KASHRUS KURRENTS SUMMER 5782 - 2022 | VOLUME 45 NO. 3
THE OTZAR BEIS DIN:
A Profile of Courage and Inspiration: A Trip to a Yerushalmi Ozar Beis Din
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Shemita's Treasure Trove
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nyone who has had the opportunity to visit Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh, as I recently did, will tell you that a must-see experience is a trip to the Geula neighborhood on Erev Shabbos.
R A B B I Y I R M I YO H U K AG A N O F F RAV & ROSH KOLLEL IN NEVE YAAKOV, JERUSALEM GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
n Otzar Beis Din is literally ‘a storehouse operated by Beis Din.’ Why would Beis Din operate a warehouse? Before explaining more fully the true purpose of an Otzar Beis Din, which is a halachically approved method of distributing Shemita produce, we must first review the halachos of Shemita. These rules fall under two general categories: (1) Laws of the Land
The Torah teaches that every seventh year is Shemita, and we are prohibited from working the land of Eretz Yisroel. One may not plow, plant, prune, or harvest one’s grapevines as an owner, or perform most other agricultural work. Furthermore, one may not allow one’s land to be worked during Shemita, even by an aino Yehudi.1 One may perform activities whose purpose is to prevent loss, such as watering plants and trees so that they do not die.2 The landowner may not treat what grows during Shemita as his own; rather, he must allow others to enter his field or orchard and help themselves. They may take only as much as their family will eat, and the landowner himself may also take this amount.3 One may not sell Shemita produce in a business manner.4 1. 2. 3. 4.
RABBI TZVI ROSEN STAR-K KASHRUS ADMINISTRATOR EDITOR, KASHRUS KURRENTS
Avodah Zarah 15b. Moed Katan 3b; Rambam, Hil. Shemita 1:10; Cf. Chazon Ish, Shevi’is 16:4, 21:14, who is more lenient. Rambam, Hil.Shemita 4:1. Ibid., 6:1.
Rechov Malchai Yisroel could very well be dubbed the commercial heart of the Chareidi community. The stores pulsate with energy and electricity, while the streets teem with traffic tie-ups, both on and off the sidewalks. It could be termed a businessman’s dream or nightmare, depending on one’s ability to handle the sheer crush of consumers. The side streets, on the other hand, are a labyrinth of quiet residential apartments. One such quiet street is Rechov Yonah. For six out of seven years, the Stern family’s mirpeset (balcony) on Rechov Yonah looks like any other mirpeset, but this year is not like the others. During this year, shnas haShemita, the Stern’s mirpeset undergoes an amazing transformation. Welcome to the Otzar of Bnei Brak – Jerusalem Branch! In brief, the Otzar Beis Din is the legal entity that the rabbis have established to serve as
C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 4
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The Otzar Beis Din Shemita's Treasure Trove
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A Profile of Courage and Inspiration
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A Consumer's Guide to Shevi'is Produce
C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 6
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Charting the Course of Shemita
RABBI MORDECHAI FRANKEL DIRECTOR, STAR-K INSTITUTE OF HALACHA
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he Torah commands us to refrain from working the land of Eretz Yisroel during Shemita. The possuk states that a person may work the land of Eretz Yisroel for six consecutive years but must allow it to lie fallow during the Shevi’is (seventh) year.1 This seventh year is known as Shemita.2 The mitzvah applies to both men and women.3 Even though time-bound positive commandments generally do not apply to women, this mitzvah is an exception and is equally incumbent upon them.4 The Torah also commands us to sanctify every fiftieth year as Yovel.5 However, the Yovel year does not occur nowadays. This is due to the fact that Yovel is sanctified only when the majority of Jews live in Eretz Yisroel.6 By the time of the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash, the majority of Jews had been exiled from Eretz Yisroel and Yovel no longer occurred. Although Jews returned to Eretz Yisroel at the time of Ezra, some shevatim chose to remain in exile and did not return, which precluded Yovel from restarting.7 Although sanctification of the Yovel year no longer takes place, the Shemita cycle continues to occur, and every seventh year is Shemita. According to the majority of poskim, the Torah obligation of Shemita applies only when Yovel applies. As Yovel no longer occurs, the obligation to keep Shemita nowadays is Rabbinic (mi’drabanan).8 There is discussion in the poskim as to the count of the Shemita cycle, but the widely accepted view is that this year, 5782, is Shemita.9 Shemita began last Rosh Hashana and will continue until next Rosh Hashana.10 Fruit That Has Kedushas Shevi’is: What to Do If You Purchased an Orange?
