The main building of the Beit Medrash Govoha for Halachoh in the Settlements
A letter from HaRav Chaim Kanievsky was recently published by the Beit Medrash Govoha for Halochoh in the Settlements. It reads:
Bs"D 5 Iyar 5777
To Our Brethren Jews who live Outside the Holy Land
Since they export a lot of farm produce from Eretz Yisroel to Chutz La'aretz, and as I have heard that most of the produce marketed there is not ma'asered at all and is tevel vadai, it is clear that those who purchase such produce over there must separate terumos and ma'aseros. As Maran the Chazon Ish wrote (Demai 15:4), "Produce brought to Chutz La'aretz from Eretz Yisroel does not need research to establish that it is obligated [in ma'aseros], because we may not be lenient because of sfeik sfeika and so on... And the matter is obvious in three pillars of the world, the Ravad, the Kesef Mishna and the Mishna Lamelech."
It is a great mitzvah to publicize this, and the merit of fulfilling the mitzvos of terumos and ma'aseros should ensure to those who warn others and are careful for chaim, as explained in Chazal.
(signed) Chaim Kanievsky
The Beit Medrash adds: In times past the main agricultural export was citrus fruits, but now all kinds of produce is exported, both fruits and vegetables, to Europe as well as to America. In practice, none of the exports are ma'asered.
