Shemitah
Shemitah QA 3
Several days ago, I received a cactus plant in a small perforated planter. The planter is very small and soon will not have enough room for the cactus.
- Can I plant it in my yard or in a larger planter? How should I go about doing it?
- What should I do with the plant to prevent it from withering up and dying?
Trees possibly planted during shemitah
I harvested olives from olive trees that were planted during the shemitah year. The trees belong to the municipality, a local authority, and I received permission to harvest them. Four years passed from the time they were planted, and when I harvested the olives I didn't know that they were planted during the shemitah year. The trees were planted together with their clod of soil. Is there a way to use the olives? Could selling the olives to a non-Jew and buying them back help in any way?
QA Shemitah 4
I am in charge of the Home Owner's Association in our apartment building, and am the only religious (Religious Zionist) resident in the building. From the beginning of the shemitah year, I did not bring our regular gardener because of shemitah. Recently, neighbors have been putting more and more pressure on me to bring a gardener so our garden will look normal. The garden really does look neglected. As a religious person, I'm not sure if I'm halachically allowed to bring my Jewish gardener, and if so, what is he allowed to do?
Shemitah QA 1
Is it permitted during the shemitah year to cover fruit trees (apricot, in my case) with netting to protect them from birds and insects?
Soaking seeds in water during shemitah
I know that we're not allowed to soak seeds in water on Shabbat. But I read that we're allowed to soak seeds during the shemitah year. Why is the former forbidden and the latter permissible?
Shemitah Guides
I searched the website and I couldn't find a comprehensive guide on the laws of shemitah for the private garden. Does such a guide exist? I'd appreciate the link.
Otzar beit din wine sold after bi'ur time
Jerusalem Vineyard Winery is selling otzar beit din wine grown in Shiloh – Eish Kodesh. Since the bi'ur time for wine has already passed, what is the wine's status vis-à-vis bi'ur laws? are we supposed to do bi'ur on the wine when we buy it? It is exempt from bi'ur?
Growing wheatgrass during shemitah for juice
Is it possible to grow wheatgrass during the shemitah year to juice it? The way it is grown is as follows: Wheat grains are sprouted by placing them on a piece of material in a barrel, and they are watered. The grass sprouts and also takes root.
Uprooting a tree and replanting it during the shemitah year
During the shemitah year, if a need arises to transfer a tree from place to place to save it (for instance, due to soil contamination in the area the tree was planted, or because of construction work that can damage the tree, etc.)? Would it be possible to uproot the tree from its place and replant it elsewhere – would this be considered permissible tree maintenance, ukmei liana?
Synthetic grass and planters on raised beds during the shemitah year
- Can I take out grass and replace it with synthetic grass during the shemitah year?
- I have a vegetable garden next to my house with raised beds. Can I fix them throughout the shemitah year?