Nullifying Diaspora Terumah Ab Initio

ביטול תרומת חוצה לארץ לכתחילה

Normally the Torah strictly forbids intentionally nullifying any prohibited substance, but diaspora terumah seems to overturn this fundamental rule.

Biblical terumah (תרומה, priestly gift) separated in the Land of Israel requires one hundred parts of non-sacred food to become nullified. Furthermore, one may never intentionally nullify a prohibition ab initio (אין מבטלין איסור לכתחילה).

Outside the Land of Israel, terumah is only rabbinic. The Sages enacted this obligation so that the laws of priestly tithes would not be forgotten.

The Gemara recounts that Rabba and Rav Huna the son of Rav Yehoshua would actively mix diaspora terumah into non-sacred produce to nullify it in a majority.

The question

Does the dispensation to nullify diaspora terumah in a simple majority permit mixing it ab initio with one's hands, and whom does this nullification permit to eat it?

Through the sources

The Gemara (Gemara)

אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: תְּרוּמַת חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ — בְּטֵילָה בְּרוֹב. רַבָּה מְבַטְּלָהּ בְּרוֹב, וְאוֹכֵל לָהּ בִּימֵי טוּמְאָתוֹ.

Shmuel states that diaspora terumah is nullified in a simple majority. The Gemara records that Rabba, a kohen, would nullify it in a majority ab initio and eat it while ritually impure.

The Gemara (Gemara)

הֲוָה רָמֵי תְּרֵי נַטְלֵי דְּחוּלִּין וַחֲדָא נַטְלָא דִּתְרוּמָה, וְשָׁקֵיל חַד. מִיכָּן וְאֵילָךְ, רָמֵי חֲדָא וְשָׁקֵיל חֲדָא.

Rav Huna the son of Rav Yehoshua deliberately poured two measures of non-sacred wine with one measure of diaspora terumah wine. This shows an overt practice of mixing ab initio to nullify the sacred wine.

Rashi (Rishonim)

בטילה ברוב - לאוכלה לזר ולא בעינן אחד ומאה ולאחר שעירבה ברוב חולין יכול לאכול זר או כהן בימי טומאה לאחר שביטלה

Rashi explains that this simple majority nullification operates even to permit its consumption to a non-priest. Once mixed with a majority of chullin, either an impure priest or a non-priest may eat it.

Tosafot (Rishonim)

Tosafot disagree with Rashi and maintain that majority nullification applies only to permit an impure priest. A non-priest is still forbidden unless it is mixed in one part to one hundred.

Ran (Rishonim)

ומיהו בבכורות [דף כז.] אמרינן דתרומת חוצה לארץ מבטלה ברוב והיינו לומר שמותר לערב ולבטל אותה לכתחלה אפי' חד בתרי

The Ran proves from our passage that one may mix and nullify it ab initio even in a ratio of two to one. This leniency exists solely because diaspora terumah has no biblical root anywhere outside the Land.

Rashba (Rishonim)

The Rashba presents two opinions regarding rabbinic prohibitions lacking biblical roots. One opinion permits direct nullification ab initio, while another holds that one may only add to an existing mixture.

Meiri (Rishonim)

עקר תקנתם בזה שלא תשתכח מהם תורת חלה ותרומה מותר לערבן לכתחלה עם חלין ולאכלן אפי' זרים

The Meiri rules that because the institution exists merely so the law will not be forgotten, one may mix them ab initio with non-sacred produce. He follows Rashi that even non-priests may consume this mixture.

Ways to understand it

Complete Ab Initio Nullification For Everyone

Since diaspora terumah has no biblical root, the Sages never applied the ban on nullifying prohibitions ab initio. Therefore, any person may actively nullify it in a majority, permitting it even to non-priests.

Limited Leniency For Impure Priests

The basic holiness of terumah remains intact against non-priests and requires a ratio of one to one hundred. Majority nullification was instituted solely to permit an impure priest to eat, since the impurity restrictions outside the Land are exceptionally lenient.

Adding Only To Existing Mixtures

According to one opinion cited by the Rashba, mixing directly with one's hands is never permitted. The Gemara's case only permits one to increase permitted food over an accidental mixture.

Where it lands

The Rishonim debate both the scope and the mechanism of nullifying diaspora terumah. The Ran and Meiri conclude that one may actively mix it ab initio due to its lack of any biblical root. However, whether this permits a non-priest remains an unresolved dispute between Rashi and Tosafot.

Diaspora terumah carries exceptional leniencies, allowing active nullification in a simple majority because the enactment was only created so that the mitzvah would not be forgotten.

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