For donations Click Here

Trimming trees during shemitta

Question:

Our very small Israeli back yard is completely overrun with branches from fruit trees and non-fruit trees. There is no way we could build a sukkah there.
The gardner has no time to come and trim it all after Rosh Hashanah.
Can he do it before Rosh Hashanah and if so can he only do what is needed for the sukkah or can he trim the rest back as well as all the branches reach down to human height and are a problem to us when we want to use the garden.

 

Answer:

Hello,

He can only trim what is needed for your access to the succah, and what is blocking your use of the garden. The branches being trimmed, have to be cut in a way that has a non-professional look, and appear that it was cut not for cosmetic purposes, but in order to remove what is blocking your use of the garden. Meaning that those branches should not be cut all the way, rather leave a few inches of the branch sticking out.  Therefore he can only trim the side of the tree that is blocking. After Rosh Hashana or whenever the gardener can come back, he will fix up the garden so it will have its usual appealing appearance.

Best wishes

Sources:

שיעורי שבט הלוי שביעית א-ה.

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *