Exporting Shemittah Produce

Rav Avrohom Yeshaya Cohen, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Ohel Yitzchok and Dayan at The Bais HaVaad

Question: I am visiting Eretz Yisroel this year and would like to bring back some fruits. Is there a problem with bringing produce from Eretz Yisroel to chutz la’aretz during shemittah?

Answer: Yes. It is forbidden to take produce of shemittah out of Eretz Yisroel.

Even if someone is travelling abroad and wants to take along some fruit to eat on the journey, he is usually not allowed to do so. The Poskim do permit someone to take along a small amount if he needs it for the trip and would have nothing else to eat; however, if he is just bringing the fruit with him to eat later, that would be forbidden.

While one is not allowed to export shemittah fruits from Eretz Yisroel, if one finds such fruit in a store that was already exported by someone else, he is allowed to eat it. Of course, one has to make sure that a reliable hechsher certifies that the fruit was grown in a permissible way, and if it has kedushas sheviis he must treat it accordingly.