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24 Ellul 5761 - September 12, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
In Honor of Shmittah and its Heroes
by A. Cohen and M. Plaut

Chazal said, "For the sin of failure to keep shmittah, we were exiled from our land; in its merit, we will be redeemed in the future."

This past Sunday, 21 Elul, two stirring events of public kiddush Hashem marked the end of the shmittah year of 5761 -- a seudas mitzvah in Tel Aviv and a massive. moving parade in Bnei Brak.

The twenty-first of Elul, the first day of Selichos, was especially chosen for these events for it is known to be a propitious time when all Jews unite in their prayers for forgiveness and mercy in the coming year. It was an auspicious time for thousands of farmers to thank Hashem that they merited to observe Shabbos of the land and amazingly and courageously face numerous trials throughout the year.

The events were attended by approximately 1000 farmers, those giborei hakoach osei Devoro who observe shmittah kehilchosoh throughout Eretz Yisroel. At these events, which were headed by maranan verabonon the gedolei Yisroel, thousands of residents of Bnei Brak and its environs honored the farmers. The events were held within the framework of a varied and impressive day of events organized by the Keren Hashevi'is of the Nationwide Center for Shmittah Observing Farmers, founded by HaRav Binyomin Mendelsohn zt"l, the Gavad of Kommemiyus.

The heads of Keren Hashevi'is spoke with farmers throughout the country and explained to them the importance of the day. They noted that as the shmittah year draws to an end, all should join together, as one and with one heart, in order to mark and celebrate their great zechus of having been able to bravely keep shmittah this year according to the halocho, without compromise and precisely as commanded by the Borei Yisborach.

The intent of the organizers was to hold a series of important and inspiring events leading up to the Yomim Noraim, when each and every farmer will receive a special "Shomrei Shevi'is Kehilchosoh" certificate.

At Exhibition Gardens

Scores of busses and private cars arrived at booth 32 in the Exhibition Gardens in Tel Aviv (Ganei Hata'aruchah). Noticeable among them were the vans of the agricultural counselors from the Nationwide Center for Shmittah Observing Farmers.

The large booth was decorated with placards such as: "Yasher Koach Legiborei Koach," "Vetzivisi es birchosi," and "Veshovas Ho'oretz Shabbos leHashem," while musicians played appropriate melodies.

The dais was decorated with signs such as "Bruchim Habo'im beSheim Hashem" and the like. Next to the main dais sat rabbonim, heads of Keren Hashevi'is, heads of Agudas Yisroel from Eretz Yisroel, America and Europe, UTJ Knesset representatives, heads of the Chinuch Atzmai and prominent rabbonim from the settlements which observed shmittah according to the halocho.

The scene in the large and broad auditorium was very inspiring, as a thousand farmers from all over the Holy Land who observed the mitzvos of shmittah, warmly shook hands, embraced each other then sat down beside set tables.

Each farmer identified himself by the name of his settlement, and then received an envelope with a program of the events for the day and a place card.

The first session, whose purpose was to express appreciation and gratitude to the farmers, the giborei hakoach, was led by Rav Mordechai Mintz, the chairman of the Keren Hashevi'is fund. He said: "The farmers who keep shmittah have resolved to accept ol malchus Shomayim, not only as all Jews do in Krias Shema, but also throughout the entire year by the observance of the mitzva of shmittah without pause. As a result, they are the genuine patrons, who guarantee that all Eretz Yisroel belongs to Am Yisroel."

He then thanked the Agriculture Minister and his office, as well as UTJ representatives in the Knesset; the heads of Agudas Yisroel in America and Europe, and the heads and volunteers of Keren Hashevi'is, who helped the farmers keep shmittah throughout the year. However he said that despite this help, not even half of the expenses for the support of the farmers throughout the country have been covered so far. He noted the special contribution of the Halperin family from the United States of $50,000.

Yerachmiel Goldin, who is in charge of shmittah matters for the Ministry of Agriculture, noted the large number of farmers who observed shmittah this year even though the overall number of farmers in the country is decreasing. He said that the government forwarded NIS 15 million for support of these farmers, NIS 12 million of which have already been distributed to farmers.

Rav Mintz added that this year, 250,000 dunams of farm land lay fallow, and that by number, 20 percent of all the farmers in the country observed shmittah. (A dunam is 1000 square meters or about 10,000 square feet.)

Other speakers at this session were Rabbi Meir Porush, Rabbi Moshe Gafni, and the Agriculture Minister Mr. Shalom Simchon.

At the end of this session, Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Executive Vice President of the American Agudas Yisroel, gave the Agriculture Minister a special gift in appreciation for his help. Additional gifts were given to other figures who supported and assisted the shmittah network and the shmittah observing farmers.

