Hillel from Neve Ya’acov asks: I recently visited a sh’mittah-observant farm and saw plenty of luscious strawberries growing on the ground. Since they were hefker (ownerless), I wished to take a sackful home with me. However, one of the farmers told me that it is forbidden to take such a large amount. Is this true?…
Akiva from Beitar asks: I managed to keep my sh’mittah esrog fresh till now. Would it be permitted for me to plant the esrog pips? What would be the status of the fruit growing from these pips? Any produce which has kedushas shvi’is may not be sown even after the end of the sh’mittah year….
Yonah from Givat Shaul asks: I usually give my workers a gift for the Yomim Tovim. This year, I would like to give them a crate of Otzar Beis Din grape juice as their festival gift. Is this permitted? It is forbidden to repay a debt with sh’mittah produce. This prohibition is rabbinic, derived from…
Sholom from Sanhedria asks: My wife usually sends her delicious vegetable quiches for mishloach monos. This year, the vegetable ingredients have kedushas shvi’is. Is it permitted to use kedushas shvi’is produce for mishloach monos? One may not use kedushas shvi’is to pay debts. The reason is that it looks like trading sh’mittah produce, which is…
Naftoli from Bayit Vegan asks: My son is coming on a visit. Can I give him a bottle of sh’mittah wine to take with when he returns to chutz l’aretz? It is forbidden to export sh’mittah produce (Shevi’is 6:5). There are two reasons given for this law. The Rash (on the mishna) writes that since…
Raizy from Mattersdorf asks:: Since all greens that grow from the earth are "hefker" is it permitted to pick flowers and greens from the gardens that face the sidewalks? Firstly, not all that grows from the earth is "hefker" (ownerless). Only those items which have kedushas shvi’is fall into this category. Thus, only flowers which…
Menachem from Bnei Brak asks: We follow the ruling of the Chazon Ish, z’tl, that produce grown by non-Jews on non-Jewish owned land in Eretz Yisroel does have kedushas shvi’is. How do I acquire such produce in Yerushalayim, where the prevalent custom is that non-Jewish produce has no sanctity? Let me first explain your question….
Shifra from Unsdorf asks: I have heard that white skinned potatoes are already free of sh’mittah laws, but that the red skinned variety are still problematic. Is this true? Your information is correct. The vast majority of white skinned potatoes on the market are from the eighth year crop, which are permitted even if they…
Yossi from Har Nof asks: I was walking home the other night when my hat was suddenly whisked off my head by an overhanging branch. I looked up and discovered that the neighbour’s flowering bush had grown into the street. Is it permitted to cut off the protruding branch? Pruning trees is forbidden during the…
Sammy from Ramat Eshkol asks: My wife makes a delicious soup out of fresh tomatoes. Can she prepare the soup with sh’mittah tomatoes? Can she peel the tomatoes before putting them into the soup? Tomatoes are generally eaten either raw or cooked. It is therefore permitted to cook them in a soup. However, since only…