It has come to our attention that Jaffa oranges and tangerines from Eretz Yisroel were found in local markets including Costco.
These oranges and tangerines are from Shemita and must be treated with Kedushas Shviis.
This means:
1- Don’t destroy the fruit or throw it out.
2- Since the fruits have a special holiness they can be consumed and given to members of the Jewish community only.
3- Inedible peels should be placed in a plastic bag and then may be discarded.
4- Edible leftovers must be placed in a bag. Wait until spoiled to the point that they are no longer edible and then discard.
5- A store owner who purchased these fruits may only sell them at the price he paid and cannot make any profit from them.
6- One must remove from one’s home fruits with Kedushas Shviis once the time of “Biur” has arrived. The exact date of “Biur” is unclear for certain fruits. The time of Biur for Tangerines begins on the 13th of Iyar [May 21st] and for Oranges on the 13th of Sivan [[June 19th].
7- Therefore, at the time of biur, these fruits must be placed outside one’s house with a declaration in front of three people that they are “hefker” (ownerless). You can then bring them back into the house to consume as ownerless fruit, without intending to acquire ownership.
8- Avocadoes and Apples from Eretz Yisroel also have Kedushas Shviis.
9- Summer fruits, and all vegetables will not have Kedushas Shviis.
10- Small lemons may be from during Shmittah and one would need to be stringent and treat them with Kedushas Shviis, BUT, they may be from after Shmittah and therefore require separation of Terumos and Maasros before consuming.
We thank Rabbi Yosef Efrati Shlit”a for his help in this matter.
Vaad HaKashrus of the RCC
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
i do not believe that the chief rabbinate permits any imports of shmita fruit unless it has gone through heter mechira. in any event, costco produce being distributed by ABS is from orchards that do indeed participate in heter mechira.
FYI most Rabunim did not agree with the ‘heter mechira’.
also, jaffe lends (rents) its name to farmers all over the world. just because it says jaffa oranges does not mean it was a product of israel. you need to check to see if it says product of israel or not.
I imagine that the RCC does not wish to rely on the heteir and therefore, relying on Chazon Ish’s leniency b’dieved on shamur (guarded b’issur) v’ne’evad (worked b’issur) that they are not prohibited, is stating to treat the fruits with kedusha. They also seem to be relying on the fact that the prohibition of s’chora is on the seller and the not the buyer and therefore they are allowing buying these fruits from a non-Jewish store such as Costco. For a Jewish store they are insisting that it not make a profit to avoid the s’chora prohibition.
An individual who is relying on the heteir should just ascertain that all such fruits are indeed from heteir mechira as “besalel” believes is the case.
They are sold in Shoprite too.
Bunch of clowns
JAFFA is a Brand Name
DOESN’T mean it comes from EY.
Jaffa Brand Products are sold Wordwide eg Jaffa cakes in UK
That Label Doesn’t Mean Shemita produce
Bunch of clowns
Jaffa is a brand name
It doesn’t mean that the fruit come from Israel
just now after Pesach, I visited relatives in delray beach florida, and they proudly showed me they bought “Yaffa Oranges” -from Israel. obviously, we couldn’t eat them……
Just to set the record straight, I wasn’t trying to promote or absolve the seriousness of the shviit by self imposing the fact that since they have gone through heter mechira there are no problems. I was just adding information which some people may find useful in their determination of whether or not to use heter mechira products and to clarify that not all jaffe labeled fruits are from Israel. My ruv paskens not to rely on heter mechira except in Shaas hadchak. I recommend that individuals present all the facts to their lor for a ruling on the issue.
The Jaffa orange bags at Costco comes in a box which shows “Jaffa Mahadran”.
Anyone know what this means?
MAHADRIN IS AN ISRAELI COMPANY THAT DISTRIBUTES FRUIT HAS NO HECHSHER. IT IS CALLED ‘MEHADRIN’ BECAUSE IT SELLS CITRIS FRUIT IN HEBREW ‘PRI HADAR’.
BESALEL – ALL EXPORTS DO NOT NEED SUPERVISION FROM RABANUT, AND ALL EXPORTS ARE TEVEL VADAI [NOT IN SHMITTAH]