Not to eat Second Tithe grains outside Jerusalem

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 606) explains that this mitzvah strengthens faith by binding the people to Hashem’s chosen city. By traveling to Jerusalem with their produce, they affirm belief in His command and presence there.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam (Hilchot Ma’aser Sheni 2:1) rules that eating Ma’aser Sheni outside Jerusalem violates its sanctity. Restricting its consumption ensures the holiness of both the food and the act is preserved.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Rashi (Deuteronomy 12:17) emphasizes that the mitzvah reflects awe of Hashem, whose Name rests in Jerusalem. Eating it elsewhere would diminish reverence for His chosen place.

Purity – טָהֳרָה

• Talmud (Makot 19b) highlights that eating Ma’aser Sheni in purity in Jerusalem is central to the mitzvah. Outside the city, the standards of purity could not be properly maintained.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• Sefer HaChinuch teaches that justice in this context means giving the holy city its due honor. Redirecting Ma’aser Sheni elsewhere would unfairly diminish Jerusalem’s central role.

Agriculture – חַקְלָאוּת

• The mitzvah connects farming with spiritual pilgrimage. The produce of the land is elevated by requiring it to be eaten in Jerusalem, transforming agriculture into a sacred act.

Terumah / Ma’aser – תְּרוּמָה / מַעֲשֵׂר

• Rambam classifies this mitzvah within the framework of tithes. Ma’aser Sheni is unlike other produce — it carries inherent sanctity, which is safeguarded by restricting where it may be eaten.

Eretz Yisrael – אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

• Tithing applies biblically only in Israel (Kiddushin 38b–39a). This mitzvah highlights the land’s sanctity by tying its produce directly to Jerusalem, the spiritual heart of the nation.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• Bringing Ma’aser Sheni to Jerusalem fostered national gatherings, strengthening unity. Eating together in holiness made the mitzvah a communal as well as personal experience.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• Ultimately, this mitzvah is about obedience to Hashem’s designation of His holy city. It reinforces the bond between Israel and their G-d by centralizing worship in Jerusalem.