Terumot 6:3
By :
Daniel Nevins 91快活林 Alum (Rabbinical School), Former Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and the Division of Religious Leadership, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Posted On Jan 1, 2008 | Mishnat Hashavua
Who pays the penalty for eating forbidden foods鈥攖he host or the guest?
讛诪讗讻讬诇 讗转 驻讜注诇讬讜 讜讗转 讗讜专讞讬讜 转专讜诪讛 讛讜讗 诪砖诇诐 讗转 讛拽专谉 讜讛诐 诪砖诇诪讬谉 讗转 讛讞讜诪砖 讚讘专讬 专”诪 讜讞讻诪讬诐 讗讜诪专讬诐 讛诐 诪砖诇诪讬谉 拽专谉 讜讞讜诪砖 讜讛讜讗 诪砖诇诐 诇讛诐 讚诪讬 住注讜讚转谉:
If one serves his employees or his guests terumah [i.e., food tithed as a gift for the kohen; unwitting consumption by an Israelite requires repayment plus a twenty percent penalty], he should pay the principal, and they should pay the twenty percent penalty, according to Rabbi Meir. The Sages say that they [the employees or guests] must pay both principal and penalty, and [the host] must reimburse them for the cost of their meal.
Comments:
Both the host and the guest have made an error. Although the host appears to be more at fault, it is his guests who have actually eaten the forbidden food. Responsibility is shared between the parties for the violation.
Questions:
- Extrapolating to kashrut, should a guest ask the host how the food was acquired and prepared?
- How should we balance the host鈥檚 dignity with our own ritual requirements?
