How to Properly Dispose of Sukkos Items
From the Mailbox at Agudas Yisroel Concerning the Halachos for Shemitah
Thank you to readers L.Y.B and E.S who wrote to correct the halachos of disposing of an esrog after sukkos. Here is what L.Y.B wrote: “I believe there is a mistake in the halachos here. You wrote that if someone has an esrog from EY it would have have kedushas shviis. That would be true next year when it will have grown during shmitta. Any esrog that was used this year did not grow during shmitta. You can correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is the case.”
No, you are not wrong, L.Y.B! We were wrong and we thank you so much for pointing it out. The current year is shemittah, but as you said, this sukkos’s esrogim from Eretz Yisroel do not have kedushas shevi’is. For this year, the correct halachah is that, preferably, you can dispose of the esrog by putting it in a place that it won’t be trampled (and some have the custom to make into esrog jelly to eat on Tu B’Shvat). If that is not possible, wrap the esrog well and put it on the side of the garbage.
