פירוש על מעשר שני 4:17

המוליך – specifically he transgressed and carried. For ab initio, it is prohibited to carry it from place to place, but [rather], he must redeem it in its place or bring it up to Jerusalem.

Introduction This mishnah deals with variants in the price of the produce of maaser sheni and how they affect the evaluation when he comes to redeem the produce for money.

כשער מקומו – like the market price of the place that he is in at the time of the redemption, whether lenient or stringent.

One who carries produce of maaser sheni from a place where it is expensive to a place where it is cheap, or from a place where it is cheap to a place where it is expensive, he redeems it according to the market price of the place [where he redeems it]. The price for the maaser sheni produce is determined by market-value of the place where it was redeemed. It doesn’t matter what the price of the produce was in the place where he grew and picked the produce.

השבח לשני – what they are worth more in the city, the [increased] profit/gain belongs to the Second Tithe. And what he expended to bring them from the field to the city, he has pay from his estate.

One who brings produce from the threshing-floor into the city, or jars of wine from the wine-press into the city, the increase in the price belongs to maaser sheni and the expenses [must be covered] from his household. As produce and wine is brought into the city from the threshing floor, its price goes up in value because it is now closer to its market. This increase in price goes into the cost of redeeming the value of the maaser sheni. So if wine was one dinar for a jug at the threshing floor and 2 dinars in the city, if he redeems it in the city, he must pay the higher price. In addition, the expenses for carrying the wine into the city, hiring porters, donkeys, etc. come out of his pocket and are not taken out of the maaser sheni money.

פודין מעשר שני – he can redeem it if he wants according to the cheap market price, as it explains further on.

Introduction This mishnah deals with various laws concerning the evaluation of maaser sheni when it comes time to redeem it.

Maaser sheni may be redeemed at the lower market price: At the price at which the shopkeeper buys and not at which he sells. At the price at which the money-changer takes small change and not at the price at which he gives small change. The mishnah provides two examples that illustrate the rule that maaser sheni can be redeemed at the lower market price. The first is what we call wholesale, and not retail. The second has to do with the exchange rate. When a moneychanger takes small coins and gives the customer a large coin which would be easier to carry to Jerusalem, he takes some percentage for himself. When he gives small change, he gives less small coins for the large coin. Today this is similar to the different rates you get at the bank whether you are buying dollars (your foreign money will be worth less) or selling dollars (the foreign money you buy will be more expensive). When one comes to exchange small maaser sheni coins for a large one, he can estimate the value of the larger coin at the higher rate, so that it counts for more small coins. This will save him some money.

לא כמות שהוא מוכר – that he sells it at a high price, at more than he had purchased it.

Maaser sheni may not be redeemed in an estimated lump. When one redeems maaser sheni, he must measure the produce, either by counting how much there is (ten jars of wine) or how much it weighs (two seahs of wheat). He cannot make a lump of the produce and estimate how much is there.

כמות שהשולחני פורט – one who comes to redeem pennies /Perutot of the [Second] Tithe by the Sela (= to two shekels, we calculate the Sela with many Perutot, like this money changer when he comes to purchase Perutot from people , and give to them a Selah that he purchases with many Perutot.

If its value is known, it may be redeemed according to the evaluation of one. If the value of the produce is known, then only one person is needed to estimate its value. We should note that normal produce would have a typical market value.

ולא כמות שהוא מצרף – when the money changer gives small change to people in exchange for a Selah (coin of larger value) , he gives them less.

But if its value is not known, it must be redeemed according to the evaluation of three, as for instance in the case of wine which has formed a film, or produce which has begun to rot, or coins which have become rusty. The evaluation of produce or coins that are beginning to deteriorate requires three people, because its value cannot be determined solely on their market value. Since it is more difficult to evaluate and people might disagree, it requires more people to do the estimate.

אכסרה – [in a lump/measuring by sight] not by measure nor by weight, but rather how much he gives in this pile or these handfuls.

על פי אחד – with an estimation he takes one

על פי ג' – through experts in estimation, and even if one of them is an idolater, and even if one of them is an owner.

קרם – began to leaven/sour, and another reading is that it developed a pungent taste/soured/קסס – and an example of this is in Bava Batra 93b (also Tosefta Bava Batra 6:6): I accept upon myself ten casks of pungent wine for every one-hundred.

מפני שהוא מוסיף חומש – As it is written (Leviticus 27:31): “If anyone wishes to redeem any of his tithes, [he must add one-fifth to them].” On his own [tithes] he adds one-fifth, but not on those of his fellow.

