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6. Discarding Shemita produce-The Prohibition to destroy, cause loss or damage to Kedushas Shevi’is:

It is forbidden to cause loss or damage to Shemita produce.[1] It is, however, permitted to cause indirect loss to Shemita produce.[2]

Throwing in garbage-Shemita garbage: It is forbidden to discard Shemita produce within a regular garbage bag as doing so is a belittlement to the food as well as hastens its spoilage. Thus, one is to set aside all Shemita products into a separate bag and wait until the food spoils. Once the food has rotted one may discard it in the trash. One may not use the same Shemita bag for all the weekly leftover foods and rather he is to use a separate bag for each days produce.

Peels of Shemita produce:[3] All edible peels, or peels that can be used [and are practically commonly used today[4]] for dyeing[5], contain Kedushas Shevi’is and must be placed in the Shemita bag until they rot and may then be discarded regularly. Thus, peels of apples and edible orange peels must be set aside in a Shemita bag, as will be explained below.^[6] Likewise, all inedible peels that contain a considerable amount of fruit on them must likewise be discarded in the Shemita bag, as will be explained below in the Q&A.^[7] However, those peels which are inedible and are not commonly used today for dyeing purposes [and do not contain a considerable amount of fruit on them] may be discarded regularly. Those peels that are inedible for humans but are edible for animals must be discarded appropriately.^[8] [This, however, only applies is commonly designated to be eaten by animals in one’s area. However, if it is practically not used for animal feed in one’s area, then it may be discarded regularly.[9] Nonetheless, there are Poskim[10] who are stringent in such a case, and are only lenient if the peel is not used at all for animal feed even in other areas.]

Pits of Shemita produce:[11] Those pits of fruits and vegetables that are inedible for humans, and are not used to suck on or for animal feed, do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may thus be discarded regularly. This applies even if they contain some leftover fruit on them, as will be explained in the Q&A.[12] [This applies even if the pit is fit to be eaten by animals, but practically is not used for animal feed in one’s area.[13] Likewise, this applies even if the pit is technically edible but is practically not eaten by people and is chosen to be discarded.[14] Nonetheless, there are Poskim[15] who are stringent regarding pits that are fit for animal feed, and are only lenient if the pit is not used at all for animal feed even in other areas. Likewise, they are only lenient by pits that are not edible at all, even though in general it is discarded and not eaten.[16]]

Examples:

Almond shells:[17] Do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and thus may be discarded regularly.

Apple peels:[18] Being that apple peels are edible, therefore they contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may not be discarded regularly and must be placed in the Shemita bag until they rot and may then be discarded.

Apple, pear, quince, seeds: Do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may be discarded as usual.[19] However, there are some Poskim[20] who are stringent in this matter being that technically it is able to be eaten.

Apricot pits:[21] Do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may be discarded as usual or be saved by children to play with them.

Banana peels:[22] The peels of bananas [as well as the strings that sometimes peel off the peel of the banana and get stuck to the banana fruit[23]] do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and thus may be discarded regularly and do not require a Shemita bag. [However, some are stringent regarding banana peels to wait until they rot prior to discarding them, being that they are fit to be eaten by animals.[24]]

Citrus fruit peels such as Orange peels:[25] Peels of oranges and other citrus fruits that are commonly saved to be used to make jam [or feed to animals] contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may not be discarded regularly. [However, this only refers to if they are commonly saved by the individual, or by majority of the world population,  for this purpose. Accordingly, in today’s times being that  th vast  majority of these peels are not saved to be used to make jam and are simply discarded, then  so too during Shemita they may be discarded regularly and do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is.[26] Nonetheless, some are stringent even today to treat them with Kedushas Shevi’is being that there are people who do use them for making jam, and as animal feed.[27]]

Citrus fruit pits:[28] The pits of citrus fruit may be discarded as usual being that they are not fit for eating by humans or animals.

Date, Olive, and Carob pits: Some Poskim[29] rule that date and olive and Carob pits contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may not be discarded regularly, being that they are fit to suck on, and the olive pits can potentially be used to make olive oil. Other Poskim[30], however, rule that they do not contain any holiness and one may thus discard them as usual, and practically so may be followed.

Onion peels:[31] The outer peel of onions whic then may be discarded with this leftover fruit and one does not have to travel himself to remove it before and h are not edible do not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may be discarded regularly. [This refers to onions that grew prior to the Shemita year and are not prohibited due to Sefichin.]

Pomegranate peels: Ideally, since pomegranate peels can be used for dyeing and therefore contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may not be discarded regularly.[32] However, being that today this is no longer the common practice therefore it does not contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may be discarded regularly.[33]

Watermelon and other melon seeds:[34] Contain Kedushas Shevi’is and may not be discarded regularly, if it is common to roast them and eat them. [This refers to melons that grew prior to the Shemita year and are not prohibited due to Sefichin.]

Q&A If only one of the ingredients contain Kedushas Shevi’is, must the entire food be treated with Kedusha?[35] If the taste of the ingredient is felt within the food, then the entire food is to be treated with Kedushas Shevi’is.   May one spill the liquid used to cook Kedushas Shevi’is products? Those liquids of foods that are commonly discarded do not receive Kedushas Shevi’is and may be discarded regularly.   Must one place the peels of Shemita products into the special Shemita bag? See above that this is dependent on the peels edibility and what it can be used for.