Produce which grows during Shemita has kedushas shevi’is. This means that (a) the produce does not belong to the owner of the field and is available for others to take; (b) the produce cannot be sold for money;11 (c) the produce cannot be discarded;12 and (d) the produce cannot be removed from Eretz Yisroel.13 If it was wrongfully exported from Eretz Yisroel, it continues to retain kedushas shevi’is.14 A person may eat a fruit that has kedushas shevi’is, but any edible remainder such as the pit, seeds, or peel cannot be thrown away. For Shemita status dates of commonly available. produce, refer to Rabbi Tendler’s article, “Charting the Course of Shemita,” on page 3. הרמב"ן שם כתב "אם עכבם בביתו אחר הביעור כדי. "לאכלן אסורין הם באכליה לגמרי החזו"א שם סי' יד ס"ק יג כתב שהפרות נאסרים אם. לא ביערם אף בשוגג או באונס For details of the Otzar Bais Din system, see. Rabbi Kaganoff ’s article “The Otzar Beis Din: Shemita’s Treasure Trove,” on page 1 of this issue. חזו"א שם סי' יא ס"ק ו. חזו"א שם סי' כו סוף סדר השביעית ודרך אמונה שם. וכתב הדרך אמונה שם בביאור ההלכה,פ"ז ס"ק יז סוף פ"ו שהחזו"א חזר בזה ממש"כ בסי' יא ס"ק ו
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Rather, these should be set aside until they start to rot, after which they may be discarded.15 A fruit or vegetable may start growing in the sixth year and continue to grow in the seventh year, or start growing in the seventh year and continue to grow in the eighth year. In such cases, it needs to be determined whether or not the item has kedushas shevi’is. In general, fruit has kedushas shevi’is if the budding occurred during Shemita,16 whereas vegetables have kedushas shevi’is if they were harvested during Shemita.17 Fruit and the Requirement for Biur: What to Do If You Purchased Wine? A person may own fruit that has kedushas shevi’is and store such fruit for future consumption, provided there is similar fruit still growing in fields in Eretz Yisroel that are available for other people to take.18 However, when similar produce ceases to be freely available in the fields, the fruit may no longer be stored. At that time, a person who owns and stores fruit with kedushas shevi’is should perform biur by declaring the fruit hefker in front of three men. He may then reacquire and continue to store the fruit.19 The consumer should consult a chart (available online) to ascertain the relevant date for any particular fruit.20 If a person intentionally neglects to perform biur, the fruit may not be eaten and should be discarded after it has started to rot.21 The Chazon Ish holds that the fruit is forbidden even if biur was not performed because the person forgot or did not know to do so.22 Produce grown during Shemita may be distributed through an Otzar Beis Din.23 For example, wine produced from grapes grown during Shemita may be sold commercially through an Otzar Bais Din. The kashrus agency certifying the wine will note on the wine label if this is the case, and will also note if biur has been performed. Some are of the opinion that this wine no longer retains kedushas shevi’is after biur is performed, and may be exported from Eretz Yisroel.24 However, the prevalent view is that the wine retains kedushas shevi’is, and the consumer should treat it accordingly.25
