Menachos Daf 70 מנחוס דַף 70

Rava asked, if one harvested stalks of grain and separated maaser from them, and then replanted them and they increased in size, what is the halachah? This question follows the one on the previous Daf about whether we “follow the עיקר – original root” even when it results in a leniency, or only as a stringency. Assuming we do not follow the עיקר for a leniency, and this new growth would require separating maaser, does the עיקר also require separating maaser (a second time), and is it considered part of the new grain? Although wheat and barley is always planted after maaser is removed, and the entire new crop requires removing maaser, that is דבר שזרעו כלה – something whose seed decomposes (like grain kernels), where the entire crop is a new entity. Rava’s question concerns replanted stalks which do not decompose, but continue to grow. The Gemara suggests resolving this question from Rebbe Yochanan’s ruling that a ליטרא of onions which were replanted (after removing maaser) require separating maaser לפי כולו – according to its entirety, including the original ליטרא. However, the Gemara argues that there, היינו זריעתו – that is its ordinary manner of planting, and even the original onion is considered part of the new crop. Rava’s question concerned grain stalks, which are not normally replanted.

The next Mishnah states: החיטין – wheat, והשעורין – barley, והכוסמין – spelt, והשיבולת שועל – oats, והשיפון – and rye, הרי אלו חייבין בחלה – they are all obligated in removing חלה from their dough, ומצטרפין זה עם זה – and they combine with one another for this obligation. They are forbidden to be eaten as חדש before the עומר, and are forbidden to be harvested before Pesach (as the Gemara will explain). A Baraisa teaches that spelt is a subspecies of wheat, and oats and rye are subspecies of barley. Thus, when the Mishnah taught that the five grains combine with each other, it refers to these species combining with each other. The Mishnah implies that אורז – rice and דוחן – millet are not subject to חלה at all, which is derived from a gezeirah shavah (לחם לחם) from מצה. Rice and millet are not valid as מצה, because a היקש with חמץ teaches that only דברים הבאים לידי חימוץ – things which can come to leavening, אדם יוצא בהן ידי חובתו בפסח – a person can fulfill his מצה obligation with them on Pesach. Rice and millet, which do not come to חימוץ, but to סרחון – spoiling, cannot be used for מצה.

A Baraisa teaches: התבואה והקמחים והבציקות מצטרפין זה עם זה – kernels of grain, flour, and dough combine with one another. Rav Kahana says this means that one who eats a כזית of חדש combined from these three types of food is liable to malkus. Rav Yosef says it refers to חמץ on Pesach (that eating a combined כזית of these three incurs כרת). Rav Pappa says it means that one who eats a combined כזית from these three of maaser sheni outside Yerushalayim incurs malkus. Rava says it refers to food tumah, which requires a כביצה of food. The Gemara explains that the Baraisa is teaching that just as flour and dough do not contain husks, the “grain” of barley which combines for tumah excludes its husks. This is supported by a Baraisa which states that wheat combines for tumah whether it is קלופה – peeled or not, but only peeled barley combines for tumah, not unpeeled barley. Although another Baraisa teaches that even unpeeled barley combines for tumah, that refers to לחות – moist [husks].