Introduction This mishnah teaches what happens if several different people want to redeem some maaser sheni produce.

האיסר – The Issar is one ninety-sixth of a Sela.

If the owner says, “With a sela [I will redeem this maaser sheni] and another person says “With a sela,” the owner has the first right, because he must add a fifth. If the owner says that he wants to redeem the maaser sheni produce with a sela (a coin) and then another person says that he also wants to redeem the produce with the same amount of money, we take the owner’s sela because he has to add an extra fifth to the value (see the introduction). When the other person redeems the maaser sheni he need not add the extra fifth. What this means in our case is that more money will become maaser sheni, which is considered a good thing.

מפני שהוא מוסיף על הקרן – and the addition of any amount of the principal is preferred, since upon the one-fifth, one can get around the law with an artifice as its taught in the Mishnah (4) further on.

If the owner says “With a sela” and another person says “With a sela and an issar,” the one who offered a sela and an issar has the first right, because he added to the principal. However, if the other person offers more money, the other person’s evaluation is accepted, even if the total amount of money is less than it would be if the owner redeemed it and added the extra fifth. An issar is 1/96 of a sela, so when the other person redeems the maaser sheni for a sela and and an issar less money will become maaser sheni than if the owner had redeemed it for a sela and an added fifth. Nevertheless, in this case we only take the principle amount into account because the redemption is considered to be done with the principle the added fifth is merely extra.

ובין שנתן לו במתנה – the produce that requires the separation of Levitical and Priestly shares, before one can partake of them, before he separated from them the tithes, he gave him a gift, and even if the Second Tithe of another was separated, we establish according to the one who said that it {Second Tithes] are the money of the All-High (i.e., God) and are not given as gifts.

When one redeems his maaser sheni he must add a fifth, whether it is his own or it was given him as a gift. The law that mandates that a person add an extra fifth when he redeems his maaser sheni applies whether the maaser sheni was his to begin with (he grew it or bought it) or he got it as a gift. Tomorrow’s mishnah will continue to deal with the topic of who has to add the additional fifth and who does not.

לעבדו ולשפחתו העברים – for their bodies are not purchased (i.e., “owned”)

Introduction When a person redeems his own maaser sheni, he must add an extra fifth to the value, but when he redeems someone else’s maaser sheni produce, he need not do so. Our mishnah teaches that there are ways in which a person can get around having to add the extra fifth, but that this does not always work.

ופדה לך – through them – the Second Tithe for yourself.

One may act in a deceptive manner when it comes to maaser sheni. It is possible to act in a deceptive manner when it comes to maaser sheni so that one can get out of paying the added fifth.

מפני שידן כידו – for what the servant purchased, the Master purchased. And his minor son also, what he possesses and what he finds [belongs] to his father.

How so? A man may say to his grown-up son or daughter, or to his Hebrew slave or female slave, “Take this money and redeem this maaser sheni for yourself.” One is able to give money to one’s adult children or Hebrew slave in order for them to redeem the maaser sheni, as long as he says, “redeem this maaser sheni for yourself.” Even if the child or slave gives the produce back to the father and gives him back the maaser sheni money so that the father can bring it to Jerusalem, this is possible, because adult children and Hebrew slaves are independent of their father/master. These people can independently own property. So this is considered a case of one person redeeming someone else’s maaser sheni, and he does not need to add the extra fifth.

But he may not say so to his son or daughter who are minors or to his Canaanite slave or female slave, because their hand is as his own hand. In contrast, minors and non-Jewish slaves (called Canaanite slaves) cannot legally own property. Any money they make or any thing they find automatically belongs to the father/master. Therefore, when he gives them money to redeem maaser sheni, it is as if he is redeeming it himself, and he still needs to add the extra fifth.

היה עומד בגורן – and he desires to act with subtlety/get around the law by an artifice and to redeem the Second Tithe without [adding] the one-fifth.

Introduction This mishnah teaches a way for a person to redeem his maaser sheni without adding a fifth, even if he doesn’t have any coins in his hand. This is another form of deception a legal means by which to get around paying the added fifth.

ואין בידו מעות – in order that he can give them to his fellow, who will redeem with them the Second Tithe without the one-fifth.