, הוא שנת השמיטה5754 שם ס"ק לה שלפי"ז שנת ושנת5775 ושנת5768 ושנת5761 ואח"כ שנת כולם שנת השמיטה5782 ראש השנה דף ב ע"א ורמב"ם שם פ"ד הל'ט. עבודה זרה דף סב ע"א. פסחים דף נב ע"ב. שביעית פ"ו משנה ה. ועי' בחזו"א שם סי' י ס"ק ו,רמב"ם שם פ"ז הל' יב. שאין הפירות נאסרים חזו"א שם סי' יד ס"ק י. ועי' בחזו"א,רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' ט ומהר"י קורקוס שם. שם סי' ט ס"ק יז וסי' ז ס"ק טז ליתר הפרטים רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' יב. רמב"ם שם פ"ז הל' א. וכן פסק החזו"א שם סי' כו סדר השביעית,ז, רמב"ן ויקרא כה. ועי' דיני ביעור בדרך אמונה שם פ"ז ס"ק יז,ס"ק א
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ז-ג, ויקרא כה,יא-י,שמות כג. א,דברים טו. ספר החינוך מצוה פד. עי' במנחת חינוך שם הטעם. יב-י,ויקרא כה. ערכין דף לב ע"ב. ועי' בתוס' שם ד"ה 'בזמן' שיטת,רש"י גיטין דף לו ע"א. ר' תם ,הבית יוסף יו"ד סי' של"א כתב שכ"ה דעת הרמב"ם. וכ"כ הב"י בשו"ת אבקת רוכל סי' כד הובא בכסף משנה וחזר ממש"כ בכ"מ שם,פ"ד מהל' שמיטה ויובל הל' כט פ"ט הל' ב ופ"י הל' ט שלדעת הרמב"ם שמיטה בזה"ז והחזו"א שביעית סי' ג ס"ק ח הכריע,הוא מן התורה שיש לסמוך ששמיטה בזה"ז הוא מדרבנן וכן פסקו הבית,רמב"ם שם פ"י הל'ז בשם הגאונים. ועי' בדרך אמונה,יוסף חו"מ סי' סז ורמ"א שם סעי' א
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Vegetables and the Prohibition of Sefichin: What to Do If You Purchased Carrots? During the time of Chazal, there were people who wrongfully planted vegetables during Shemita and deceitfully claimed that the vegetables grew by themselves. In order to discourage this, Chazal enacted the prohibition of sefichin, which forbids the consumption of vegetables that grew during Shemita.26 There are Rishonim who opine that vegetables grown in the sixth year are not included in the issur of sefichin even if they were harvested during Shemita, and the Chazon Ish accepts this view. These vegetables may be eaten and would have kedushas shevi’is.27 The prohibition against the consumption of sefichin applies only to vegetables and grains but not to fruit, and applies only to produce grown in areas of Eretz Yisrael that were inhabited by Jews at the time of the Second Beis Hamikdash.28 In theory, vegetables grown in other parts of Eretz Yisroel may be eaten with kedushas shevi’is. However, due to uncertainty regarding these boundaries, the prohibition of sefichin applies in all areas of Eretz Yisroel.29 The prohibition of sefichin does not apply to vegetables grown during Shemita in the field of a non-Jew.30 These vegetables may be consumed, בדרך אמונה שם פ"ד ס"ק קפד כתב בענין שדה משומר באיסור שאפשר לסמוך על המקילין. ועי' שם בציון הלכה ס"ק שיז וס"ק שיח,שהפירות מותרים ומי שיכול להחמיר תבא עליו ברכה , וע"ע בחזו"א שם סי' י ס"ק ו, ועי' בציון הלכה ס"ק קפז לגבי שדה שנעבד באיסור,מש"כ בזה ואם לא נמכר השדה באופן המועיל א"כ הירקות אסורים משום ספיחין בדרך אמונה פ"ד ציון הלכה ס"ק כג כתב "הורה מרן [החזו"א] לאחד שהתארח אצל מי. שאין נזהר מספיחין ובשילו בקדרה שבישלו בה ספיחין שאם הכלי אחר מעת לעת לא "נאסר התבשיל בדיעבד וכ"ז בשעת הדחק אבל לכתחלה צריך הגעלה שמעתי ממו"ר ר' היינעמאן שליט"א. רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' ו.
