Sunday, 5 July 2015

Nedarim 42: Shemita

A new Mishna teaches us about how vows not to benefit from another person are affected by shemita.  Shemita occurs every seventh year.  It forces us to stop working the land.  What do we do when our vows are related to food that might be affected by the halachot of shemita?  

What would if a person made a vow regarding agricultural produce during the Shemita year?  how would things change if the vow was made in the sixth year or earlier?   The rabbis consider two issues: entering another person's field and eating their fruits.  They discuss the different circumstances that would allow one to enter the property and to eat the owner's fruit.  While one is forbidden to enter another person's property during shemita, eating fallen fruits are permitted.  And fruits on branches that hang outside the property are permitted.



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