Guide to Shemitah Year for the Individual

Hello Rabbi, I wanted to know how an individual should prepare for the Shemitah year?

The preparation for the Shemitah year applies to each and every one of us, even if we don't own land. For example, when we go shopping, we need to verify that every product we purchase is indeed under the supervision of an authorized kosher certification body responsible for the product's kashrut in all matters of Shemitah laws.

Food Products in the Shemitah Year

Of course, we cannot expect standard kosher certification bodies to be meticulous about the stringent matters of Shemitah. Therefore, every product, such as canned goods for example, should indicate its halachic status for the seventh year.

For example: There is a well-known halachic discussion around the issue of "Heter Mechira" (permission to sell land to non-Jews), with most authorities ruling to avoid purchasing products from "Heter Mechira."

Our master Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of blessed memory published a handwritten letter in 1986, which was a Shemitah year, stating that "those who are meticulous about Hashem's word should be very strict and make efforts to observe all the laws of Shemitah with great precision and enhancement, and to purchase products that have no concern at all, etc." (When there is a great economic need, one should consult with a halachic authority on the matter, as there are times when one permits oneself even when it's not necessary). Therefore, there are products that will appear with the label "from Heter Mechira," and these products can also be found in supermarkets in ultra-Orthodox areas, so one must keep an eye open when purchasing products, and inform our children what to buy, as they are often partners in the shopping process.

Important information – Even after the Shemitah year (sometimes even three years later), Shemitah products are still circulating, including products of "Heter Mechira," and this can be found even in banquet halls and restaurants, especially since the cost of fruits from Heter Mechira is cheaper.

Food Products Throughout the Year

Since we're discussing buying products during the Shemitah year, it's important to pay attention to kashrut issues in general, not just during the Shemitah year. Most of the time we buy a "brand," meaning, you go to buy milk - you look at the company name, and move on. You don't check each product to ensure it has the kosher certification you want in your home. There have been cases where the same company produced another product with regular kosher certification, not a stringent one, and only at the Shabbat table do you suddenly discover a product with a certification that doesn't meet your standards.

Buying Fruits and Vegetables from Non-Jews Privately

It is very important to buy fruits and vegetables during Shemitah from properly supervised places, through recognized and authorized kosher certification bodies. There are times when a person permits himself in this matter. This could happen, for example, while traveling, when you notice a non-Jewish vendor selling fruits and vegetables, and the non-Jew tells you that all the produce is from their own cultivation "without concerns." You don't even think much about it, you simply buy it - what could be wrong? After all, fruits grown by non-Jews are permitted during Shemitah.

(Photo: Flash 90)

Let's examine this story together and see if this is proper halachic thinking or not:

A. Why are you so certain that according to all opinions there is no Shemitah sanctity in produce grown by non-Jews? There is a dispute about whether there is Shemitah sanctity in fruits grown by non-Jews. The opinion of Maran the Beit Yosef in Responsa Avkat Rokhel (Section 24) is that there is no Shemitah sanctity in these fruits, because non-Jews have the power to remove the sanctity of the Land of Israel, and this is the custom of Sephardim. However, our teacher the Mabit (Section 11) holds that there is Shemitah sanctity in produce grown by non-Jews, and this is how Maran the Chazon Ish ruled, and many follow his opinion.

B. According to halacha, one must verify that the fruits and vegetables were harvested from land owned by a non-Jew, and also that the land itself is registeredwith the land registry under the name of a non-Jew and not under the name of a Jew or Jewish authority (Book of Kedushat HaAretz Shevi'it).   

Therefore, according to halacha,one should buy from places that are supervised by authorized kosher certification committees, so that no mishap should occur through our hands.