In a heartfelt call to Jews all over the world to become
partners in the mitzvah of shmitta by contributing
generously to the community-wide Keren Hashevi'is, maranan
verabonon the gedolei hador note, "Our generation
has merited to witness a tremendous increase in the
observance of the mitzvah of shmitta. In the past,
shmitta was observed by only a few agricultural
settlements, while today it is very widely observed."
In 5733, the Nationwide Center for Shmitta Observing Farmers
was founded by HaRav Binyomin Mendelsohn, gaavad of
Kommemiyus, one of the early pioneers in shmitta
observance. He offered halachic guidance and made
valiant efforts to expand the circle of shmitta
observers. Since then, thousands of farmers all over the
country have come to observe shmitta in a most
scrupulous manner and with simcha shel mitzvah. Since
then, Shabbos kodesh parshas Behar, in which the Torah
lists the mitzvah of shmitta, has been devoted to
extensive explanation of the importance of observing this
mitzvah. The sacred obligation of city dwellers to help these
farmers so that they can fulfill this important mitzvah has
also been emphasized on this Shabbos.
In their letter, maranan verabonon the gedolei
hador praise the outstanding activities of Keren
Hashevi'is, the only fund encompassing all agricultural
settlements and all shmitta observant farmers in the
country, serving as a guide for the shmitta observers.
The Fund offers halachic as well as practical
instruction and financial support, while spreading the idea
of shmitta observance throughout the various branches
of agriculture.
For a number of months the Center has been engaged in
extensive activity for the coming shmitta year, 5761.
Center coordinators, themselves shmitta observing
farmers, have launched a broad information campaign among
mitzvah-observant farmers throughout Eretz Yisroel, calling
upon them to be counted among the giborei koach osei
devoro. Farmers receive instruction on how to best
prepare for the shmitta year during these final months
of the sixth year.
The shmitta observing farmers must cease their work
for over a year. The coordinators note that due to the
preparations preceding the shmitta year and the
special activities following it, farmers actually do not work
their land for a total of a year and eight months.
Maranan verabonon the gedolei Yisroel add:
"These farmers fulfill this mitzvah with great mesiras
nefesh. Their courageous ability to withstand the great
trial of shmitta is a merit to the entire Jewish
Nation. We therefore turn to Jews the world over to be
partners in this great mitzvah through their contributions,
by giving generously to the Keren Hashevi'is."
Keren Hashevi'is, directed by eminent figures from the entire
spectrum of chareidi Jewry, is the organization serving as
the financial arm for all the activities of the Nationwide
Center for Shmitta Observing Farmers. The Keren Hashevi'is
conducts the fundraising. The cost of the information
campaign -- in addition to the financial support given to
thousands of farmers -- runs to about $13 million.
The Shevi'is Fund executive board is composed of eminent
rabbonim and communal leaders. Members of the board of the
Keren Shevi'is include the chairman, rav of Kommemiyus, HaRav
Menachem Mendel Mendelsohn and the following rabbonim: HaRav
Yosef Efrati, HaRav Avrohom Nosson Barnet, HaRav Betzalel
Godlevski, HaRav Refoel Hoffman, HaRav Avrohom Halperin,
HaRav Moshe Hess, HaRav Tzvi Dov Weber, HaRav Reuven
Winderbaum, HaRav Yaakov Weltzer, HaRav Naftali Yakobson,
HaRav Yissochor Dov Lederman, HaRav Gavriel Morgenstern,
HaRav Shmuel Mordechai Mintz, HaRav Benzion Kugler, HaRav
Yaakov Kil, HaRav Alexander Heschel Reisman, HaRav Tuvia
Shechter. The board supervises the work of the fund and it
includes a specialized secretariat which supervises all of
the financial matters of the Keren Hashevi'is.
Signing the special call to Klal Yisroel were: Yosef
Sholom Eliashiv; Moshe Yehoshua -- Admor of Vishnitz; Yaakov
Arye Alter -- Admor of Gur; A. Y. L. Steinman; Sholom Noach
Barzovski -- Admor of Slonim; Yechiel Michel Feinstein --
rosh kollel Beis Yehuda; Yissochor Dov -- Admor of
Belz; Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz - rosh yeshivas Ponevezh
leTze'irim; Chaim Kanievsky; Shmuel Auerbach -- rosh
yeshivas Maalos Hatorah; Nissim Karelitz -- rosh
kollel Chazon Ish; Avrohom Eiger -- the Admor of Lublin;
Avrohom Landau -- the Admor of Strikov; Boruch Shimon
Schneerson -- rosh yeshivas Kochav miYaakov Tchebin;
Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira -- the Admor of Naral; Yisroel
Mordechai Twersky -- the Admor of Rachmastrivka; Avrohom
Menachem Danziger -- Admor of Alexander; Binyomin Yehoshua
Zilber -- author of Bris Olam and Oz Nidberu;
Yisroel Dan Taub -- Admor of Modzitz; Avrohom Yaakov Zalesnik
-- rosh yeshivas Eitz Chaim; Avrohom Yissochor Englard
-- the Admor of Radzin; Yehuda Shapira -- Kollel Chazon Ish;
Tanchum Becker -- the Admor of Ozorov; Nochum Dov Breuer --
the Admor of Boyan; Yehoshua Rokach -- the Admor of
Machnovka; Avrohom Goldman -- the Admor of Zvhill; Yochanan
Sofer -- the Admor of Erloi.
The following singed a separate call on behalf of the BaDaTz
of the Eida HaChareidis -- Yerushalayim: HaRav Yisroel Moshe
Dushinski, gaavad; HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher,
ravad; HaRav Binyomin Rabinowitz; HaRav Avrohom Dov
Horowitz; HaRav Moshe Halberstam; HaRav Moshe Sternbuch;
HaRav Meir Bransdorfer.
In light of the call of maranan verabonon which is
issued in the week of parshas Behar in which the
mitzvah of shmitta is explained, and on the occasion
of the opening of the Keren Hashevi'is fundraising campaign
on that Shabbos, we present articles on various aspects of
shmitta in this issue.
