Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

8 Teves 5761 - January 3, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS
American Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim Hold Emergency Meeting for Keren Shevi'is
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Scores of roshei yeshiva, admorim and rabbonim, as well as other spiritual leaders of chareidi Jewry in the United States convened for a special emergency meeting held in the Adas Yaakov Beis Medrash of the Admor of Novominsk. The meeting was initiated by HaRav Elya Svei, rosh yeshiva of the Philadelphia yeshiva, along with the Admor of Novominsk.

Seated on the dais were HaRav Aharon Shechter, rosh yeshiva of Rabbenu Chaim Berlin yeshiva; HaRav Yosef Rosenblum, rosh yeshiva of Shaarei Yosher; HaRav Yisroel Perkovksy, rosh yeshiva of Beis HaTalmud; HaRav Shmuel Birnbaum, rosh yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva; HaRav Menachem Klein, ga'avad of Ungvar and rosh yeshiva of Beis Shearim; the Admor of Bluzhov; HaRav Chaim Epstein, rosh yeshiva of Zichron Melech; HaRav Dovid Kwiat, menahel ruchani of Torah Vodaas and rav of the Agudas Yisroel of Boro Park; HaRav Zecharya Gelley, moro de'asra of the Washington Heights Kehal Adas Yeshurun and head of the Rav Shamshon Rafael Hirsch yeshiva; HaRav Dovid Feinstein, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta Tifferes Yerushalayim; HaRav Lipa Margolis, rosh yeshiva of Torah Temimoh; HaRav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beis Medrash Govoha Lakewood; HaRav Eliyahu Fisher, rosh kollel Gur; HaRav Abba Gurelick, rosh yeshivas Zichron Moshe and others.

The gathering was opened by HaRav Avrohom Kliers, director of the Keren Hashevi'is fund raising in the United States. He presented statistics about the lists of thousands of farmers in hundreds of settlements throughout the country who are part of the Nationwide Center of Shmittah Observant Farmers. The Center was founded by HaRav Binyomin Mendelsohn, ga'avad of Kommemiyus, more than thirty years ago. Today the Center numbers thousands of shmittah observant farmers who have taken upon themselves to observe shmittah kehilchoso with love and joy and without any compromises.

The first speaker was HaRav Elya Svei who stressed that strengthening the great efforts made this year in Eretz Yisroel to influence as many Jews as possible to observe shmittah kehilchoso and to endure any accompanying difficulties is essentially the foundation of the Yiddishkeit of our brethren, wherever they may be. For this reason, he stressed, we must understand that through our support we are not only strengthening these particular thousands of farmers but, first and foremost, we are strengthening ourselves as Jews.

HaRav Yosef Rosenblum, rosh yeshiva of Shaarei Yosher, said that Diaspora Jewry must appreciate the great merit they have by sharing the Divine gift of shemiras shmittah kehilchoso through their support of thousands of farmers through Keren Hashevi'is. Were it not for Keren Hashevi'is, we would have no share in this most important mitzvah, whose worth cannot be measured. HaRav Rosenblum called upon the audience to learn from the mesirus nefesh of tanoim such as Rabbi Akiva, who was moser nefesh for the mitzvah of netilas yodayim -- which is a derabonon -- especially since some maintain that today, shmittah is a mitzvah deOraisa.

HaRav Chizkiyah Mishkovski from Eretz Yisroel brought a special letter from HaRav Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman, sent to HaRav Elya Svei and the Admor of Novominsk. Copies of the letter were distributed to all participants.

In his letter, HaRav Steinman stressed the great obligation of every Jew the world over to insure that the laws of shmittah, a central foundation of Torah and one of the foundations of trust in Hashem, not be forgotten. This mitzvah, he said, when properly observed, is the, "diamond in the crown of every Jew." Its observance brings about a kiddush Hashem and its violation causes the reverse, chas vesholom: the desecration of Hashem's Name.

HaRav Mishkovski spoke about the serious financial situation in Eretz Yisroel, and said that since our enemies have raised their heads, "the ship has been on the verge of sinking." He noted that many families who have lost the heads of their households are undergoing intolerable suffering. "I asked HaRav Chaim Kanievsky what we must do for those families, HaRav Mishkovski said. "`Now you ask?' HaRav Kanievsky replied. `If we had acted for the sake of Melech Malchei Hamelochim Hakodosh Boruch Hu, Who asks us to keep shmittah kehilchoso, there is no doubt that we would have been spared all this anguish.'"

