Q&A

If one owes money to a non-observant Jew may he pay the lender back the money after the Shemita?

Yes.^[2] However some Poskim^[3] rule that initially the borrower is to have a Peruzbal written on behalf of the lender.

If a non-observant Jew owes one money and a Peruzbal was not performed may the lender collect the money after Shemita?

Yes.^[4]

Summary:

On Erev Rosh Hashanah of the end of the sixth year of Shemita [and also of the end of the seventh year of Shemita] one is to perform a Peruzbal in front of a court of three Jews. It is performed following Hataras Nedarim. One states before the tribunal “I hereby hand to you all the debts that are owed to me that I should be allowed to collect them whenever I desire.” Alternatively, a Beis Din is to write the above Nussach in a document and have the lenders sign their name on it.

Q&A

If a woman lent eggs or other food to her neighbor before Rosh Hashanah, must she perform a Peruzbal in order to collect back the eggs after Rosh Hashanah of Shemita?^[5]

The lending of food to a neighbor has the same status as a loan. ]Thus a single woman who lends food items and the like before Rosh Hashanah needs to initially perform a Peruzbal if she desires to collect them back afterwards. If a married woman lent food items then it is included within the Peruzbal performed by her husband.^[6]] Some^[7] suggest for women to purposely lend food and then not collect it back after Rosh Hashanah in order to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shemita in its literal form.