Afterward, all those in attendance davened mincha together and sat down to a seudas mitzvah in order to mark the completion of a mitzvah, as is the case when a tractate is completed, and on Simchas Torah, when one finishes the reading of the Torah and begins it anew.

The main session was opened by HaRav Avrohom Laizerson, one of the heads of the Chinuch Atzmai, who recited the Acheinu Kol Beis Yisroel prayer with the entire audience, as an expression of sorrow over the terrorist attacks which had taken place that day.

Rav Laizerson's speech was followed by the blessings of Rabbi Yehuda Meir Abramowitz, and then by those of HaRav Ezriel Shechter, one of the prominent rabbonim of London and the chairman of the Keren Hashevi'is fund in Europe. HaRav Yosef Efrati, the head of Beis Midrash LeHalocho Bahityashvut praised the shmittah observing farmers, and presented the blessings of Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, the pillar of halachic authority.

Rabbi Shmuel Bloom presented the blessings of the heads of the the Keren Hashevi'is in America, HaRav Elya Svei and the Admor of Novominsk, the head of Agudas Yisroel in the United States. He also handed Rav Mintz a big check which brought the overall donations from Torah-true Jewry of the United States and Canada to a million dollars.

After Rabbi Bloom's speech, the rabbonim of the shmittah observing settlements handed Rav Mintz and Rav Ezriel Shechter special gifts in recognition of their efforts.

HaRav Chizkiyahu Yosef Mishkovsky, mashgiach of yeshivas Orchos Hatorah, brought the blessings of HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, who said that shmittah unites all parts of the nation in their efforts to aid of the farmers, and that as a result we should be sorry that the shmittah year has ended. He then said that when HaRav Shteinman was asked why he had gone out to the field and over to the tractor, he replied: "They are our tallis and tefillin, our kedusha and taharoh."

HaRav Yosef ben Porat, rosh yeshivas Ashrei Ho'ish, delivered words of his'orerus. Closing remarks were presented by HaRav Menachem Mendel Mendelsohn, the Gavad of Kommemiyus and the president of the Nationwide Center for Shmittah Observing Farmers, who said that there were many tragedies throughout the year but there were also many miracles in which tragedies were avoided. Shmittah observance, he said, is full of miracles.

Afterward, HaRav Shechter and HaRav Chaim Dovid Zweibel, Executive Vice President of American Agudas Yisroel, distributed certificates of recognition to the farmers.

The following members of the Keren Hashevi'is board of directors were on the dais, the Rabbonim: Avrohom Nosson Barnet, Betzalel Godlevski, Refoel Hoffman, Moshe Hess, Reuvein Vinderbaum, Naftoli Yaakobson, Yissochor Dov Lederman, Gavriel Morgenstern, Ben Tzion Kugler, Yakov Kiel and Heshel Reizman.

The Americas contingent included: Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel and the philanthropist, Rabbi Dovid Bodner. The British delegation included: HaRav Ezriel Shechter and Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Davis, the general director of the British Agudas Yisroel.

Also on the dais were: HaRav Yitzchok Yechiel Yakobovitz, the rav of Hertzelia; HaRav Shlomo Halevi Pollack, the rav of Beis Chilkia and HaRav Moshe Bunim Mintz, head of Kollel Halichos Haaretz, members of the Kolel, MK Rabbi Shmuel Halpert, Rabbi Meir Luria, one of the heads of Chinuch Atzmai, and other public figures and dignitaries.

Appreciation was expressed to the staff of Keren Hashevi'is who organized the whole day's events: Rabbi Avrohom Tzvi Roshgold, Rabbi Yitzchok Eisik Goldstein, Rabbi Yehudah Meir Gelber.

A Massive Parade in Bnei Brak

The scene which took place later along Chazon Ish Street and the nearby streets was unprecedented in the annals of the city of Bnei Brak. In a stirring expression of regard, tens of thousands of people gathered to participate in the magnificent parade in honor of the 1000 shmittah observing farmers, giborei koach osei devoro.

Fleets of busses and vehicles transporting farmers and guests headed from Exhibition Gardens towards the cemetery in Bnei Brak, the burial site of the Chazon Ish, whose rulings these farmers meticulously observed this shmittah year.

A massive throng awaited there for the farmers and, with rousing applause and cheers, accompanied them to the grave where Tehillim and supplications were recited. The Tehillim were read by HaRav David ben Tzion Adas, while the large throng responded verse by verse.

Afterwards, a magnificent procession proceeded along Chazon Ish Street and tens of thousands of people from Bnei Brak and other areas join in. The crowd consisted of men, women, and children, the elderly -- all of whom joyously celebrated the siyum of the mitzvah of shmittah.

The streets were lined with glittering signs blessing the farmers, and homes were decorated with posters and colored lights.

