By COLlive reporter
Photo Credit: JDN
A delegation of the Edah HaChareidis kashrus organization in Jerusalem already have their sights on the holiday of Sukkos in 2 months.
Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok Ulman traveled to central Israel with his colleagues to inspect the esrogim orchards in the village of Kfar Chabad which are under the supervision of their Otzar Beis Din division.
Being in the midst of Shemittah, the seventh year in the seven-year agricultural cycle when land in the land of Israel is left to lie fallow, the rabbis left clear instructions on how produce should be grown.
Despite the many restrictions, the orchard’s owners were proud to report that they saw “a blessing,” and that their crop exceeded their expectations, both in quantity and quality.
Generally, the esrogim are either considered hefker (so if you want, you can take some for free), or Otzar Bais Din belonging to the bais din (and sold at a minimal cost) or heter m’chira – sold to goyim (which the yeshivish world frown upon for valid reasons and is not the mehudar way due to several halachic problems – among them selling Eretz Yisroel to a goy, but relied upon by many religious zionist or non-yeshivish frum people).
if there is no ownership of shmitta fruit how is it sold? comment 2 if your saying you pay for the other minim then the prices should be significantly cheaper.is this truly the case ?
An Etrog from Eretz Yisrael even though contains the Shmita Kedusha can be bought out of Israel and used during Succot [Igrot Moshe OC 5; 42] Since there is a prohibition to do business with Shmita fruit you should pay for the Lulav and Haddas enough to cover the cost of the Etrog as well [Rambam Shmita 8; 11] After Succot you can’t dispose of the Etrog rather let it rot [or dry out] in peace and bury it respectfully, some hold the Etrog should find its way back to Israel, sometimes this can be done by returning it to… Read more »
So I don’t understand, how does it work out with shmittah?