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and the poskim debate whether they have kedushas shevi’is.31 Some rabbonim accept the view that this produce does not have kedushas shevi’is, and advocate that farmers should sell their fields to a non-Jew for the duration of Shemita. This suggestion is known as the heter mechira.32 However, the Chazon Ish rejects this position, and paskens that such produce would still have kedushas shevi’is.33 Others pasken that this produce may not be eaten at all, as the laws of shevi’is were not followed in these fields.34 As per these criteria, carrots grown in Eretz Yisroel during the Shemita year may be forbidden for consumption due to the prohibition of sefichin. Unless it can be determined that this is not the case, they should be treated as sefichin and not be eaten. If they were accidentally used as an ingredient in cooking, they should be treated as equivalent to a nonkosher ingredient.35 If the store from which they were purchased is willing to refund them, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann shlit”a paskens that they may be returned.36 Vegetables that grew during Shemita remain forbidden even if they are harvested in the subsequent year. For this reason, the issur of sefichin continues until Chanuka 5783.37 רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' ב. ה וכן פסק החזו"א שם סי' ט ס"ק יז,כ"ה דעת הרמב"ן ויקרא כה. רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' כו. דרך אמונה שם פ"ד ס"ק קצ. רמב"ם שם פ"ד הל' כט. ,לדעת הבית יוסף אין קדושת שביעית ביבול נכרי ולדעת המבי"ט יש לו קדושת שביעית. כה ושו"ת מבי"ט ח"א סי' יא וסי' כא וסי' ריז-עי' בשו"ת אבקת רוכל סי' כב הראי"ה קוק בספר שבת הארץ. חזו"א שם סי' כ ס"ק ז.
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Charting the Course of Shemita R A B B I S H O LO M T E N D L E R STAR-K KASHRUS ADMINISTRATOR
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retz Yisroel is known worldwide for its high-quality produce. During non-Shemita years, a wide selection of Israeli produce items – among them carrots, citrus fruits, herbs, peppers, and radishes – are exported to North American markets. The typical concern is to ensure that proper terumos and maasros are taken. During Shemita, terumos and maasros are not typically applicable1, but there is significant concern that the produce may be from Shemita. If someone purchased Israeli produce from Shemita and paid cash (as opposed to by check or credit card), returning it to the store may also potentially violate the prohibition of doing business with Shemita produce. If this happens by mistake, a rav should be consulted.2 While it can be assumed that all vegetables currently on the market are from the Shemita year, not all Israeli fruits yet on the market are from the Shemita year. The Halacha is that the Shemita status of fruits is determined by when they blossomed – not when they are picked. (Vegetables are determined by when they are picked). Therefore, although we are already several months into Shemita, many fruits
coming into the market now actually blossomed in the sixth year and do not have kedushas shevi’is.3 Consequently, next year, when Shemita is over, fruits that blossomed during Shemita and have kedushas shevi’is will remain an issue for some time longer. Flowers While the majority of the flowers in North America do not come from Israel, some do. The question of whether flowers have kedushas shevi’is is a complex issue. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l ruled that flowers harvested primarily for display do not have kedushas shevi’is. Since most flowers are used primarily for display purposes, they would not be subject to the laws of Shemita. This seems to be the accepted minhag regarding the status of flower imports from Israel in chutz la’aretz. Refer to the chart on the back page for Shemita start dates of common fruits imported from Eretz Yisroel that are now available in North American markets.
1. Although there are some poskim who maintain that terumos and maasros are applicable to produce that was not made hefker properly. 2. See also R’ Frankel’s article on this topic beginning on page 2. 3. There are published charts (available online) that indicate when given items are assumed to be from Shemita.
