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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions
- Family and Society
- Mitzvot of the Land of Israel
- Shmitta
Answer: We start with an overview of the agricultural mitzvot of Shemitta along with a brief analysis of the significance of obtaining land ownership.
The Rambam (Lo Ta’aseh 220-223) lists four such negative commandments, about: 1) working the land; 2) tending to the trees; 3) reaping the produce in the normal way; 4) harvesting fruit of the trees in the normal way. The prohibition of working the land applies even to one who does not own the land. There is a machloket whether there is a Torah prohibition on harvesting someone else’s field (Chazon Ish, Shvi’it 12:5 is lenient; Rav Auerbach, Ma’adanei Eretz 7:4 is stringent). In any case, the reward for refraining from aveirot is a function of the availability of and the temptation toward the aveira (see Kiddushin 39b with Rashi). One who owns a distant, small piece of land is not tempted to work it. Just as we would not suggest buying a donkey and bull to refrain from plowing with them together, the above is not a reason to obtain land before Shemitta.
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions (654)
Rabbi Daniel Mann
459 - Air Conditioner Drain Pipe during Shemitta
460 - Buying Land for Shemitta
461 - Children Hearing Shofar Blowing
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There is also a mitzva to deal properly with the fruit of trees and other things planted
before Shemitta, including treating them as ownerless (Aseh 134). While certain elements of the halachot of what to do with the fruit can also be fulfilled by non-landowners in Israel (beyond out present scope), buying a field certainly enhances the buyer’s ability to fulfill this mitzva.
Another gain of buying land is helping farmers keep Shemitta properly. Rav Kook (see his introduction to Shabbat Ha’aretz) and all other poskim who supported the heter mechira, did so for those who were unwilling or unable (without extreme financial hardship) to keep the mitzva as designed. Thus buying land from them helps interested farmers survive without needing to rely on the reluctantly provided leniencies. This is similar to giving ma’ot chitim to one who cannot afford mehadrin Pesach provisions or donating to "halachically improve" a mikveh. (One who rejects the heter mechira would view it as saving people from actual sin.) If the farmer would anyway not work the land, but with financial difficulty, buying from him is supporting a deserving person.
If one purchases the field at its value (including overhead), it is proper to not use ma’aser kesafim money, which is not for personal mitzvot one can afford (see Tzedaka U’mishpat 6:1). A donation (without buying land, or the part of the price that is beyond the land’s value) to an organization that helps farmers may be taken from ma’aser money (see ibid. 10).
While there are wonderful organizations to help with all sorts of tzedaka and mitzva needs, sometimes there are people "in the field" who plan to earn a lot of money in the process of providing a "quick mitzva fix." We therefore recommend that one check that he is either paying a modest fee for land ownership, if those elements speak to him, or better yet, joining up with known organizations that help farmers and enhance the observance of Shemitta, with or without technically buying a small plot of land.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
