The controversy over the upcoming shmitta has been blown out
of all proportion and turned into a political issue which by
definition tends to alter the true facts and figures. As a
person born and raised in Chicago, I feel an extra obligation
to defend the truth out of respect for the former Chief Rabbi
of Chicago, the Gaon the Ridvaz who, after leaving Chicago,
became the Chief Rabbi of Tzefas and took the lead in
advocating proper shmitta observance in 5670 (1910),
especially against those who defended the heter
mechirah based on distorted facts.
It therefore troubles me that a very respectable former
Chicagoan, Rabbi Berel Wein, a well known rabbi, educator and
historian, took issue with those who are working with
mesiras nefesh to avoid using the heter
mechirah in a recent article in the Jerusalem Post
without properly checking out the true current facts.
Rabbi Wein wrote, "Some in the religious factor use the issue
of shmitta as a political and economic weapon,
decreasing the unity of our people based on a rabbinic ruling
that has been in force for almost 120 years. . . . And what
of the financial burden that will be inflicted on the poorest
section of our population?"
The three premises that Rabbi Wein takes issue with are all
based on misconceptions.
1) There are no political or economic gains to the religious
sector. The decisions are based on clear rulings of our
gedolei haposkim after carefully reviewing all the
relevant current factors. Implementing these decisions
requires much time and hardship. The goal is to strengthen
proper halachic observance in those sectors which may rely on
questionable rulings.
2) The rabbinic ruling known as the "heter mechirah"
was given at the time as a temporary decision for which it
was explicitly stipulated that it must be renewed every
shmitta. This clear condition of the original
heter was reinstated in the official Chief Rabbinate
shmitta guidelines for 5754, seven years ago. Economic
changes and new trade agreements with neighboring Arab
countries now allow for shmitta observance without
having to rely on the heter mechirah.
3) Accordingly no hardship will be imposed on anyone since,
with proper cooperation, the price of kosher produce during
shmitta does not have to go up.
I want to conclude by publicly supporting my colleague HaRav
Yosef Efrati, head of Beis Medrash Lehalacha Behityashvut
Hayehudit, for working lesheim Shomayim to be
mezakeh es horabim and supply halachically acceptable
produce for the general public without having to raise
prices. HaRav Yosef is the true ish sholom who wants
to unite Klal Yisroel with a Torah achas
lekulom.
Rav Eisenstein is the rav of the Ma'alos Dafna community
in Yerushalayim.