SUMMER 5782
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The Otzar Beis Din: Shemita's C O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 1
(2) Laws of the Fruit Shemita produce is imbued with special sanctity called kedushas shevi’is. The Torah provides specific rules that govern how one treats it. These laws fall under the following categories: a. Commerce with Shemita Produce One must be careful not to sell Shemita produce in a way that implies that one is its true owner. For this reason, Shemita produce may not be sold by weight or measure5 nor sold in a regular store.6 Instead, it should be distributed in a way that implies that this is a division of produce rather than a sale. One may not export Shemita produce to chutz la’aretz.7 The later poskim dispute whether one may even ship esrogim to chutz la’aretz for people to fulfill the mitzvah of Arba Minim.8 b. Sefichin The Torah permits eating produce that grew by itself without working the field during Shemita. However, Chazal felt it necessary to prohibit grains and most vegetables that happened to grow on their own during the Shemita year or were planted in violation of the laws of Shemita. This was because even in the days of Chazal it was unfortunately common to find Jews who deceitfully ignored Shemita laws. One practice of enterprising, unscrupulous farmers was to plant grain or vegetables and market them as produce that grew on their own. To discourage this illegal business, Chazal forbade even grains and vegetables that grew on their own, a prohibition referred to as sefichin (literally, ‘plants that sprouted’). Several exceptions were made, including produce grown in the field of an aino Yehudi, who has no obligation to observe Shemita.9 c. Hefker – Ownerless Since all Shemita produce is halachically ownerless, every consumer has the halachic right to ‘help oneself ’ to whatever his family might eat. The poskim dispute whether one has the right to do this if the owner refuses entry. The Otzar Beis Din With this introduction, we can now discuss an Otzar Beis Din. The owner of a vineyard is not required to produce wine for me, only to allow me to harvest the grapes for myself. If I do not have the equipment or expertise to press and process grapes into wine or olives into oil, I will be unable to utilize my rights to these fruits. Similarly, although I have a right to travel from Yerushalayim to pick citrus, mangos and bananas grown along the coast or in the northern part of the country, it is not that convenient for me to go. How then can I possibly utilize the benefit of Shemita? Enter the Otzar Beis Din. The Beis Din represents the consumer and hires people to gather the fruit; crush the grapes and olives into juice and oil; ferment the juice into wine; package the product; and then distribute it to the consumer. The Otzar Beis Din acts as the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Mishnah Shevi’is 8:3. Yerushalmi Shevi’is 7:1. Mishnah Shevi’is 6:5. Beis Ridbaz 5:18; Igros Moshe, Orach Chayim 1:186. Rambam, Hil. Shemita 4:29.
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consumer’s agent and hires pickers, truckers, and other laborers; rents wine production equipment; purchases the bottles; produces Shemita fruits, wines and oils; and delivers them to a convenient distribution center near my house. Obviously, the Otzar Beis Din cannot expect the pickers, truckers, and other laborers to work as unpaid volunteers, nor can they use the production equipment without paying rent. Similarly, the managers who coordinate this project are also entitled to a wage for their efforts. The Otzar Beis Din divides these costs among the consumers. However, no charge is made whatsoever for the fruit, since they are hefker; the charges are only for the labor and other costs involved. Thus, Otzar Beis Din products cost much less than regular retail prices for the same items. Similarly, the farmer is required to allow anyone to enter his field and help himself to his crops. However, since it is inconvenient for a resident of Yerushalayim to travel to an orchard in the northern part of Israel or along its coast to pick oranges and bananas, the Otzar Beis Din picks and transports the fruit to the consumer. All the other halachos of Shemita apply to this produce. The Development of a ‘Modern’ Otzar Beis Din The rabbonim and Beis Din of Yerushalayim organized the first ‘modern’ Otzar Beis Din over 110 years ago. In 5670 (1910), Rav Tzvi Hirsch Cohen, a talmid chacham from Rechovot who owned vineyards and orchards, came to the rabbonim of Yerushalayim requesting that they function as his Beis Din to distribute the wine and fruit from his orchards for the coming Shemita. The written contract, signed by Rav Chayim Berlin, Rav Yosef Chayim Zonnenfeld, Rav Pesach Frank, Rav Yisroel Yaakov Yaavetz and Rav Moshe Nachum Wallenstein, enabled Yerushalayim residents to receive wine and fruit from Rav Cohen’s orchards. Someone had to arrange to harvest the fruit, process the grapes into wine, and transport the products to Yerushalayim. Since Rav Cohen was the most qualified person to take care of these arrangements, the Beis Din appointed him to be their representative on behalf of the general public. As an agent, he was entitled to a wage for his work, as
