Terumah, Ma’aser, Shmittah and Yovel, Kilayim

When and how were animal tithes given? A general principle about tithes is that each year’s “crops” must be tithed separately. This is true for the animal tithe, just as it is for agricultural tithes. Thus there must be a…

What is Challah? The word “Challah” in the Torah means “loaf” (of bread). In the Talmud, the word specifically refers to the dough-offering (Num.15:17-21).

What are the laws of Terumah and Maaser? In Num. 18 the Torah discusses terumah (given to the Kohanim), maaser (a tithe, given to the Levites), and terumas maaser (a tithe of the tithe, given by the Levites to the…

How much is an Omer? An omer is the volume of 43.2 eggs; but there is a dispute about the volume of an egg for halachic purposes. Some say that an omer is 2510 cubic centimeters (which is about the…

When was the Yovel in effect? Based on the verse “you shall proclaim freedom in the land to all its inhabitants” (Lev. 25:10), the Jubilee year was in effect only during the period when all the tribes of Israel were…