A large audience participated in the annual Melave Malka
held by Agudas Yisroel of Switzerland. This year the Melave
Malka was dedicated to Keren Hashevi'is, the fund supporting
thousands of tillers of the soil who observe shmittah
kehilchoso.
The annual Melave Malka has become a gala tradition,
attended by crowds of chareidim from all circles and sects.
Each year this festive event is devoted to a topic of prime
importance for Klal Yisroel. This practice is in line
with the guidelines of maranan verabonon the
gedolei Yisroel, founders of the sacred movement, who
determined that the organization's purpose is to solve
contemporary problems in the spirit of Torah.
The guests were warmly welcomed by the chairman of Agudas
Yisroel in Zurich, Rav Sholom Weinman, who thanked all of
those who coordinated the event, especially the chairman of
Agudas Yisroel of Switzerland, Reb Yehoshua Bloch. He then
greeted the important guests who had come from Israel
especially for the event: HaRav Simcha HaKohen Kook, the
Chief Rabbi of Rechovot and HaRav Moshe Bunim Mintz, head of
Machon and Kollel Hilchos Ha'aretz.
The evening was moderated by Reb Berish Rosenberg, who
presented the central issue of shmittah, one of the
foundations of the existence of our nation in eretz
hakodesh and the basis upon which the safety of the
Nation in its land rests.
The main address was delivered by the guest of honor, HaRav
Simcha HaKohen Kook. HaRav Kook described at length the
tense situation prevailing in Eretz Yisroel, from the
troubles from our enemies as well as the spiritual crisis.
He stressed that the heads of the government are not aware
of the interdependence of the two situations, and said that
certain elements are interested in drafting yeshiva students
and imposing other decrees upon the Torah community. These
elements, he noted, don't understand that the power of the
army is dependent solely on Torah study by the bnei
yeshiva and the observance of Torah and mitzvos, the
secret of our existence. Shmittah and dwelling in
safety in eretz Yisroel, he said, are intertwined, as
we learn in the Torah.
He then spoke about the innovation made by HaRav Binyomin
Mendelsohn, zt"l, who spread the idea of
shmittah observance among religious Jews for whom the
idea of shmittah was foreign: an idea currently being
realized on a large scale by HaRav Mendelsohn's son, HaRav
Menachem Mendel Mendelsohn, the present rav of Kommemiyus.
Shabbos Bereishis and Shabbos Ha'aretz, he
said, are of special significance, and all those who observe
Shabbos Bereishis must be loyal partners in the
observance of the land's Shabbos as well.
HaRav Moshe Bunim Mintz recalled the unique meeting
organized by HaRav Yosef Sholom Kahaneman of Ponevezh for
the sake of the shmittah observers. The meeting was
also attended by the Chazon Ish, who was very active on
behalf of shmittah. When the Chazon Ish rose to
speak, he uttered only one verse, whose profound meaning
denoted everything: "Kol atzmosai tomarno."
HaRav Mintz relayed stirring reports of the courage of the
farmers who observe shmittah: sights which he has
seen firsthand within the framework of his work on behalf of
the Nationwide Center for Shevi'is Observant Farmers in
Kommemiyus. Members of this center, he said, do not persuade
farmers to join them by offering benefits. They only
approach religious farmers who will observe the mitzvah of
shmittah on the basis of Torah ideology. However,
these men of valor must be given the financial aid to enable
them to withstand this most difficult nisoyon.
The elaborate Melave Malka was arranged by entire families
from Zurich out of a sincere desire to actively participate
in the annual gathering of Agudas Yisroel, truly a gathering
lesheim Shomayim. The families personally prepared
the food and decorated the auditorium.
A team of Agudas Yisroel activists in Zurich spent many
weeks planning this event. Prominent among them was Rabbi
Yosef Rubinfield, one of the outstanding activists of Swiss
chareidi Jewry. The Pirchei Hanoar choir of the Zurich
talmudei Torah delighted the guests with their
song.
The dais was graced by rabbonim from the various communities
of Switzerland and prominent public figures, among them:
HaRav Doniel Levi, the rav of Adas Yeshurun; HaRav Yisroel
Mentel, the rav of Lucerne; HaRav Moshe Chaim Shmerler, the
rav of Machzikei Hadas and Reb Moshe Hertz, one of the
outstanding activists of worldwide Agudas Yisroel.
Prior to the Melave Malka, all of the chareidi rabbonim of
Switzerland issued a statement in which they said, "We
hereby join the sacred call of gedolei Yisroel to
participate in this great mitzvah of supporting those who
observe shmittahin eretz Yisroel. Surely all
who assist these men of valor to the best of their abilities
are included among the observers of the mitzvah, and will
receive reward equivalent to these shmittah
observers."