Treasure Trove were the other employees who harvested, crushed, packaged, and transported the crop, but no one was entitled to any profits from the produce. The Beis Din established several rules to maintain that the laws of Shemita were scrupulously kept in this arrangement, and to guarantee that Rav Cohen was paid as a manager and not as an owner of the product. For one thing, they predetermined the price that the consumer would pay for the wine and fruits, guaranteeing that it was significantly lower than its usual market price.10 Because of the laws governing the harvest and use of Shemita products, the Beis Din also insisted on the following rules: • The wine and fruits could be distributed only to people who would observe the Shemita sanctity of the products.11 • The vineyards and orchards had to be available for any Shemitaobservant person to enter and harvest for his own needs.12 • The products were not distributed through stores, but were divided as a communal division of bulk product. • The products were not weighed or measured. Each individual who participated in dividing the Shemita produce paid Rav Cohen as Beis Din’s agent, for which the consumer was entitled to ‘shares’ of wine and produce, which were delivered in bulk containers without an exact weight. • The actual harvest of the product was performed by aino Yehudim and in an atypical way.13 In his analysis of the procedure of an Otzar Beis Din, the Chazon Ish follows a more lenient approach than that of the above-mentioned Beis Din of Yerushalayim.14 He ruled that representatives of an Otzar Beis Din may harvest in the normal way and use Jewish labor. Thus, the Otzar Beis Din of a modern farm following the Chazon Ish’s ruling allows Jewish staff to use tractors and other equipment to harvest and process the Shemita produce.15 In addition, the Chazon Ish permitted weighing and measuring produce sold through Otzar Beis Din. In his opinion, the prohibition against weighing and measuring Shemita produce is only because this indicates that I am the owner of the produce. However, weighing and measuring Otzar Beis Din produce is to determine a fair division
of costs involved in supplying the produce, and not to demonstrate ownership. Today, in a modern Otzar Beis Din, the grower plants everything before Shemita and is given extremely detailed instructions regarding what he may and may not do during Shemita. The grower must allow any Shemita-observant person to enter the field or orchard and help himself to the produce.16 The Heter Otzar Beis Din Controversy The modern term, Heter Otzar Beis Din, is used pejoratively. The purpose of an Otzar Beis Din is to service the consumer, not the producer, as explained above. Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals sometimes manipulate the rubric of Otzar Beis Din to allow a ‘business as usual’ attitude and violate both the spirit and halacha of Shemita. I know of farms that call themselves Otzar Beis Din but in reality bar free entry to their fields during Shemita, or where the field owner treats the produce as completely his own and charges accordingly. Since this contradicts the meaning of Otzar Beis Din, these cases are called heter Otzar Beis Din, meaning permissibility based on an abuse of the concept of Otzar Beis Din. Because of these concerns, some hechsheirim discourage the use of Otzar Beis Din. Thus, in practice, Otzar Beis Din becomes a michshol when it degenerates into a heter Otzar Beis Din. Indeed, as with every ‘treasure,’ one must make every effort to ensure its principle stays intact. How much more so with the principles of the Otzar Beis Din! All too often we find a wide chasm between what should be in theory and what exists in reality. It is truly remarkable, then, that during Shemita in Eretz Yisroel, where you have the zechus to live, breathe, and experience kedushas shevi’is, you can visit that unassuming Otzar Beis Din quietly nestled in Geula’s Rechov Yonah, and see for yourself where halachic theory becomes a halachic reality.17 Chazak ve’ematz!
10. Sefer Minchas Yerushalayim, 161. 11. Ibid., 163; see also Tosefta Shevi’is 6:11. 12. Sefer Minchas Yerushalayim, 181. 13. Katif Shevi’is, 125. 14. Shevi’is 11:7 s.v. b’mashekasavti 15. Sefer HaShemita, 21. 16. Mishpetei Aretz, 103. 17. See Rabbi Rosen's article, "A Profile of Courage and Inspiration," on page 1 of this issue, which describes the Otzar Beis Din on Rechov Yonah.