One who was standing at the threshing-floor and didn’t have any coins may say to his friend: “Behold, this produce is given to you as a gift,” and then he may say again, “Behold, let this produce be exchanged for money which I have in the house.” If this person had coins in his possession he could simply give the coins and the produce to his friend and have his friend redeem them for him. However, since he doesn’t, he must make a slight modification. First he officially gives the produce to his fellow, and now it legally belongs to the other, even if he intends to give it back. Now that the maaser sheni produce belongs to his friend, the original owner can redeem it by using coins that he has in his house, without adding the extra fifth. Had he simply redeemed them without first giving them to his friend, he would have had to add the extra fifth.

הרי הפירות האלו מתונים לך במתנה – and specifically, that he gave them to him while they were eatables forbidden pending the separation of sacred gifts, prior to his separating the Second Tithe, as we explained above.

משך ממנו מעשר בסלע – A person who sells Second Tithe, in order to make it profane via the monies [acquired] through the sale, and that the monies will be seized for the holiness of the [Second] Tithe, for in this manner, it is permitted to sell it. And as it is taught in the first chapter [Mishnah 1], we don’t sell it, that is to carry it to Jerusalem and not so that the monies will be seized in the holiness of [Second Tithe]. For when he “pulled” the [Second] Tithe to formally acquire it, it was worth a Selah, but he did not have sufficient time to give the money until it stood at two [Selas]. And the [Second] Tithe does not become non-sacred produce until he gives the monies to the seller.

Introduction This mishnah deals with cases where there were fluctuations in the value of the maaser sheni produce from the time it was given to a buyer until the time it was redeemed.

נותן לו סלע – for since he acquired it through “pulling,” and the purchase gains a Sela when it becomes more expensive. But he must redeem it according to the current market price of two Selas. For the [Second] Tithe does not become non-sacred produce until he gives the monies to the seller. But the one Sela’s worth of Second Tithe is his and he consumes it in Jerusalem.

If one took possession from the owner of maaser sheni for a sela, but before he had time to redeem it, it stood at the price of two selas, he may give him one sela and make a profit of one sela and the maaser sheni remains his. A person took produce from another person in order to buy them and the money would become maaser sheni, which the seller would then bring to Jerusalem and use there. When the purchaser took possession of the maaser sheni produce, it was worth a sela, but by the time he gave the sela coin to the seller, the price had risen to two selas. The purchaser may now give the seller a sela, to compensate him for the value of the produce when he acquired it. The seller will then have to take this sela to Jerusalem and use it there. The buyer profits the second sela and the extra sela of maaser sheni belongs to him. The buyer will have to redeem this second sela of maaser sheni and bring the money to Jerusalem and use it there.

עד שעמד בסלע – and he must give to the seller two Selas that he acquired it through “pulling,” and it is redeemed with one Sela according to the current market price. Therefore, he gives him the monies of a Sela from the monies of his non-sacred produce. And through that, the [Second] Tithe is redeemed. But the second Sela he he gives him from the monies of his own Second Tithe like someone who repays his loan obligation from the monies of Second Tithe, because at the outset of the transaction, he was standing for the fact that the seller would consume two Selas-worth in Jerusalem if it did become cheaper in price.

If he took possession from the owner of maaser sheni for two selas, but before he had time to redeem it, it stood at the price of one sela, he may give him one sela out of hullin [money] and one sela of his maaser sheni money. In this case, he bought two selas worth of maaser sheni produce and now the value has gone down to one sela. The buyer is liable to pay two selas. However, he can pay back the seller one of the selas with hullin, non-sacred money. He can pay back the second sela with his own maaser sheni money, which the seller will then have to bring to Jerusalem. The main point is that on the one hand, he has to pay back two selas, because that is the value of the produce when he bought it. On the other hand, there needs to be only one sela of maaser sheni, because that is the current value of the produce.

אם היה עם הארץ נותן לו מדמיו – for if the seller was an ignoramus (i.e., who probably did not tithe), he gives him two Selas from the monies of his non-sacred produce, for we do not transfer monies of [Second] Tithe to an ignoramus. And there are those who read this – from doubtfully-tithed produce, if he has the [Second] Tithe monies from doubtfully-tithed produce, he gives him one Selar from those monies and transfers the monies of the doubtfully-tithed produce to the ignoramus.

If the owner was an am haaretz, he should give him out of [maaser sheni of] demai. If the seller was an am haaretz, one can’t give him actually maaser sheni money, because he may not take it to Jerusalem. Therefore, he should give him maaser sheni money whose source was demai (doubtfully tithed produce). If the am haaretz doesn’t take it to Jerusalem,

ולא קרא שם – he did not say: “this is [the] redemption-money for the Second Tithe.”

