Shemitah, Appendix C: Shemitah Sanctity and Sefichin for Vegetables – based on the Solar Calendar
When does each kind of vegetable have shemitah sanctity, and when is its' Bi'ut time?
|
Vegetable |
Shemitah sanctity starts[1] |
Sefichin prohibition starts[2] |
Sefichin until |
Bi'ur time[3] |
|
Artichoke[4] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Not sefichin |
NA |
Mid-July shemitah |
|
Arum |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Feb. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Asparagus4 |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Not sefichin |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Baby radish (cherry belle/ cherriette) |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Oct. shemitah |
Late Oct. eighth year (Early Cheshvan 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Bamiah (okra) |
Not sacred[5] |
Not sefichin |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Banana4 |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Not sefichin |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Beet |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Late Dec. eighth year (Early Tevet 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Beet leaves |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Dec. shemitah |
Early Jan. eight year (Early Tevet 5783-2023) |
No bi'ur |
|
Broccoli |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
Late May shemitah |
|
Butternut squash |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Late July eighth year (Early Av 5783-2023) |
Early Oct. eighth year |
|
Carrot |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Cauliflower |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Dec. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Chard |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Dec. shemitah |
Early Jan. eighth year (Early Tevet 5783-2023) |
No bi'ur |
|
Coriander (cilantro) |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Nov. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year |
No bi'ur |
|
Cucumber |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Oct. shemitah |
Mid-Nov. eighth year |
No bi'ur |
|
Dill |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Nov. shemitah |
Mid-Nov. eighth year |
No bi'ur |
|
Dry onion |
Early Dec. shemitah |
Early Feb. shemitah |
Late Jan. eighth year (Early-Shevat 5783-2023) |
No bi'ur |
|
Eggplant[6] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Fava beans in a pod |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
Mid-July shemitah |
|
Fennel |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Garlic |
Mid-Feb. shemitah |
Mid-March shemitah (Mid-Adar II 5782-2022) |
Mid-March eighth year (Late Adar 5783-2023) |
Mid-Aug. shemitah |
|
Green beans (or yellow) in a pod |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Nov. shemitah |
Late Nov. eighth year (Early Kislev 5783-2022) |
Mid-July shemitah |
|
Horseradish |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Oct. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Hot pepper[7] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Kohlrabi (turnip cabbage) |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Dec. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Lettuce[8] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Oct. shemitah |
Late Oct. eighth year |
No bi'ur |
|
Melon[9] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Mint4 |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
No sefichin |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Mushroom |
Not sacred[10] |
No sefichin |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Paprika |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Aug. shemitah |
Late Sept. eighth year (Early Tishrei 5783-2022) |
Late Nov. eighth year |
|
Parsley leaves |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Nov. shemitah |
Late Nov. eighth year (Early Kislev 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Parsley root |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Late Nov. eighth year (Early Kislev 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Peas in a pod |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-March shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
Mid-June shemitah |
|
Pepper[11] |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Pineapple |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Not sefichin[12] |
NA |
No bi'ur |
|
Potato |
Late Oct. shemitah |
Early Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Pumpkin |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Feb. shemitah |
Late July eighth year |
Mid-Nov. eighth year |
|
Radish |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Nov. shemitah |
Mid-Nov. eighth year (Late Cheshvan 5782-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Raspberry4 |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
No sefichin |
NA |
Late Aug. shemitah |
|
Red cabbage |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year |
No bi'ur |
|
Scallions |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Nov. shemitah |
Mid-Nov. eighth year (Late Cheshvan 5782-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Spinach |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Nov. shemitah |
Late Nov. eighth year (Early Kislev 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Spring onion |
Late Nov. shemitah |
Late Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Squash |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Nov. shemitah |
Mid-Oct. eighth year (Late Tishrei 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Strawberry |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Early Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
Late Aug. shemitah |
|
Sweet potato |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-July shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
Mid-March eighth year |
|
Tomato |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Late Dec. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Turnip |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
|
Watermelon |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Jan. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur[13] |
|
White cabbage |
3 Tishrei shemitah |
Mid-Dec. shemitah |
Chanukah eighth year (Dec. 19, 5783-2022) |
No bi'ur |
[1] The timetable was prepared based on the average arrival time on the market.
The list is based on the solar calendar, see appendix A.
[2] The time the sefichin prohibition begins is determined based on the custom to be lenient with vegetables that sprouted before shemitah. For vegetables that sprouted by 29 Elul prior to the onset of shemitah, we checked for the earliest date that they can appear on the market.
[3] Most vegetables are not subject to bi'ur, since they are grown throughout the year in Israel today, so the status of "gone for the animals of the field" does not apply. This includes vegetables that in the distant and recent past were only seasonal. However, there are still some vegetables that are seasonal and there are times when they are not growing in the field. Therefore, the laws of bi'ur do apply to them.
[4] The sefichin prohibition does not apply to perennial plants.
[5] Yivul nochri, crops raised and owned by non-Jews, so the laws of shemitah do not apply.
[6] From Cheshvan through Adar, most eggplants sold in Israel are grown in the Aravah, which is within the olei Mitzrayim borders. Some are grown by non-Jews.
[7] Black and white pepper powder is imported from abroad, see Appendix D.
[8] Insect-free leafy vegetables growing on detached platforms do not have shemitah sanctity, so the sefichin prohibition does not apply to them.
[9] During the winter most melons are grown in the Aravah.
[10] Not a plant according to halachah, so the laws of shemitah do not apply to it.
[11] During the winter peppers grow in the Aravah, which is within the olei Mitzrayim borders.
[12] The sefichin prohibition does not apply to perennial plants.
[13] Since there are heter mechirah watermelons growing in the Aravah throughout the shemitah year, bi'ur does not apply. That is, watermelons are always available to animals in the field, similar to most other vegetables that are grown all year long. In the past, watermelon did not grow in Israel around the year, which is why they had been previously subject to the laws of bi'ur.
