Neta Revai Through a Non-Jew
Question
In Halacha, is there a requirement for a Jewish adult to do the redemption of revai with a coin, or is it permissible for them to give a coin to a gentile as shaliach to do it? They are not obligated against Orlah, but is the monetary redemption of Revai a mitzvah which requires a Jew who is obligated to do it or merely a monetary action which anyone can do?
Answers
I don’t think that there should be a problem outside of Israel, although the whole process is so painless I am not sure why anyone would want to pass over the opportunity to do it.
Neta Revai means that the fruit of the fourth year has kedushah and it needs to be redeemed. The process is simple. It requires picking the fruit after it is fully ripe, taking a silver coin or produce that is permitted to eat, and then declaring: “With this I redeem these fruits of the fourth year.” The coin must then be disposed of in a way that it cannot be reused, such as thrown into a river or into a dumpster. No Brachah is recited over Neta Revai that grew outside of Israel, Yoreh De’ah 294:6-7.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team