Picking Fruit - Terumot and Maasrot | Sheilot

Picking Fruit - Terumot and Maasrot

Question

A large group of yeshiva boys is planning to go to a grape harvest in a vineyard in Israel. Each visitor pays about 20 NIS, receives a basket to fill with grapes and take home, and is also allowed by the owner to eat as many grapes as they want while picking in the vineyard. Under what conditions may they eat the grapes in the vineyard during the harvest without needing to separate terumot and maasrot at that time? (They understand that they will have to separate terumot and maasrot from the grapes they take home in the baskets, since that is definite tevel.) I am asking specifically about the halachic conditions for eating the grapes in the vineyard during the harvest without separating terumot and maasrot.

Answer

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Since you need to pay in order to be allowed to eat the grapes, it is considered a mekach, which is kovea for maasrot. Therefore, you would need to separate terumot and maasrot with a brachah.

Wishing you well.

Answered 13 May 2026 How answers are reviewed
Rabbi Avrohom Yishayah Harroch
Answered by
Head of the English department at sheilot.com, Rav Amram Fried's Beit Horaah
Graduate of Yeshivas Ponovezh and Kollel Ponovezh, tested by Mifal Halacha, Rav Amram Fried's Beit Horaah (2022–2026)
Basar Vecholv, Ta'aroves, Ribis, Laws of Shabbos, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed, Niddah, Tzitzis and Tefillin, Eiruvin, Succah
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