What Should One Be Careful About When Buying Fruits and Vegetables?

The Shemitah year of 5775 ended a few days ago, but the fruits and vegetables being sold still have Shemitah sanctity. This year too, one must be careful about specific kosher certification regarding Shemitah (Otzar Beit Din, non-Jewish produce, produce from abroad, or sixth-year produce).

This note is valid until the following dates, which vary between different types of vegetables and fruits:

Vegetables:

Rosh Hashanah 5776 – Artichoke, banana, mint, spearmint, sprouts of all kinds.

End of Tishrei – Zucchini.

Beginning of Cheshvan – Potatoes.

Mid-Cheshvan – Lettuce.

End of Cheshvan – Cucumber, green onion.

Beginning of Kislev - Dry onion, parsley.

Chanukah – Basil, broccoli, sweet potato, carrot, za'atar, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, lemon verbena, melon, tomato, peppers, kohlrabi, fennel.

Beginning of Tevet – Beet.

Beginning of Shevat – Strawberry.

Beginning of Nissan – Garlic.

Beginning of Sivan – Rosemary.

Beginning of Tammuz – Pumpkin.

After these dates, each type according to its date, one can buy from any place without Shemitah supervision. From vegetables bought in a business without certification for tithing, one should separate tithes without a blessing due to doubt, and this year is a second tithe year.

(Photo: Avir Sultan / Flash90)

Fruits:

Until the month of Adar all tree fruits belong to the Shemitah year (since they blossomed before Rosh Hashanah).

One should continue to be careful about buying supervised produce with special certification for the Shemitah year, at least until the month of Adar I. After that, fruits belonging to the eighth year begin to appear, with the loquat being the first among them.

It's important to remember that even after the month of Adar, citrus fruits or apples that have been kept in refrigeration will be found in the market, and with these too one should be careful to purchase supervised produce.