Q&A

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?

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?

How am I supposed to perform the mitzvah of hefker in my garden?

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?

Since Rosh Hashanah I have been handling the cucumbers that I bought as having kedushat shevi'it. Was this the right thing to do?

What is the status of mushrooms vis-vis shemitah? It wasn't clear to me from the wrapper.

I have a compost pile on the ground in my yard. Am I allowed to mix it during the shemitah year? If I mix it, I will be mixing soil.

Is it permissible to train climbing plants onto a trellis during the shemitah year?

What about adding supports to trees that have begun to grow crooked? If so, under which conditions?

I have herbs growing in my covered balcony. Do they have kedushat shevi'it? What about terumot and ma'aserot?

Hi! Are all these rules exactly the same for a mirpeset open to the sky? How do I make plants on my mirpeset hefker?