[Avodah] Alert - Esrog Disposal

[Prof. Levine via Avodah]

[Forwarded from star-K.org.

I plucked this email out of the queue to take the effort to add this
prelude because I feel a need to warn the chevrah on a possible health
issue with the content of this post. Off topic, but might be importat.
Check the metzi'us of the safety of (i) eating esrog jelly. I was told
by a grower that given the value of the crop, the cost of a single bug
bite blackening the skin, import/export requirements, and the assumption
tht it won't be eaten, they use a LOT of insecticide. He discouraged me
from my annual practice of Coke-with-esrog on Simchas Torah a number of
years ago (non-shemittah). Google says he is not alone.

-micha]


October 12, 2015

Esrog Disposal

Esrogim exported from Eretz Yisroel for Succos 5776 (2015) have kedushas
sheviis (sanctity of fruit of the Shmittah year), and must be disposed of
in an appropriate manner. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this:

(i) An esrog may be used to make esrog jelly. The remnants of the esrog
should be discarded in the manner described below. The esrog jelly must
be eaten and not be wasted.

(ii) An esrog may be wrapped in plastic and left to rot, after which it
may be discarded. [If it is not wrapped in plastic, it will dry out and
will not rot. Furthermore, after rotting, the plastic serves the purpose
of covering the esrog, so that it will not come into direct contact with
the trash.]

If the esrog has not rotted by the first day of Shevat 5776 (January 11,
2016), there is an obligation of biur at that time. The esrog should
be placed in a public area in front of three Jewish male adults, and
the owner should announce that he is declaring the esrog to be hefker
(owner less). He (or any Jew) should then take the esrog and dispose
of it in the manner described above. It is preferable to send the esrog
back to Eretz Yisroel if it is known that biur will take place there.

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