeemed for silver [i.e., if one has half a silver dinar of second-tithe money and second-tithe fruits worth half a dinar, he should not combine them to redeem them for a dinar.] And the sages permit it [in such an instance, by combining it with fruits, since he has only half a dinar of silver. But to redeem a silver dinar and fruits worth a dinar for half a sela, which is worth two dinars — the sages agree that this is not to be done. The halachah is in accordance with the sages.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
הפורט סלע ממעות מעשר שני – whomever has Second Tithe copper coins and comes to exchange them for a silver Sela must come up to Jerusalem because of the burden of the path.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
One who changes for a sela copper coins from second tithe: Beth Shammai says: “Copper coin for the whole sela.” And Beth Hillel say: “Silver for one shekel and copper coin for one shekel.” Rabbi Meir says: “Silver and fruits may not be substituted for silver.” But the sages allow it. Second tithe, the second ten percent of agricultural products, was to be taken to Jerusalem and consumed there. If it was inconvenient to carry all of the second tithe produce to Jerusalem, one could redeem the produce with money and bring the money to Jerusalem. Our mishnah discusses a person who has already redeemed some second tithe and wishes to exchange his small copper coins for a larger more valuable silver coin, a sela, which will be easier to carry to Jerusalem. According to Beth Shammai, in order to do this he must have a whole sela’s worth of copper coin. If he has only half a sela’s worth of copper (=shekel) and he has a silver shekel (=1/2 sela) which is also of second tithe, he may not exchange the shekel and shekel’s worth of copper for a sela since it is forbidden to exchange silver second tithe for other silver second tithe. According to Beth Hillel, one is permitted to exchange a silver shekel and a shekel’s worth of copper coins for a sela. Although it is in general forbidden to exchange silver second tithe for other silver second tithe, since part of this exchange is copper, it is permitted. Rabbi Meir limits Beth Hillel’s opinion. Although it is permitted to exchange silver and copper for silver second tithe, it is forbidden to exchange fruit and silver for other silver. However, the Sages allow even this.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
בית שמאין אומרים בכל הסלע מעות – if one comes to exchange them, he can exchange all of them and give coins for the entire Sela.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
ובית הלל אומרים – he cannot exchange other than half of them, for when he comes to Jerusalem, he will need pennies/small coins immediately to purchase the needs of the meal, and if everyone would run to the money-changer to exchange, the small coins/pennies would increase in value and it would be found that the Second Tithe [value] would be lost. Therefore, he should bring small coins/pennies with them to spend partially, and when they run out, he can exchange the silver that is in his hand little by little. A Shekel is one-half of a Sela.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
אין מחללין כסף ופירות על כסף – Whomever has one-half a Denar of silver of [Second] Tithe, and produce of [Second] Tithe that are worth one-half a Denar, he should not combine them together to change for a Denar.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
וחכמים מתירים – In such a manner through combining produce, since he only has one-half a Denar of silver, but to exchange a silver Denar and produce that is worth a Denar for one-half a Sela whih two Denarim, the Sages admit that we do not exchange. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.
