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NEWS
Joint Siyum for Shmittah-Observant Farmers from Negev Communities
By Yechiel Sever
An uplifting event to mark the completion of maseches Pesochim and maseches Moed Koton was held at the beis knesses of Moshav Talmei Eliyahu in the Negev's Eshkol District. The two masechtos were learned be'iyun by dozens of farmers since the start of the Shmittah year at special kollelim set up by Keren Shevi'is for the farmers who let their fields lie fallow and want to spend the year learning Torah and elevating themselves spiritually.
Dozens of farmers in Eshkol communities made a commitment to keep Shmittah properly and the area underwent a tremendous spiritual transformation set in motion through the mitzvah of Shmittah. The first Shmittah kollel was set up at Talmei Eliyahu by Keren Shmittah, which is operated by the National Center for Shevi'is Observant Farmers, in 5740 (1980), which was also a Shmittah year. Since then it has become a permanent kollel that radiates to the entire area.
Starting at the beginning of the Shmittah year two special kollelim have been operating for Shmittah-observant farmers: at Moshav Amioz a morning kollelled by maggid shiur Rav Aharon Schwartz, and a kollel at Moshav Talmei Eliyahu, where the shiur is given by Rav Yitzchok Afenger, who is one of the permanent members of the kollel on the moshav. The two shiurim bring together dozens of farmers for over two hours of rischo deOraisa be'iyun. Recently they completed maseches Pesochim and at Talmei Eliyahu the farmers completed Moed Koton. At the initiative of Keren Shevi'is the maggidei shiurim and HaRav Avrohom Deutsch, the rosh kollel at Moshav Talmei Eliyahu, brought the two kollelim together for a joint siyum.
At the event speakers included the two maggidei shiurim, HaRav Deutsch, HaRav Yehuda Finer, the rov of Moshav Talmei Eliyahu and the coordinator for the Southern Region of the National Center for Shomrei Shevi'is Farmers at Kommemiyus, HaRav Eliezer Suissa, the rov of Moshav Amioz, and HaRav Yaakov Yisroel Pincus, the moro de'asra of the chareidi community of Ofakim. HaRav Pincus recalled that his late father, HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus, had been among the founders of the mokom Torah at Moshav Talmei Eliyahu, saying he would drive out there in winter and summer, during the holidays and throughout the year, to strengthen Torah.
The closing speech was delivered by HaRav Yaakov Blau.
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