Do pomegranate peels have kedushat shevi'it?
Question
We have a pomegranate tree in our yard. We generally use the pomegranates for Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. What is the status of the peels? Am I supposed to put them in the shemitah bin?
Answer
Torah VeHa'aretz Institute, Av 5782
The Mishnah in Shevi'it (7:3) lists pomegranate rinds and crowns as having kedushat shevi'it. This is because in Mishnaic times the pigment extracted from the rind and crown was used to produce paint.
However, today pomegranate rinds and crowns are not used for this purpose, so they do not have kedushah and may be discarded regularly.
This is yet another example of how the halachic rule that common use is permissible remains consistent throughout the generations, but its practical application various from time to time.