If one redeemed maaser sheni but did not call it by its name: Rabbi Yose says: it is sufficient. But Rabbi Judah says: he must name it explicitly. When one redeems maaser sheni he should declare that these coins are now maaser sheni. If he redeems the produce without declaring that the coins are maaser sheni, Rabbi Yose says it is sufficient. Rabbi Judah disagrees and says that without declaring that the coins are maaser sheni, the redemption has not been done.

צריך לפרש – this is its redemption-monies, and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.

If a man was speaking to a woman concerning her divorce or her betrothal, and gave her a get or betrothal money but did not state explicitly [what he was doing]: Rabbi Yose says: it is sufficient. But Rabbi Judah says: he must say it explicitly. A similar halakhah is related concerning marriage and divorce. If a man and woman are talking about their divorce or betrothal and he gives her a get (a divorce document) or betrothal money (kiddushin) without saying, “Behold, this is your get” or “Behold, you are betrothed to me” according to Rabbi Yose, she is betrothed or divorced, whereas Rabbi Judah says that he must state explicitly what he is doing.

ולא פירש – he did not say, “This is your Jewish bill of divorce,” or “Behold you are betrothed to me.”

ר' יוסי אומר: דיו – since they were dealing with the same matter and amidst those things , he stood and divorced [her] or betrothed [her], there is no need to explain, and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.

המניח איסר – to be redeemed upon the produce of Second Tithe, and it was already redeemed.

Introduction It would have been common practice to set aside a coin and then use it progressively as money for maaser sheni produce. In our mishnah a person sets aside an issar, which is worth 1/24 of a dinar, and then uses that issar as redemption money for a future amount of maaser sheni produce that he will eat. The question that arises is: what happens if the value of the issar changes?

ואכל עליו חציו והלך למקום אחר – and he carried the Issar with him, and there it is worth a Pundiyon, and at first, he would not leave other than with one-half a Pundiyon, for the Pundiyon is equivalent to two Isaarim. It would be found that according to what he currently goes out with what remains is an Issar of non-sacred produce and therefore he consumes from it another Issar.

One who sets aside an issar [for the redemption of maaser sheni] and on its account he ate [the value of] half [an issar of maaser sheni] and then went to another place where [the issar] was worth a pondion, he may eat of [maaser sheni the value of] another issar. A person set aside an issar to use as redemption money for maaser sheni produce that he will eat in the future. Then he ate half of an issar’s worth of maaser sheni, meaning that half the issar was still not maaser sheni money. Afterwards he took his issar and went to a place where the issar was worth a pundion, which is two issars. The issar doubled in value, so the half that was left unredeemed was now worth a full issar in the old terms. Therefore, he can redeem another issar’s worth of maaser sheni produce before the coin is fully maaser sheni.

אוכל עליו עוד פלג – one-half Issar, and we don’t say that since it is not worth other than an Issar, that he actually ate all of it.

One who sets aside a pundion [for the redemption of maaser sheni] and on its account he ate [the value of] half [a pundion of maaser sheni] and then went to another place where [the pundion] was worth an issar, he may eat [maaser sheni the value of] another half [an issar]. This is the opposite case. He set aside a pundion, which was worth two issars, and he ate half of the value. Then he took the coin and went to another place where the pundion was worth half as much, only an issar. He can now only redeem another half of an issar’s worth of maaser sheni produce, because the half pundion that was not yet maaser sheni is now only worth half of an issar. The rule seems quite straightforward the value of the coin is determined by its value in the place where he redeems the produce.

המניח איסר של מעשר שני – in order to eat of it as his non-sacred produce in the sanctity of [Second] Tithe. And he consumes from it until eleven per Issar, and one one-hundredth of an Issar, all of his Issar became non-sacred. But if the Issar was from the Second Tithe monies of that were certainly tithed, and he consumed from that total until there remained in it one out of one-hundred, such as one hundred figs are sold for an Issar, and he consumed ninety-nine of them, all of them became non-sacred produce.