Thousands of young talmud Torah students, came from all over their city, placards with blessings to the farmers pinned to their clothing, torches in their hands and songs bursting from their lips.

As a band played, avreichim and farmers joined hands and broke forth into fervent dance. Thousands of people crowded the roof tops, cheering the participants and participating in the singing.

Due to the tremendous congestion, the parade proceeded very slowly and took four hours. Over and over again, Bnei Brak's residents could be seen approaching the farmers, warmly shaking their hands and blessing them, and then breaking into dance and song. Many of the onlookers were very obviously moved by the stirring sight.

When the procession neared the Zichron Meir neighborhood, its rov, HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, who is also the rosh yeshiva of the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva, delivered a stirring speech in which he said: "The merit of the shmittah observance will protect the farmers, their children, us and all Am Yisroel. The security of Eretz Yisroel is dependent on the observance of shmittah, and boruch Hashem there are farmers who can claim that merit. It is written that they are like angels in Olom Hazeh. This means that every day that they observed shmittah an angel was created. Each one of these framers has created hundreds of angels. Hundreds of thousands of angels were created by all together."

When the procession reached the Tashbar talmud Torah whose building was once the home of the Chazon Ish, HaRav Nissim Karelitz came out, warmly greeting and blessing the farmers and shaking their hands.

As the parade approached its terminus at Rabbi Akiva street, HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman came out to his porch on Chazon Ish Street and blessed the farmers (see box).

Prior to the end of the parade, Eliyahu Yifrach, a farmer from the Noam settlement, spoke in the name of the farmers, thanking Bnei Brak's residents for the stirring reception and for the other events in their honor during the day.

Slowly the residents of Bnei Brak returned to their homes with the uplifting feeling of having participated in a great dvar mitzvah, and under the tremendous impact of the parade and the stirring and unprecedented scenes they had witnessed (see box).

The Letter of Maran HaRav Eliashiv

Bs"D 21 Elul 5761

To the esteemed participants in the celebrations in honor of the completion of the mitzva of shemittah, toward the end of the shmittah year of 5761:

We have merited that, despite difficult trials, the number of shmittah observing farmers has increased this year. These farmers did not listen to those who ruled shelo kehalochoh that, chas vesholom, the mitzvos of shmittah can be uprooted. These farmers withstood the test and were moser nefesh for the sake of the observance of this precious mitzva.

Now that giborei koach osei devoro the shomrei Shevi'is have assembled along with the philanthropists and the heads of Keren Hashevi'is, who have helped them, and are rejoicing in the completion of the mitzva, I bless them with, "Yehi no'am Hashem aleihem ve'al kulom" and may the merit of the observance of shmittah stand in their stead, so that all of their requests and prayers be positively answered. May we speedily merit eternal Redemption, and to fulfill the mitzvos of the precious land, deOraisa, ve'alibo dekulei almo, with the coming of the Moshiach speedily in our times, Omen.

Who writes and signs in honor of the giborei koach,

Yosef Sholom Eliashiv

The Blessing of HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman

Fortunate are you that you have merited to keep shmittah kehilchosoh. May Hashem help us, so that during the next shmittah year, the true Geula will have arrived. Even if we don't merit it, you will merit to observe shmittah kehilchosoh in the forthcoming shmittah too. May all of the blessings that Hakodosh Boruch Hu reserves for the shomrei shevi'is be fulfilled in you, and may you and all your families merit all of the best, all of your lives.

Waiting for Shmittah

by R. Gold

I wouldn't have admitted it to anyone; I was too ashamed. Here Hashem had given us a yearlong mitzvah, a rare chance to do something a bit difficult, a chance to show how much His chassodim mean to us, how grateful that we belong to "us" and not "them" -- and here I was, looking at the dried leaves of my house plants and telling myself: "Only three more weeks," "Only two more weeks," and so forth. The fact was, that at least part of me was itching for shmittah to be over.

Silently I reprimanded myself: "Is that how to say thank you? By counting down the days until your mitzvah is gone, over with for at least another six years?

"No!" I chided myself. "Cherish each day, with its additional holiness. Be joyful, be grateful!"

I don't know to what degree I won the battle within my heart, but I now know that it can be different. Yesterday proved it to me, and to thousands and thousands of other orthodox Jews, when they were given a chance to pour out their love to their Maker and gratitude to those quietly, deeply courageous tillers of the soil who abstained -- for an entire year -- from any form of cultivation forbidden during shmittah.

Bnei Brak turned out in its thousands to cheer and thank farmers from all over Eretz Yisroel who gathered to mark the end of Shmittah, 5761.

The crowds milled around waiting impatiently for the festivities to begin. Hundreds of cheder boys were festooned with plastic vests bearing the words: "Yeyeshar kochachem, giborei koach."

