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Rabbi Yosef
Zvi Rimon
The Shemitta Etrog,

After the Shemitta Year

lthough the Shemitta year and therefore the critical date regard-
has ended, many of its laws ing Shemitta sanctity is the date on
continue to apply, even after which the etrog is picked.
Athe Shemitta year is over. As
we approach Sukkot, it is critical to According to most Rishonim, the etrog
determine the status of etrogim that used on the Sukkot celebrated at the
began growing during the Shemitta beginning of the Shemitta year does
year. not have Shemitta sanctity. How-
ever, according to the Rambam,
The Shemitta sanctity of vegetables it does have Shemitta sanc-
is determined by the date of harvest. tity. In practice, despite the
This is why, from the very beginning of fact that strictly speaking we
the Shemitta year, one must be careful rule an etrog is treated like a
when purchasing vegetables, because if fruit, we try to be stringent
they were picked after Rosh Hashanah, and assign it Shemitta sanc-
they have Shemitta sanctity. Regarding tity according to the date
fruit, on the other hand, the critical of its harvest, as if it were a
date is that of chanata – when the fruit vegetable (see Chazon Ish,
first begins to assume shape, or when it Shevi’it 7:10; Shevet ha-Levi, I,
reaches a third of its growth. Therefore, no. 175).
the fruit that is brought to the market
at the beginning of the Shemitta year Strictly speaking, it is per-
does not have Shemitta sanctity, and it mitted to use a Shemitta etrog
is only towards Pesach of the Shemitta to fulfill the mitzvah of the four
year that fruit with Shemitta sanctity species, only that the sale of such
becomes available. an etrog raises certain problems and
What is the status of an etrog? At first must be done through the Otzar Beit
glance, it seems clear that an etrog is Din. This Sukkot, during the eighth
the fruit of a tree, and therefore Shem- year, etrogim do have Shemitta sanctity,
itta sanctity should apply to it only in and therefore must be sold through the
the eighth year (because any etrog that Otzar Beit Din.
is available for Sukkot of the seventh After Sukkot, the etrog should not be
year had reached chanata during the thrown in the garbage, but rather it
sixth year). This is the position of the should be eaten, or else placed in a
Ra’avad (Hilchot Ma’aser Sheni 1:5) and bag and later discarded in a respectful
most Rishonim, based on the Mishnah in manner.
A member of Bikkurim (2:6). The Rambam, however, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Head of Mizrachi’s
the Mizrachi rules that an etrog is treated like a vege- When an etrog is purchased with Educational Advisory Board and Rabbinic
Speakers Bureau table, because an etrog needs extensive kashrut certification, the certification Council. He serves as the Rabbi of the Gush
mizrachi.org/ watering just like a vegetable (as indi- presumably related to the Shemitta Etzion Regional Council and is the Founder
speakers cated by the Gemara in Kiddushin 3a), sanctity as well. and Chairman of Sulamot.

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