HaRav Mishkovski then asked: "How much effort would each and every one of us be willing to make in order to merit to be blessed by the tzaddikim of the past? In respect to shmittah, Hakodosh Boruch Hu Himself promises us: `I will command my blessing.' Gedolei Yisroel of all times -- past and present -- have said that this blessing will also apply to all those who help in the observance of shmittah. How, then, can we neglect it?"

Copies of the letter from HaRav Menachem Mendel Mendelsohn, the rav of Kommemiyus who heads all activities of the Nationwide Center for Shmittah Observant Farmers were distributed. The letter had been sent to the honorary hosts of the gathering, HaRav Eliyahu Svei and the Admor of Novominsk. In his letter, HaRav Mendelsohn explains the reasons that led gedolei Yisroel in past generations to strengthen the mitzvah of shmittah, which, as HaRav Mendelsohn says, "is proof of the eternity of the Torah in every generation and under all circumstances. In our generation have we merited to see the results of the great efforts of the gedolim when hundreds of settlements from Dan to Beersheva withstand daily the nisoyon of letting their lands and vineyards lie fallow in the shmittah year."

HaRav Mendelsohn calls out: "Those whose hearts feel kedushas Eretz Yisroel, its perfection and its place as a haven, will surely be included among those who feel the pain of the generations and will share in efforts to remove its disgrace and suffering of so many years. The observance of shmittah is the most important means of ensuring our existence in our sacred land, and it is this mitzvah which renews our strength to hold onto the land: every seven years."

The closing address was delivered by the Admor of Novominsk, who said that the thousands of shmittah observing farmers illustrate the meaning of the verse, "LaHashem ho'oretz umelo'oh." "Chazal have said: `Sow your land for six years, and let it lie fallow in the seventh, so that you shall know that the Land is Mine.' The ma'amar of Reb Zusha, brought in No'am Elimelech, is well known. Reb Zusha says: "If we didn't ask `what shall we eat,' the blessing would ensue without Hashem's having to command a blessing, because Eretz Yisroel, by dint of the characteristics imbedded in it by Hakodosh Boruch Hu, would do that of itself. However since Hakodosh Boruch Hu knew that the people would ask that question, He had to command that blessing, and that is what is meant by, `If you ask what shall we eat, I will command My blessing.'

"Since the question has already been asked and the answer has already been given, every Jew is obligated to be a partner in the mitzvah of shmittah and will also surely have a share in the answer, `and I have commanded my blessing.' This is especially true for the Jews abroad who lack the opportunity to observe shmittah in their fields and vineyards, but do have the opportunity when asked what will be with our brothers in Eretz Yisroel: not only to ask, but to respond with a generous hand and a willing soul like loyal partners."

--------------------

HaRav Steinman's Letter Monday, 21 Kislev, Shmittah 5761

To the most honored and esteemed rabbonim hageonim who are participating in the gathering for the benefit of the shmittah observers in Eretz Hakodesh -- a gathering taking place today in New York, led by the heads of the Diaspora, HaRav Eliyahu Svei and the Admor of Novominsk.

I take great honor in extending greetings to this kinus lesheim Shomayim of the rabbonim and roshei yeshiva in the Diaspora of America who have convened for the sake of assisting and supporting the "giborei hakoach osei devoro," those who observe shmittah kehilchoso in Eretz Hakodesh.

We were very happy to hear about the tremendous arousal among framers to observe shmittah in all of its details and stringencies. This situation is the result of efforts made by the Nationwide Center for Shmittah Observant Farmers, founded by the gaon and chossid HaRav Binyomin Mendelsohn, zt"l, the ga'avad of Kommemiyus, whose members continue to engage in this scared mission in the current shmittah as well. These activists visit the settlements in order to arouse their members to keep shmittah, offering halachic and professional guidance, promising to support them during the shmittah year, when for many families this support is their staff of life. All this, of course, involves tremendous expense for the Center.

It is well known how precious and important this mitzvah has always been in the eyes of the gedolei hadoros who were the first to make wholehearted efforts on behalf of this mitzvah. Everyone knows about the great extent to which the Chazon Ish went to teach farmers the importance of shmittah observance.

Therefore, we turn to you, the esteemed communal leaders, as well as to the roshei yeshivos, to arouse our brethren in the Diaspora to be loyal partners in this mitzvah and to rally to the aid of these men of valor by contributing to the Keren Hashevi'is, so that there not be chas vesholom a chilul Hashem in that there are those who wish to observe the mitzvah, but there are none to support them.

Signed with an awareness of the importance of these things,

Aharon Yehudah Leib Steinman

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.