Q&A: Separating Challah or Tithes by a Secular Person
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Separating Challah or Tithes by a Secular Person
Question
Have a good week, Rabbi,
is an act of separating challah or terumot and ma’asrot performed by a secular person valid? And what about a traditional person?
Best regards,
Answer
Good question. If we are talking about an atheist (or someone who does not believe in Jewish law or in the giving of the Torah), then in my opinion no. Regarding kiddushin, I was once asked and answered that yes. True, they do not have a commandment, but there is still a valid legal bond according to the law of Moses and Israel. But challah and terumot and ma’asrot are halakhic acts, not a contract, and as such they have no validity or effect if they were not done by someone who is subject to the observance of the commandments.