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A Profile of Courage and Inspiration: A Trip to a Yerushalmi Ozar Beis Din C O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 1
the legitimate agent to pick and halachically distribute the produce of farmers who are observing Shemita k’hilchasa. Farmers cannot engage in normal commercial endeavors, such as planting, harvesting and marketing produce, as they normally do. Their produce may be eaten, albeit with strict adherence to the laws of Shemita. Additionally, the land may be maintained so that it will not fall into ruin. To meet all the halachic restrictions, the Yerushalmi Otzar Beis Din is set up on this residential mirpeset. Agents of the Otzar Beis Din tell the farmer that they will send their community representatives to pick and distribute the produce. The Otzar Beis Din also establishes fixed costs for the produce; additionally, it covers the costs of labor, delivery and distribution, since the produce cannot be sold in a typical commercial manner – not by weight nor by count. A fixed container price list is posted on the railing of the Stern’s mirpeset. The Otzar Bais Din pays the farm workers a set fee for their efforts in the field. These costs include picking and packing the produce into sturdy corrugated boxes, shipping the produce to the Stern home, and maintaining the Otzar Bais Din. Trucks can transport a thousand cases of produce per delivery and, according to Yidel Stern, Mrs. Stern’s son, there can be up to four deliveries a day! Walking by the Stern’s mirpeset, one can view a tower of empty cartons piled high to the sky, ready to be sent back to the farm to be refilled. Produce arrives from a variety of destinations; the major shipments are currently coming from the Golan. Yidel Stern notes, “We get some of the best fruit that you won’t see during the other six years of the cycle, because they are generally exported. This year, the produce must stay within Eretz Yisroel.” The fixed prices for containers of premium-quality plums, pears, apples and mangoes are often a fraction of the regular market price.
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Both minhag Yerushalayim and minhag Bnei Brak follow the custom to eat produce grown on land and in orchards owned by non-Jews, yivul nochri. According to minhag Yerushalayim, this produce is not vested with kedushas shevi’is and so does require special handling; minhag Bnei Brak follows the ruling of the Chazon Ish, which considers yivul nochri to be vested with kedushas shevi’is. (Produce imported from chutz la’aretz, outside Eretz Yisroel, is not vested with any special sanctity.) According to both customs, produce purchased from the Otzar Beis Din is vested with kedushas shevi’is and must be treated with special sanctity. Disposing of any portion of produce with kedushas shevi’is is not a simple matter. One must be careful to wait until the produce rots before depositing any peels, pits and leftovers into a special pach Shemita, a dedicated Shemita garbage pail. One may actually purchase ready-made, fully waxed and lined disposable Shemita containers for this purpose, sold in packs of six, ready for the garbage in a day and a half. The selection of produce offered by the Otzar Beis Din varies. While you won’t find the cornucopia of fruits and vegetables available in Machane Yehuda, what you will find is an array of gorgeous and delicious produce supplied by a select group of champion farmers who strictly adhere to the laws of Shemita. The Otzar Beis Din facilitates the distribution of rarely available, top-quality produce throughout Eretz Yisroel. When asked why she and her family have undertaken such a daunting task, Mrs. Stern answers simply, “I was born and raised on Komemiyut, and my father z”l was unbelievably dedicated to the mitzvah of Shemita. In fact, he was able to convince other farmers to observe shevi’is k’hilchasa, and through their adherence to this precious mitzvah they became 100% observant Yidden. I want to preserve my father’s legacy, and that is why I maintain the Otzar Beis Din.” Yidel Stern chimes in, “Anyone who wants to see the Otzar in action really should come by on Erev Shabbos.” I would wholeheartedly second that!