One who sets aside an issar of maaser sheni [money] he should eat on its account eleven parts of the value of an issar, or [he should eat an additional] one hundredth of an issar. Bet Shammai say: in both cases one tenth part [of an issar]. But Bet Hillels says: in the case of certain [maaser sheni] an eleventh part, in the case of demai a tenth part. The following is Albeck’s explanation of this section. We should note that its language is very difficult and there are many different interpretations. The mishnah refers to a person who is in Jerusalem and eating produce as maaser sheni based on the coin that he has at home. As he eats the produce the coin will be redeemed and will revert to being hullin. The custom in their time was to buy food at 1/10 of an issar or 1/100 of an issar. Since the price of an issar would rise and fall as we saw in the previous section, he would need to eat 11 parts of an issar and not ten parts, and only then would the issar become hullin. Alternatively, if people are buying produce at 1/100 increments, then he needs to eat 101 parts of the produce before the issar is totally redeemed. This is a stringency he needs to buy more produce than the coin may actually be worth. Bet Shammai says that in all cases, both cases of certain maaser sheni and demai, doubtful maaser sheni, one needs to eat only 10 parts of the issar, meaning a complete issar. He does not need to eat the extra 11th part, in any case. Bet Hillel is slightly stricter. When the coin was used to redeem produce that was certain maaser sheni, he needs to eat the eleventh part. But when the produce was used to redeem demai, produce that already may have been tithed, all he needs to eat is the first ten parts, the actual value. We don’t have to be concerned lest the issar increased in value, when the produce may not have needed to be tithed in the first place.

וב"ש אומרים הכל עשרה – One of them was most certainly tithed and another was doubtfully tithed, if there did not remain from that Issar other than one-tenth, it became non-sacred produce., such as the case where there were ten pomegranates that were sold for an Issar, and he consumed nine of them that became non-sacred produce, if there remained additional produce, such as if he had only consumed eight [out of ten], he must consume the corresponding amount.

וב"ה אומרים: - בודאי אחד עשר ובדמאי עשרה – if there remained of the Issar of definitely tithed produce an Issar’s worth eleven, he is obligated to consume another [one part], since all whaich is less than the equivalent of a penny, we are not concerned for him, not for the matter of theft, nor the matter of benefiting from that which is dedicated to the Temple. A Perutah/penny is one-eighth of Italian Issar – hence, one tenth of an Issar is eight tenths of a Perutah which is equal to a Perutah less twenty percent. It turns out that when one adds twenty-percent which is one-quarter from the inside which is equal to one-fifth on he outside, there will be [amongst] everything a penny/Perutah. And therefore, we are concerned for this, for if there will be less than one-tenth, we don’t worry, for even with the addition of an additional fifth there will be in it less than the equivalent value of a Perutah. And therefore, they said, that with a definitively-tithed produce, eleven, and with doubtfully-tithed produce ten, since we are not obligated [an additional] one-fifth on that which is doubtfully-tithed, and the one-tenth is less than the equivalent of a Perutah. And the Halakha is according to the School of Hillel.

כל המעות הנמצאים – in every place whether during the Festival/Sukkot, whether during the rest of the days of the year. And in Jerusalem, on the rest of the days of the years, except for the days of the Festival/Sukkot.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with coins that are found and whether we have to be concerned lest they are maaser sheni.

הרי אלו חולין – and we don’t suspect them lest they were monies of the Second Tithe.

Any money found is considered hullin, even gold dinars with silver and with copper coins. We need not be concerned lest money that is found is maaser sheni money. Since most money is not maaser sheni, we can consider it hullin. Even if coins that are not commonly put together, such as gold, silver and copper, are found together, we need not be concerned that a person gathered together his maaser sheni money.

אפילו דינר זהב עם הכסף ועם המעות – for there is no way to combine them together. And one can say that these monies of Second Tithe which are accustomed to be redeemed to become secular again with golden dinars and that which remains does not become golden dinars, is redeemed on the silver and that which is left over on copper coins and we combine them together; even so, we don’t suspect.

If a potsherd was found with the money on which was written “tithe” this is considered maaser sheni [money]. The only time we must consider the coins to be maaser sheni is when there is a note with them and it is written on the note, “maaser.” Obviously, in this case the coins must be treated as maaser sheni.

מצא בתוכן – in the purse or bag in which the money is placed into.

הוא חולין – for it is not the manner of human beings to sanctify earthenware for keeping the Temple in repair. And for the sake of what is in it, it was written.

Introduction In yesterday’s mishnah we discussed whether one must be concerned that found coins are maaser sheni. In today’s mishnah we discuss other things that are found and whether we must be concerned lest they are holy items.

הוא קרבן – that is to say, that which is dedicated for a sacred purpose, the Temple.

One who finds a vessel one which was written “korban:” The mishnah deals with a vessel that is found on which is written “korban.” Korban is the Hebrew word for sacrifice but by extension can mean, “holy.” If the vessel and the stuff inside of it are holy, then they belong to the Temple and non-holy use cannot be made of them.

