[Avodah] shemitta

[Eli Turkel]

I am surprised that there hasn't much discussion of the shemitta year coming
up
soon. In Israel the various pages distributed on shabbat had a detailed
discussion of the
issue.
Basically there are 3 approaches to the issue

1. Eda Hacharedit - use exclusively nonJewish produce. They have signed an
agreement to import a large amount of vegetables from palestinians in Gaza!

2. At the other side is the "heter mechira" which allows most Israeli farms
to
proceed almost as usual.

3. CI - Otzar Bet Din   -  vegetables are used from Jewish farmers that
abide by the
Shemitta rules and sell their produce that grows by itself to a bet din who
then
sell it to the consumer. Fruit can go directly to the consumer. In all cases
the
vegetables & fruit have "kedushat sheviit".

Interestingly many charedim in Bnei Brak have given up on the "kulah" of the
Chazon Ish and gone over to the Edah Hacharedit. One reason is not to have
to
"bother" with the rules of shemitta produce.
Interestingly a new DL group has been formed to push the position of the CI.
They (like the CI himself) are interested in supporting Jewish farmers
rather
than buying from Palestinians. Furthermore, since shemitta is a mitzvah one
should be interested in performing the mitzvah and complying with kedushat
sheviit rather than trying to avoid it.

-- 
Eli Turkel
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