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I was thinking about t'rumah, which historically was designated for a kohein but today we destroy, and similarly taking challah, which we burn. Why isn't this a violation of bal tashchit, do not w...
#1: Initial revision
by
Monica Cellio
·
2021-01-03T21:53:46Z (almost 4 years ago)
Why do we destroy t'rumah and challah instead of giving it to a kohein?
I was thinking about *t'rumah*, which historically was designated for a *kohein* but today we destroy, and similarly taking *challah*, which we burn. Why isn't this a violation of *bal tashchit*, do not waste? If you're an active part of a Jewish community you know how to find a *kohein* -- one always gets called to the torah, and they're all called up for *birkat kohanim*. (Let's set aside cases where a community has no *kohanim*.) And for a *different* matter involving *kohanim*, specifically redemption of firstborn sons (or donkeys), we find an actual *kohein* rather than setting aside the coins to be destroyed. Why can't we do this for food, too? Some *kohanim* would surely appreciate getting *challah* deliveries on Fridays. Maybe the *t'rumah* case is unavoidable because (I think?) the *kohein* is required to eat it while ritually pure and none of us are today. But I don't think that applies to *challah*, does it? *Kohanim* certainly eat from the communal *challah* at *kiddush*, along with the rest of us. What am I missing?