הוליך לתוך קרבן – and it is all a sacrifice, and the Rabbis did not dispute on [the opinion of] Rabbi Yehuda but only about metal alone. But that which is earthenware, they admit that is non-holy/profane and what is inside is a sacrifice. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.

Rabbi Judah says: if it was of clay, it is itself hullin and what is in it is a korban (. But if it was of metal it is itself korban and what is in it is hullin. Rabbi Judah makes a distinction between clay and metal vessels. People do not generally dedicate cheap clay vessels to the Temple and therefore, the clay vessel on which the word “korban” is written is itself still hullin, non-sacred. The word “korban” is assumed to refer to the stuff inside, which we must treat as holy. When it comes to metal vessels, which were valuable, one might dedicate the vessel itself to the Temple. Hence, according to Rabbi Judah, the vessel itself is considered holy. Since the vessel is assumed to be holy, Rabbi Judah says that the stuff inside is considered to be hullin.

They said to him: it is not the custom of people to put what is common into what is korban. The other sages respond that people wouldn’t put hullin, non-sacred produce, into a holy vessel. Therefore, if we assume that the vessel is holy, we must also assume that the produce is holy.

קוף קרבן – it is sacred/Temple property

One who finds a vessel on which was written a kof, it is korban.
If a mem, it is maaser.
If a dalet, it is demai.
If a tet, it is tevel (untithed.
If a tav, it is terumah.
For in the time of danger people would write a tav for terumah.
Rabbi Yose says: they may all stand for the names of people.
Rabbi Yose said: even if he finds a jar which was full of produce and on it was written ‘terumah’ it may yet be considered hullin, because I can say that last year it was full of produce of terumah and was afterwards emptied.
Sections one-six: According to the first opinion in the mishnah, people would write on vessels the first letter of the type of produce contained in the vessel. The reason that they wouldn’t write the whole word is that in the time of danger if people were caught observing the commandments, the Roman authorities would punish them. To avoid this danger, they would write only the first letter. Hence, if one finds a vessel with one of these letters on it, he must be concerned lest the contents are that type of produce.
Section seven: Rabbi Yose is lenient and says that these letters may stand for the names of the people who own them. Therefore, we need not be concerned lest they are these types of produce.
Section eight: Finally, Rabbi Yose states an even greater leniency. Even if the jar says on it “terumah” we need not be concerned lest it is actually terumah, because it might be that the jar held terumah last year. Since jars are reused, we can’t be certain that the contents match what is written on the jar.

ד' דמאי – it was taken from an ignoramus [who is not careful with tithing, especially Second Tithe].

בשעת הסכנה – that they decreed to not fulfill the commandments.

שמות בני אדם הן – letters of the beginnings of names; קוף/Kehat; ד'/Daniel; ט'/Tuvia – and all of it is profane.

אשתקד היתה מלאה פירות תרומה ופינה – And the Rabbis hold that if there was emptying of the heave-offering, he would scrape it off and would not leave any heave-offering in it, that is written there. But the Halakha does not follow Rabbi Yosi.

הרי אלו חולין – what he found is non-sacred, for I say that he took Second Tithe.

One who says to his son, “There is maaser sheni [produce] in this corner,” but the son found [produce] in another corner, this may be considered hullin. If a father tells his son that there is maaser sheni produce in one corner of the house and the son finds produce in another corner of the house, he can assume that the produce that he finds is not maaser sheni. We can assume someone took the maaser sheni produce and that which he finds is something else.

הרי שם מנה – His father said to him: “Behold there is a Maneh (i.e., one-hundred) of Second Tithe” and he found two hundred – one hundred [Second] Tithe and one hundred non-sacred. And we don’t say that the Maneh of [Second] Tithe is taken and these are other.

[If the father said] there was there a hundred [of maaser sheni] and the son found two hundred, the remainder is hullin. If his father tells him that there were 100 dinars worth of maaser sheni coins, and the son finds 200 dinars, then the extra is hullin. We do not assume that the father made a mistake and that all 200 dinars are really maaser sheni.

מאתים ומצא מנה – His father said to him: Behold there are two hundred there, but he found [only] one Maneh (i.e., one hundred), the Maneh that he found was [Second] Tithe.

[If the father said there were there] two hundred and the son found one hundred, it is all maaser sheni. On the other hand, if his father tells him that there were 200 dinars of maaser sheni and he finds only 100 there, we have to assume that all 100 are maaser sheni.