These men are protecting Am Yisroel's zechus to live in the Holy Land. May the merit of their mesirus nefesh help bring peace to this war-weary land and people.

Along the entire length of Bnei Brak's Rechov Chazon Ish marched hundreds of deeply-tanned men of the soil, many now graced with white beards and payos. They had come from all over the country, by bus, by tractor, and private car. A combine from the agricultural settlement of Yesodot slowly made its way along with the marchers, flags and streamers waving, and bearing a large sign noting the fact that this was the seventh (!) shmittah year the residents were observing since its founding 53 years ago.

As the farmers passed along the road, singing and clapping along with the music, the cheder children approached one individual after the other, offered their hands, and expressed their thanks to these unsung heroes. The procession lasted over an hour. One farmer quipped with a smile that he'd shaken the hand of so many little boys that afternoon that it made up for all the work he hadn't done over the last twelve months.

It was the first time, perhaps, that many of these men had come to Bnei Brak, and the city welcomed them with an open, joyous, Jewish heart. Many were accompanied by their wives and children. It was a melting pot of Jewish souls from all sectors and backgrounds, all smiling and rejoicing in the deepest joy of all, simcha shel mitzvah.

On Rechov Chazon Ish there were people there from every corner of the country; others came from abroad to share in the celebration. The simcha was overwhelming, like one huge chasunah. Everyone was a mechuton, everyone rejoiced.

I am personally grateful to whoever conceived the idea of organizing this celebration -- and to those who actually organized it. They were certainly zocheh to give the Ribono Shel Olom a goodly portion of nachas. Ashrei chelko!

I'm so happy I went; I'm so happy my children and grandchildren were there. Now the bags of day-old shmittah peels take on new meaning; I'll cherish these last few days of the seventh year; and I can't wait till, be"H, it comes again.

May it find our people worthy and deserving of rejoicing in many, many more such simchas shel mitzvah.

What Is It Like to Observe a Full Year of Shmittah? -- A Moshol

Imagine that your boss just called you in to his office.

"David," he says with a look of concern on his face, "bad news. We have to lay you off for a year. Only one year, mind you. Nothing personal. It's only for a year, you understand. Three hundred sixty-five days from now we'll welcome you back with open arms.

"Well, good luck," he continues -- actually, concludes the conversation with a handshake. "It's been good to have you with us for these past six years. I'm looking forward to seeing you a year from now."

Speechless? Furious? Indignant? Well you might be.

But what if you were a farmer in the Negev, or the Galil, or any other district of Eretz Yisroel? The above scenario wouldn't be so far-fetched. "Nothing personal, David. It's a mitzvah every Jew keeps. Or ought to."

Giborei koach. These people are the giborei koach, men of steadfast courage, whose zechus it was to observe shmittah of the year 5761. They deserved all the honors and the thanks heaped upon them in this celebration. May Heaven grant them, and all His people, the blessings of Torah.

All Systems Go for Harvest at Kommemiyus

by A. Cohen

Moshav Kommemiyus, the symbol of shmittah observance in our generation, is completing the current shmittah year with feelings of gratification. Waves of visitors came to the moshav throughout the year to view the shmittah exhibit and to visit the National Center for Shmittah Observant Farmers there. Many visitors also toured the fallow fields and orchards and enjoyed picking fruit that had been declared ownerless, as mandated by halocho.

Hundreds of educational institutions, talmudei Torah, schools, seminaries and yeshivos came to Kommemiyus during the year. Educators realized that a visit to a moshav that prides itself on its shmittah observance is an apt way to instill in their students a sense of the importance of this mitzvah. Through meetings with Kommemiyus farmers, the students became aware of their sacrifices, heard explanations of their constant trials and became excited upon actually seeing cases of, "And I will command My blessing. . . ."

The Kommemiyus orchards as well as others around the country that followed shmittah kehilchosoh are currently bursting with superior, ripe fruit. Heads of educational institutions are called upon to bring their students to the orchards and pick fruit -- as much fruit as they need -- at no cost. Many institutions that until now could not afford to supply fruit for their students are now able to do so. A school or yeshiva wishing to do so should first contact the National Center for Shmittah Observant Farmers to coordinate the visit so that a guide from the Center can be provided. This is necessary to prevent any mishaps, such as harvesting in areas with orlah trees. In addition, harvesting must be done in the correct manner, according to the halochos of shmittah.

The Center in Kommemiyus notes that hundreds of tons of fruit are on the trees, waiting to be picked. The Center is planning to start the Otzar Beis Din harvest soon, but until then, the Kommemiyus harvest is open to anyone. Kommemiyus locals are expecting a new wave of students, coming along with their teachers to tour the orchards and fields for an intimate meeting with shmittah observers, thus strengthening their belief in the Creator and His mitzvos.

 

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