The Vaad HaKashrus of Crown Heights has issued an urgent warning over red peppers being sold in many kosher supermarkets that originate in Israel and are products of Shemitta.
“We would like to inform the public that red peppers sold in the tri-state area and in the Crown Heights neighborhoods, or given out by some organizations giving out food are from shemitta and it’s forbidden to eat them,” the Vaad HaKashrus said in a statement.
If you have these peppers, which are labeled “Product of Israel” in your home, you should allow them to go bad before disposing them.
For further information, call the Vaad HaKashrus at 917-440-8991.
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12 Responses
It’s not only lior brand
Please be careful
Can you give them to a non Jew?
What is the practical difference between allowing them to spoil versus throwing them away while they are still edible?
Always_Ask_Questions
No, Due to the kiddusha of the vegetable. It not allowed to be sold. Since no way of knowing if they are keep shemitta.
For further information, call the Vaad HaKashrus at 917-440-8991.
Why can’t they be eaten?
Even if we ignore that hetter mechira was likely done and say they have keddushas SHevi’is,
is something with keddushas Shevi’is is assur b’achila?
Maybe they’re assur mishum Sefichin?
But are peppers subject to issur sefichin?
Zman biur?
But, have we reached zman biur for peppers?
Always_Ask_Questions
You are not allowed to give Shmittah produce to a non-Jew, regardless of how they will treat it.
Gadolhadorah
You are not allowed to treat edible Shmittah produce in a demeaning manner, cause it to be ruined, or even use it in food preparation in a way that is not it’s regular use. You are also not allowed to take it out of Eretz Yisroel (unless you’re travelling and need it for that day’s meal). You can leave it where it is and throw it out only once it is no longer edible.
Selling or buying shemitta produce is assur. But isn’t eating permissable? Why let it go bad?
Also, not every pepper from Israel is automatically forbidden by all. Many (or perhaps most) peppers from Israel are grown in southern areas (below Ashkelon) referred to in halacha, as oley mitzraim, – which is a basis for a widely acknowledged heter. This Beit Din’s position could possibly be a chumra. Did other kashrus organizations issue similar rulings? If not, why?
We treat Shemitta produce respectfully since it has kiddusha. “Throwing them away” sounds like it is being treated as garbage. Even unused parts of Shemitta produce, i.e. peels or stems are put away in many homes in a container that remains in the kitchen/house until to produce is no longer recognizable.
Also carrots are very common to be from shmita
Israeli Chareidi: Thank you for informative response. One more practical question: Once shemitah produce spoils, can it be thrown into a compost pile and used next year for fertilizer in the vegetable garden?
Grapefruits currently in Costco as well are Jaffa, product of Israel.
wait, wait, it sounds like the status is not vadai shmita, and it is kosher according to a couple of options, just not everyone is accepting those. Would a sofek here change options for disposal?