- Family and Society
- General Questions
Shmita
Question
Are the citrus that are already ripe on the trees in Erezt Israel consider of kidush a shmita
TIZKU le mitzvot
Answer
Shalom,
Thank you for your question. The kedusha of the fruit of trees is determined by the time of budding – that is only fruit which budded during the seventh year will have the holiness of smitah. Because of the length of time it takes for the citrus fruits to grow, the citrus fruits that will become available at the end of the shmitah year, next Elul and later (during the eight year) will have kedusha. (The exception to this is the etrog, which according to the Rambam has kedusha if it was picked during smitah – and many people try to follow this opinion as a stricture).
So, those citrus fruits on the market at the moment (Shvat 5775) do not have kedusha shvi'it on them.
Blessings.

Shemitta/ Loans/Prosbul
Rabbi Chaim Tabasky | 8 Cheshvan 5768

Shmitah in Gaza
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 19 Tevet 5765

Shmita and the term "Hutz La’aretz"
Torah & Land Institution | 30 Sivan 5766

Shmita and Charity
Various Rabbis | 9 Cheshvan 5768

Rabbi David Sperling

Rosh Hashanah
Adar II 25, 5771

Doing Things After Shkiah
Iyyar 6, 5771

Wallet on Shabbat
Adar II 24, 5771

Pesach - leaving home before Pesach
Adar II 22, 5771

Mezzuzah for Non Jew
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 18, 5773
Jewelry for men
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Adar 21, 5770

Bracha on water
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | Cheshvan 16, 5769

Vinegar and Davar Charif Soaking - Kavush
Rabbi David Sperling | Av 24, 5780
Apartment Eviction
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Shevat 9, 5783

Talmud
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Shevat 4, 5783
How to split expenses for a group event
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Shevat 9, 5783