CONSUMER PRODUCTS Only when bearing STAR-K symbol
APOLLON NUTRITION Edison, NJ VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
INTERFRIES Aventura, FL POTATO PRODUCTS
PLANTATION CANDIES Telford, PA CANDY & CONFECTIONERY ITEMS
ATZLAN MAZOR Israel PICKLED PRODUCTS
KETO CHOW Draper, UT SPORTS & NUTRITIONAL DRINKS
SAHAH NATURALS Canada POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER
BGREEN FOOD COMPANY Rowland Heights, CA PASTA PRODUCTS
MANTAB INC Canada CANNED FRUIT
TAN OZER GIDA Turkey VEGETABLE/SEED OILS
BORGES USA Fresno, CA OLIVES
MEIJER DISTRIBUTION Grand Rapids, MI CANNED FRUIT
THE NAPOLEON CO Bellevue, WA OLIVES
C PACIFIC Norwalk, CA CANNED FRUIT
MUNCHKIN INC Van Nuys, CA VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
THRIVE MARKET Los Angeles, CA CANNED VEGETABLES
DIESELDORFF KAFFEE Guatemala COFFEE BEANS
MVD SALES Monroe, NY COCOA PRODUCTS
ZENWISE HEALTH Orlando, FL VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
ENZYMEDICA Venice, FL VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
NATURE’S FYND Chicago, IL PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES
HABERMILLS Brooklyn, NY SOUP & SOUP MIXES
PHIL AND DAVE’S COFFEE Scottsdale, AZ SPORTS AND NUTRITIONAL BARS
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS Refer to letter of certification ADEN KURU GIDA Turkey DRIED FRUIT
CR PROCESS IMPACT Costa Rica HERBAL EXTRACTS
REEPHOS (CHONGQING) FOOD INGREDIENTS China PHOSPHATES
AI ENERGY PUBLIC Thailand VEGETABLE/SEED OILS
DIESELDORFF KAFFEE Guatemala COFFEE BEANS
RELEKTA AS Norway LUBRICANTS
ARCHER (NINGBO) BIOPHARM China AMINO ACID
HAEYEAREUM CO South Korea SALT PRODUCTS
SHAANXI LEADER-BIO TECHNOLOGY China HERBAL EXTRACTS
BAVARIA CORPORATION Apopka, FL PRESERVATIVES
HEILONGJIANG HENGYUAN FOOD China NUTS AND SEEDS
SHANGHAI WENTAI BIOTECHNOLOGY China AMINO ACID
BLACKHIVE CORP Fayetteville, AZ CANNED FRUIT
HIGHLAND WHOLESALE FOODS Stockton, CA CANNED FRUIT
SOHO ANECO CHEMICALS China FOOD CHEMICALS
BLOOMAGE BIOTECHNOLOGY China AMINO ACID
NINGBO LONCIN BIOTECHNOLOGY China AMINO ACID
W & R BIOLINE GMBH Germany VITAMIN COMPONENTS
BOTRIA OIL COMPANY Tunisia OLIVE OILS
OASIS FOODS Peru OLIVE OILS
CHENEY BROTHERS Riviera Beach, FL CANNED FRUIT
PLANTATION CANDIES Telford, PA CANDY & CONFECTIONERY ITEMS
Only when bearing STAR-D Dairy symbol. All STAR-D products are cholov stam (dairy, non-cholov Yisroel).
CONSUMER PRODUCTS B&H DISTRIBUTORS Hayward, CA CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
NOTHING BUNDT CAKES Toms River, NJ CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
PLANTATION CANDIES Telford, PA CANDY & CONFECTIONERY ITEMS
BAKEMARK Pico Rivera, CA CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
OVEN FRESH BAKERY Hayward, CA CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
ROYAL FARMS Baltimore, MD POPCORN
JBS BAKESERVICE Hayward, CA CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
PANDORA BAKERY CORP Bronx, NY CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS
SHELF STABLE SOLUTIONS Palm Harbor, FL SNACK FOODS
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS PLANTATION CANDIES Telford, PA CANDY & CONFECTIONERY ITEMS
SUMMER 5782
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STAR-K CERTIFICATION, INC. 122 Slade Avenue, Suite 300 Baltimore, Maryland 21208-4996
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID BROOKLYN, NY PERMIT #7379
CHARTING THE COURSE OF SHEMITA S E E C O M P L E T E A R T I C L E O N PAG E 3
Shemita Dates of Common Fruits Imported from Eretz Yisroel FRUIT
BEGINNING
END
Citrus*
Aug 21, 2022
Aug 21, 2023
Date
Sept 9, 2022
Sept 9, 2023
Fig
Apr 8, 2022
Apr 8, 2023
Guava
Jun 22, 2022
Jun 22, 2023
Lemon
May 24, 2022
May 24, 2023
Lime
Jun 12, 2022
Jun 12, 2023
Nectarine
Feb 1, 2022
Feb 1, 2023
Pomegranate
Jul 15, 2022
Jul 15, 2023
Sabra Fruit
Nov 30, 2021
Nov 30, 2022
*These include: Grapefruit, Oranges, Tangerines, and Mandarins
STAR-K KOSHER CERTIFICATION
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