3,503. Eating Second Tithe in Ritual Impurity

Hilchos Maaser Sheini and Neta Revai 3:1

One who eats second tithe in a state of ritual impurity is liable to the penalty of lashes. This is inferred from Deuteronomy 26:14: “I didn’t eat it in a state of impurity.” This law applies regardless of whether the second tithe is unclean and the person eating it is clean or vice versa so long as he eats it in Jerusalem before it is redeemed. This is because one is liable to lashes for eating second tithe in a state of impurity in a place that is suitable for the eating of second tithe. However, if one eats second tithe in ritual impurity outside of Jerusalem, then he is liable to the penalty of stripes for acting rebelliously.

Hilchos Maaser Sheini and Neta Revai 3:2

Once second tithe has been rendered unclean, it may not even be used as fuel for a lamp until it’s redeemed. Again, this is derived from the verse “I didn’t eat it in a state of impurity.”