Questions tagged [shmita]
the sabbatical year; every seventh year when the land in Israel lies fallow
17
questions
12
votes
3
answers
72k
views
When is the next shmita year (as of 5772)?
When is the next shmita year? Is there disagreement about which year? If so, which Jewish sects or traditions believe the shmita is in which years? If you specify years since creation, please also ...
- 123
8
votes
1
answer
413
views
Why is Shmita only Rabbinic nowadays?
I was reading up on Heter Iska and it said that Shmita and Shmitat Kesafim are only Rabbinic today.
Why do the Biblical laws no longer apply?
- 3,660
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What to do with a sh'vi'it etrog
Last year (5775) was a shemitah year, as such, etrogim produced in Israel end up becoming sh'vi'it (produce of the seventh year). One of the boxes I saw mentioned that the etrog should be disposed of ...
3
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Vilna Gaon, Gog and Magog war and Hoshana Rabba
1) I read on Soul Mazal, the following:
"...The Vilna Gaon on the Mechilta (Shmos 14:20) says that the Gog U'Magog war shall begin three hours before "Hanetz Hachama" (crack of dawn) on Hoshana ...
- 6,935
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is the Yovel every 49 or 50 years?
When is Yovel? Is it in the 49th year of the shmita cycle, or the 50th? And if it is in the 50th, when is the next shmita, in the 56th or 57th year? What is the practice in modern day Israel?
- 8,894
4
votes
1
answer
162
views
Mah inyan Shmita eitzel the price of tea in China?
I saw some red peppers in an American grocery store labelled "Product of Israel". I have never seen that before, and my guess is that since it's a shmitta year, there is less of an Israeli domestic ...
- 6,926
14
votes
2
answers
231
views
Does Shmita apply in Jordan?
Since the East bank of the Jordan River was given to shevet Reuven as an inheritance, was Shmita observed there as well? If so, does shmita still apply there?
- 880
7
votes
1
answer
291
views
Can one test God with Shmita?
In Vayikra 25: 20-22 (below) God says that he will guarantee a bountiful harvest if the Shmita is observed. Unlike other promises of spiritual reward, this one is easily quantifiable with observable ...
- 8,243
6
votes
0
answers
346
views
Ma Inyan Shmitta Eitzel Har Sinai?
Rashi says
What does the subject of Shemittah have with Mount Sinai? Were not all the commandments stated from Sinai? However, [this teaches us that] just as with Shemittah, its general principles ...
- 40.5k
6
votes
1
answer
189
views
Reasons for allowing התר מכירה in this day and age
Here is the concluding paragraph from an article from Torah L'Daat (red volume, BeHar 'בענין אם יש קנין לנכרי בארץ ישראל להפקיע קדושת שביעית') that discusses the halachic boundaries of whether non-...
- 10.3k
6
votes
2
answers
195
views
Rambam on Planting non-fruit trees on Shemita
The Yerushalmi in Sheviit 4:4 says:
וכן היה רשב״ג אומר נוטעין אילן סרק בשביעית
So too Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would say - one may plant non-fruit trees on the seventh
then RaMBa"M goes and ...
- 1,652
4
votes
1
answer
207
views
Were the there only 55 שמיטה years between the Exodus and the First Temple?
The sefer Sifsei Cohen (not to be confused with the commentary on the Shulchan Aruch) on VaYetzeh, Beraishis 28:13 writes the following:
ואמר הארץ אשר אתה שוכב עליה לך אתננה...עוד אתננה אתן נה פי׳ ...
- 2,413
4
votes
2
answers
561
views
What happens to the debts after Shmitat Ksafim?
The question is rather simple - What happens to a loan after Shmitat Ksafim (I refer only to those entitled for Shmitah):
Is the debt fully annulled and the Shtar/agreement invalidated in this world'...
- 26k
3
votes
1
answer
155
views
What happens to the obligation of rivai when a new fruit tree reaches its third or fourth year during Shmitah?
We learn in Leviticus 19:23, 24 that the fruit of a new tree is forbidden (orlah) for benefit for its first three years, but all of the fruit from the fourth year is sanctified (revai) and [when the ...
- 16k
2
votes
1
answer
116
views
Questions regarding counting for Shemitta and Yovel
Leviticus 25:8 (Sefaria English translation):
וְסָפַרְתָּ֣ לְךָ֗ שֶׁ֚בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת שָׁנִ֔ים שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים
שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֑ים וְהָי֣וּ לְךָ֗ יְמֵי֙ שֶׁ֚בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת
הַשָּׁנִ֔ים תֵּ֥שַׁע ...
- 70.5k
1
vote
2
answers
200
views
Planting grass during shmita
Is it permissible to plant grass during the shmita year?
As this question indicates, there is a machloket regarding planting non-fruit trees during shmita. If grass is like a tree, it would be ...
- 23.1k
1
vote
0
answers
212
views
Large scale hydroponics and Shmita
The gemara in Nedarim 59 (among many other places) discusses the concept of shmita produce and plants grown from them retaining their status when the original "seed" isn't destroyed when planted. In ...
- 5,124