What should one do with Shemittah produce he owns, outside of Israel?
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You should also check into whether or not kedushat shvi'it even applies to it. Like, it might be heter mechira.– ScimonsterCommented Jan 13, 2015 at 9:21
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1Most Rabbinates don't approve of heter mechira– CashCowCommented Jan 13, 2015 at 11:35
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@CashCow I don't think that's true... By "Rabbinate" you mean Israel City-Rabbinates?– Double AA ♦Commented Sep 3, 2015 at 18:06
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Most orthodox rabbinates I know do not approve (thus would not give a hechsher, or let a kosher restaurant use such produce). That is different from Oser Maaseh Beis Din which allows produce that grows by itself to be gathered and distributed, paid for by the Beis Din and charged for costs only. Note that the produce should not be taken outside of Israel (except for esrogim for the purpose of a mitzvah)– CashCowCommented Sep 4, 2015 at 8:36
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1 Answer
They must be treated with Kedushas Shevi'is. That means you cannot sell them, you cannot destroy them, you cannot eat them in unusual ways, there is a Mitzva to eat them if they are kosher, and you must not continue to own them past the time they can still be found in the fields or Israel. If they grew in a field which was worked illegally by its owner during Shemitta, there is a dipute whether they may be eaten or not. See Dose of Halacha:
As one isn’t allowed to destroy shemitta produce, one can’t simply throw one’s leftover shemitta food away. Rather, one must place it in a designated place until it rots and becomes inedible before disposing of it.
Some poskim (Rabbeinu Tam, Tosafos, Sukka 39b) forbid one to eat produce that has been guarded and worked on (shamur vene’evad), while others allow one to benefit from such produce (See Igros Moshe OC 1:186).
Modern day poskim thus advise that either one eats such produce and disposes carefully of any leftovers, letting them rot first, or disposing of them all in such a way without partaking of them.
