Q&A
Joining Agudas Shemita
I read an advertisement on observing the mitzvah of shemitah through Agudas Shmita. You sign up on the website, and appoint the organization as your agent to purchase land on your behalf. That is, you buy land in Israel (starting from 1X1 amah to 4X4 amot) for the duration of the shemitah year. The land is officially registered under your name and you relinquish ownership of the crops during the shemitah year. In this way, you observe two mitzvot: "During the seventh year you will remit it and abandon it" and "The land will rest a sabbatical unto G-d." Each person receives a precise map noting the piece of land they purchased. This parcel is privately-owned land (it does not belong to the Israel Land Administration) between Yavniel and Tiberius. It says that Agudas Shmita has the support of many rabbis from the Ashkenazi and Sephardi Chareidi community, and also has legal guidance.
This land is worked during the sixth year; in this way, donors will merit the blessing "and I command my blessing to you during the sixth year." At the beginning of the shemitah year, a sign will be put up that the produce is ownerless. They also write that women are obligated in the mitzvah of shemitah. The rabbi heading the organization is Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Stern, rabbi of western Benei Berak and the av beit din of Sha'arei Hora'ah.
How does Torah VeHa'aretz Institute view this project?
Growing sprouts at home during Shemitah
Can I grow sprouts during Shemithah?
Olive harvest and oil preparation this year and next year
It's olive harvest time (Cheshvan 5782), and I generally harvest them. I pickle some and press some for oil. Do I have to do something different this year? Will the olives have kedushat shevi'it?
Southern Aravah
What does the label Southern Aravah (ערבה דרומית) mean? What is the difference between that and olei Mitzrayim?
Explanation of olei Mitzrayim
What does olei Mitzrayim on labels mean? Does it have kedushat shevi'it? Why is it possible to grow crops there during shemitah? Why do the rabbis of Torah VeHa'aretz Institute consider this produce mehadrin?
Terumot and ma'aserot during shemitah from vegetables and herbs growing indoors
I have several plants growing on my covered porch. I even have some inside on my kitchen counter. Some are herbs and some are vegetables. Do they have kedushat shevi'it? What about terumot and ma'aserot?
Hefker in my garden
How am I supposed to perform the mitzvah of hefker in my garden?
Cutting shoots from the base of trees
There are suckers that often sprout at the base of tree trunks, especially common with olive and pomegranate trees. They ruin the trees' aesthetics. Can I remove them during shemitah? What about citrus trees? Does it make a difference if the growths are from below the graft line?
Kedushat shevi'it in produce
Since Rosh Hashanah I have been handling the cucumbers that I bought as having kedushat shevi'it. Was this the right thing to do?
Mushrooms and shemitah status
What is the status of mushrooms vis-vis shemitah? It wasn't clear to me from the wrapper.