3,750. How Shemittah is More Stringent Than Hekdesh

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 6:6

There’s a stringency that applies to shemittah produce but not to consecrated property: When redeeming consecrated property, the item loses its sanctity, which is transferred to the redemption money. This is not the case with shemittah produce; when selling shemittah produce, the sanctity of the produce is transferred to the money but the produce doesn’t become like the produce of other years. This is derived from the word tihiyeh (“it shall be”) in Leviticus 25:7, meaning that the produce will always retain its special status. Since shemittah produce is called holy (in Lev. 25:12), this status is transmitted to the money paid for it. The result is that the last thing (purchased with the money of the sale) receives shemittah sanctity, while the produce retains its shemittah sanctity.

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 6:7

Pursuant to the previous halacha, let’s say that someone bought meat with shemittah produce or the proceeds from selling shemittah produce. The meat receives shemittah sanctity and must be eaten in the manner of shemittah produce. It must also be removed at the time when one must remove such produce. If one used that meat or the proceeds from selling that meat to buy fish, the meat reverts to secular status and the shemittah sanctity is transferred to the fish. If that fish or the proceeds from selling that fish are used to buy oil, the fish reverts to secular status and the shemittah sanctity is transferred to the oil. If that oil or the proceeds from selling that oil are used to buy honey, the oil reverts to secular status and the shemittah sanctity is transferred to the honey. One must remove both the original produce and the last item of the sale – in this case, the honey – as one removes shemittah produce. Neither of these items may be used to make a medicinal plaster, nor may they be wasted, as is the case with shemittah produce.