Costus and amomum [various fragrant spices], and choice spices, crowfoot, and asafoetida, or peppers, or saffron bundles may [all] be purchased with [second] tithe money [i.e. they are treated like foods, since money for the second tithe may only be used to purchase food, which must then be consumed in Jerusalem], but they cannot be rendered impure with the impurity of foods, according to Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri said to him, "If they may be purchased with [second] tithe money, why then can they not be rendered impure with the impurity of foods? And if they cannot be rendered impure with the impurity of foods, then they too should not be purchased with [second] tithe money!"
Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
הקושט (name of a fragrant root or shrub, putchuck) – such is its name in the foreign language and in Arabic. And it is numbered among the spices of frankincense.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Costus, amomum, principal spices, [roots of] crowfoot, asafoetida, pepper and lozenges made of saffron may be bought with tithe money, but they do not convey food uncleanness, the words of Rabbi Akiva. According to Rabbi Akiva these spices and other plant derivatives (some of them are also mentioned in Tevul Yom 1:5) are considered food in that one can use second tithe money to purchase them. As a reminder, second tithe money is supposed to be brought to Jerusalem and used to buy food there (see Deuteronomy 14:26). However, they do not convey food uncleanness, so in this aspect they are considered food. Evidently the reasoning is that these foods aren't foods but they do improve the taste of other foods. Since they improve taste, one can use second tithe money to buy them. But since they are not eaten on their own, they cannot convey food impurity.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
והחמס (amomum, an Indian spice/חמם )- there are those who explained it as an Arabic spice plant/ginger and there are those who explain it as cinnamon.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri to him: if they may be bought with [second] tithe money, then why should they not impart food uncleanness? And if they do not impart food uncleanness, then they should also not be bought with [second] tithe money? Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri doesn't like this inconsistency. In his opinion, a plant is either considered a food, in which case it can be bought with second tithe money and it would convey food uncleanness. Or it is not a food in which case it can't be bought with second tithe money and it doesn't convey uncleanness.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
וראשי בשמים (and the principal spices) – as for example Moscato nut, Nard (aromatic herb, Valerian) and things similar to them, that provide a pleasant smell.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
התיאה (root of crawfoot -used as a spice, but poisonous for beasts) – a species of assas foetida (an umbelliferous plant used, as a resin or in leaves, for a spice and for medicinal purposes).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
וחלתית (assa foetida) – this is its name in Arabic. But even though its aroma is bad, they regularly put from it in foods.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
חלות חריע (lozenges made of bastard saffron) – forest crocus/saffron (one of the ingredients of frankincense). And we call it ALKARTOM in Arabic.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
אף הן לא ילקחו בכסף מעשר – For the All-Merciful stated (Deuteronomy 14:26): “and you shall spend the money [on anything you want -cattle, sheep, wine, or other intoxicant, or anything that you may desire.] And you shall feast there [in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household],” a thing that is consumed as it is you purchase with the money of [Second] Tithe, that which is not consumed as it is, you do not purchase with the money of [Second] Tithe. And this is the Halakha, that if it does not receive defilement as food, they are not purchased with the monies of [Second] Tithe.
