Surviving Shmita. 1 Month Down...Many More to Go

High Point: [Me to my wife, while noshing on squash fried in olive oil on erev shabbat.] "Wow, this tastes amazing!"

My wife: "Yes, and the best part is that it's kdushat shvi'it!**"

(Tastes awesome! Observing shmita to the best degree while eating Otzar Beit Din produce, grown by Jews and purchased via a Beit Din.)

Low Point: Me, scrounging through our kitchen garbage pail, picking out vegetable bits from the previous meal that should not have been thrown in the regular garbage can...or peels that my 9 year old forgot should have gone into the "shmita garbage can." I. tried. not. to. grumble. Honestly.

One month down. So many more to go. I'd say only "12 more months" (because we have a "leap month" this year), but the aftermath of shmita lasts much longer, as fruits from shmita get picked towards the end of next year...and then there's wine from the Shmita year, etc.

This past Friday's dilemma...two options exist for buying scallions at our local produce place:

1. One screams, "Shmita LeMehadrin! (Deluxe Kosher)" Nice green scallions, examining the package, I see it says, "grown detached from the ground...no suspicion of 'shvi'it'"

2. The other proudly says, "Otzar Haaretz...Otzar Beit Din, Kedushat Shevi'it" Not as green though...nor as fresh looking...but still definitely edible.

What did I chose?

Option 2.

I felt really great about it, till gazpacho was spilled all over the place during Shabbat lunch.

arg.

Cleaning it up...keep the scallions and cucumbers separate, it's a challenge not to go crazy.

I was reminded myself of the "Extreme Matza" posting I wrote a few years ago. I'd much rather "take the risk" and do things the way they were supposed to be done, than shrink-wrap my observance and buy it on sale at Costco. (even if I do love shopping at Costco)

Up on our list of Shmita Challenges:

Eating out.
Finding a caterer for an upcoming simcha.


** For a whole description on Shmita, see my previous posts here and here.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

Shmita has arrived!

The seventh year.

Sabatical.

Shmita -- It's here!

Our Pach Hashmita (see picture above) -- "shmita disposal can" (I don't like using the word "garbage" in conjuntion with shmita) is ready for use in the kitchen, for the removal of food remnants with "kedushat shvi'it" (Linked FIXED: excellent article here). We haven't yet actually gotten any shmita produce that would require usage of the "Pach Hashmita"...but we're ready.

The first crisis occured last night, as I returned home from some errands and to my horror -- the sprinklers were watering our front yard!

"Oh no!!"

I quickly turned them off...and ran inside. What had happened? Why were they on?

My wife says, "Muqata son #1 must have turned it on...and besides...are we not going to water the grass for a whole year?"

Hmmm. Of course we'll water it, just not with the same frequency...that's what the shmita courses all said.

I call up Muqata son #1 -- "Did you turn on the sprinklers?" He replies, "Yes, I did. Are we not going to water the grass for a whole year?"

I answer, "Of course we'll water it, just not with the same frequency"

So he says; "Right, so that means we can water it twice a week instead of three times a week...or use less water every time we water the grass."

Double Hmmm.

It's going to take some time getting used to this.

And we haven't even started using the Pach Hashmita!

Triple Hmm - and Shana Tova,

Jameel.

PS: The following is a Public Service Announcement that I just received.

Forwarded from Beit Shemesh list:

"If you buy badatz vegetables during shmita, wash them very, very thoroughly as irrigation water of the Arabs in Judea and Samaria is often contaminated with sewage.

Last shmitta (and the shmitta before) there were outbreaks of hepatitis in Bet Shemesh, mostly in the Kirya Charedit and in RBS B.

I personally know people who ate Badatz vegetables and contracted hepatitis during shmitta."

a) Some Bada"tz produce is definitely coming from from Arabs in Azza.
b) Is it enough to wash vegetables that were irrigated by sewage? Wouldn't the sewage/germs/filth have infested the entire vegetable?



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael