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Shemitah calendar for grains, legumes, and seeds

Shemitah calendar for grains, legumes, and seeds

When does each kind of produce have shemitah sanctity, and when is its' bi'ur time? Appendix B of the Consumer's Guide to Shemitah.

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

Grain/legume/
seed

Kedushat shevi'it and sefichin prohibition starts[1]

Sefichin prohibition ends

Bi'ur time

Barley

Early May shemitah
(Early Iyar 5782-2022)

Early May eighth year (Mid- Iyar 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Black-eyed peas[4]

No k.s. (kedushat shevi'it)

NA

NA

Caraway[4]

Not k.s.

NA

NA

Coriander (seeds)[2]

Early June shemitah (Early Sivan 5782-2022)

Early June eighth year (Mid-Sivan 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Corn on the cob, kernels

3 Tishrei shemitah
(Sept. 9, 5782-2021)

Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022)

No bi'ur[3]

Dried beans[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Fava beans 

Early April shemitah
(Late II Adar 5782-2022)

Early April eighth year (Mid-Nisan 5783-2023)

Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022)

Ginger[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Hummus

Early June shemitah
(Early Sivan 5782-2022)

Early June eighth year (Mid-Sivan 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Early Kislev 5783-2022)

Lentils[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Millet

Early Aug. shemitah
(Early Av 5782-2022)

Mid-Aug. eighth year (Early Elul 5783-2023)

Mid-Sept. eighth year
(Early Tishrei 
 5783-2022)

Oats[4]

Not k.s.

NA

NA

Peanuts

Mid-Sept. end of shemitah
(Mid-Elul 5782-2022)

Mid-Sept. end of ninth year
(Early Tishrei 5784-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Peas

Early March  shemitah (1 Adar I 5782-2022)

Early March  eighth year (Mid-Adar I 5783-2023)

Mid-Aug.  shemitah (Mid-Av 5782-2022)

Popcorn

Early July shemitah
(Early Tamuz 5782-2022)

Early Aug. eighth year (Mid-Av 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Poppy[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Pumpkin seeds[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Rice[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Soy[4]

No k.s.

NA

NA

Sunflower
seeds

Mid-Aug. shemitah
(Mid-Av 5782-2022)

Mid-Aug. eighth year (Early Elul 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Watermelon seeds

Early July shemitah
(Early Tamuz 5782-2022)

Early July eighth year (Mid-Tamuz 5783-2023)

Early Dec. eighth year (Mid-Kislev 5783-2022)

Wheat[5]

No k.s.

NA

NA

 

 

[1] For these crops, the stage of growth that determines their status is one-third of their growth as of Rosh Hashanah of shemitah.

[2] These are coriander seeds, not the leaves. Coriander seeds are needed to grow coriander leaves, and the growing time is much longer for the seeds than for the leaves. This is why its bi'ur time is different than the one found for coriander leaves in Appendix C.

[3] Since it can be found growing in the field all year round, bi'ur does not apply.

[4] These plants do not grow in Israel (as of 5782) and are all imported—so the laws of shemitah do not apply to them.

[5] Almost all wheat for human consumption is imported. Locally grown wheat is used for animal fodder. As this is the case, we need not be concerned that the wheat and wheat products on the market need bi'ur.