We wondered, please, whether the fact that b'ymot ha'Mashiach wheat and fruit would ripen much more quickly had any implications for Chadash and Orla respectively? Thanks
Marc Abrahams, Beit Shemesh, Israel
Any of the five species of grain that took root after the Omer is Asur to be eaten until the next Omer. It does not matter how many times a field produces crops per annum. Similarly, Orlah applies to all fruit of trees in their first three years, irrespective of how many times the tree produces fruit. These rules will not change when Mashiach comes (as we see from the Ani Ma'amin 9) so we can assume that the Din will remain the same.
The Rambam (Melachim 12:1) is of the opinion that there will be no change in nature in the time of Mashiach, and that all sources that suggest otherwise should be viewed as Meshalim which will be understood when the events take place. However the Ravad (ibid.) disagrees.
In addition to the eating of Chadash there is also the issue of not cutting it before the cutting of the Omer (see Rambam Hilchos Temidin u'Musafin 7:13), hence there could be a problem with harvesting a second season of the 5 species of grain in the same year, which would mean they would have to plant something else.
There is discussion in the Acharonim as to whether the prohibition of cutting before the Omer applies today or only when there is a Beis ha'Mikdash and an actual Ketzirah for the Omer. (The Sha'agas Aryeh (Teshuvos ha'Chadashos #4) asks why the prohibition is not brought in Shulchan Aruch YD 293. However, see Rashash (Menachos 70a) who says that since it is learned from "Reishis Ketzirchem", it does not apply now even in Eretz Yisrael. More references can be found in the Sefer ha'Maftei'ach of the Frankel Rambam.)
As an aside, in Ta'anis 5a we find a quick harvest: what should take 6 months to grow, took 11 days. However, there it was prior to the Omer.