Must one place the pits of Shemita products into the special Shemita bag? No, if the pits are inedible, as explained above.   May one discard an inedible pit or peel if it still contains some leftover fruit on it?[36] Yes, so long as one has eaten it to the point that normal people eat it and leave leftover fruit on the pit or peel, then it may be discarded with this leftover fruit, and one does not have to trouble himself to remove it beforehand. If, however, one leaves a considerate amount of fruit on the pit or peel then it must be treated with Kedushas Shevi’is. Some Poskim[37], however, rule that one may be lenient up until a Kezayis of left-over fruit to throw it out regularly.   May one discard withered lettuce leaves of Kedushas Shevi’is?[38] No. They are to be placed aside to rot and may then be discarded.   May one regularly wash his dishes that had Shemita produce eaten on them or must he save the leftovers of the food?[39] One may wash his dishes regularly if they contain less than one Kezayis of Shemita produce on them.   Is one obligated to eat Shemita produce if lack of doing so will cause it to rot or go to waste?[40] No. There is no obligation to eat Shemita produce even if lack of doing so will cause the food to rot.   May one give Shemita produce to children to eat if they will cause parts of it to go to waste?[41] Yes.[42]

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[1] This is learned from the verse which says that the Shemita foods are given “Leachlah” to eat, from which the Sages derive that it is not given for loss or damage.

[2] See Ridbaz 5:5

[3] See Rambam Shemita 5:21; 7:15; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:4-5

[4] Shemita Kehilchasa Biur on 3:7; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:5

[5] Rambam Shemita 5:21; 7:15

[6] Grach Naah 15

[7] See Minchas Yerushalayim 7:17; Chazon Ish 14:10

[8] Grach Naah 17

[9] Implication of Chazon Ish 14:10; Grach Na’ah p. 57 regarding banana peels; Ruling of Rav SZ”A, brought in Sefer Dinei Shevi’is p. 180; Halichos Hashevi’is ibid footnote 13

[10] Derech Emuna 5 Tziyon Halacha 26; Koveitz Mibeis Levi Nissan 5754 that so long as they are technically fit for eating by animals than they contain Kedushas Shevi’is even if majority people don’t designate it for that

[11] Grach Naah p. 57; Halichos Hashevi’is ibid; See Rambam Terumos 11:11; Chazon Ish Maasros 1:31; Chut Shani p. 263

[12] Grach Naah p. 57

[13] Implication of Chazon Ish 14:10; Ruling of Rav SZ”A, brought in Sefer Dinei Shevi’is p. 180; Halichos Hashevi’is ibid footnote 13

[14] Grach Naah p. 57 “the pits of apricots and…. In all other pits even if they are edible, since they are of no significance, if one does not desire to eat them then there holiness dissipates and it is permitted to destroy them.”

[15] Derech Emuna 5 Tziyon Halacha 26; Koveitz Mibeis Levi Nissan 5754 that so long as they are technically fit for eating by animals than they contain Kedushas Shevi’is even if majority people don’t designate it for that

[16] Hilchos Shevi’ius 6 Kisei Dovid 44; Biur Halacha in Derech Emuna 308; See Halichos Hashevi’is 21:8

[17] Halichos Hashevi’is 21:5

[18] Grach Naah 15; Chazon Ish 14:10; Halichos Hashevi’is Chapter 21:1

[19] Grach Naah p. 57; ChutShani p. 263; Mishpitei Eretz 23:9

[20] Hilchos Shevi’ius 6 Kisei Dovid 44; Biur Halacha in Derech Emuna 308; See Halichos Hashevi’is 21:8

[21] Grach Naah p. 57; Shevet Halevi 7:224-3; Mishpitei Eretz 23:9; Chut Shani p. 263; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:9

Other opinions: See Bris Olam 6:23

[22] Grach Naah p. 57

[23] Chut Shani p. 361

[24] See Halichos Hashevi’is 21 footnote 14

[25] Grach Naah 15; See Halichos Shevi’is 21:4

[26] Chazon Ish 1:30; Derech Emuna 5:154

[27] Shemita Kehilchasa 3:7; Bris Olam 5:16; Chut Shani p. 361; Koveitz Mibeis Levi Nissan 5754; Mishnas Yosef Shevi’is 3:111; Rav SZ”A in Minchas Shlomo 1:51-23 regarding the peels of oranges and lemons being that they were originally part of the actual fruit; Orchos Rabbeinu 2:349 that so ruled Chazon Ish to be done in his own home, to have citrus fruit peels placed in the special Shemita garbage.

[28] Halichos Hashevi’is 21:5 footnote 12

[29] Seder Hasehvi’is 8; Chazon Ish 13:11; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:7; See Rash Shevi’is 7:3; Derech Emuna 5:155

[30] Grach Na”a p. 57; See Derech Emuna 5:155 and Terumos 11:117 in Biur Halacha that some are lenient to consider them not to have any holiness

[31] Halichos Hashevi’is 21 footnote 14

[32] Rambam Shemita 5:21; 7:15

[33] Shemita Kehilchasa Biur on 3:7; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:5

[34] Dinei Shevi’is 16 p. 192 in name of Rav SZ”A; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:10

[35] Grach Naah 13

[36] Mishpitei Eretz 23:7 in name of Rav Elyashiv; Halichos Hashevi’is 21:6

[37] Grach Naah p. 57

[38] Grach Naah 12

[39] Grach Naah p. 56; Sefer Shemita Kehilchasa 3:4; Minchas Yerushalayim 7:18

[40] Rambam 5:3; Toras HaShemita 12:40; Chazon Ish Sheviis 14:10

[41] Ridbaz on Peas Hashulchan 5:5; Grach Naah 14

[42] The reason: As it is permitted to cause indirect loss to Shemita produce.

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