YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Igrot Hare’aya
Recipient: Rav Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky, known as the Ridbaz. The Ridbaz was a leading Torah scholar, who had served as a rabbi in several communities in Eastern Europe and then in Chicago. In 1905, he moved to Eretz Yisrael and founded a yeshiva in Tzfat. An author of many Talmudic works, his most famous halachic stance was against the heter mechira, the temporary sale of land in Eretz Yisrael in an attempt to obviate the restrictions of Shemitta (the Sabbatical year).
Body: I just received your holy letter with your respected pamphlet, Kuntras Hashemitta. Your pure words were salt on my unbandaged wounds. Only Hashem, Who knows all secrets, knows that my heart is bitter over the lot of the mitzva of Shemitta. With all my heart and soul and the life of my spirit and soul, I desire and am thirsty to strengthen the mitzva and return it to its former glory.
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
157 - Deeper Literature
158 - Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: – #189 – part I
159 - The Need to Sell the Land before Shemitta
Load More
Therefore, I am compelled to follow the lead of the Rabbis in their rule of "It is better that Israel should eat sickly, slaughtered meat so that they do not eat unslaughtered and thus non-kosher meat" (Kiddushin 21b). I was compelled to arrange this halachic device for those who are compelled to use it, just as they did in previous Shemitta years. I knew that the present situation makes it impossible to avoid doing something to allow people [to create leniencies in the observance of Shemitta].
The first element of need is the matter of sufficient [produce for consumption] during Shemitta. It is conceivable that if this were the only issue, it might have been possible with great intervention that the Baron [Rothschild] might have given a sum that might have sufficed in the difficult circumstance.
The main matter, though, is the break that [Shemitta observance] would have made in the marketing, especially of wine and oranges, which comes to millions. It is not just that they will lose this incredible income during the Shemitta year (according to the Rambam, it is possible that the oranges would have two years of certain restrictions). Rather, it will break all marketing deals, as the importers abroad will not cooperate with exporters who cancel sending shipments periodically, as all know. This would definitely cause horrible hardship to all commerce, even post-Shemitta. The Baron would not want this, and he possibly cannot even handle it. His main intention was that the marketing should develop to the point that the farmers can support themselves without his help. Therefore a heter mechira is definitely needed for the export market as matters now stand, even though it is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea.
Hashem should see our difficulties and give us good counsel, so that we will be able to serve Him in the Holy Land without impediments and distractions. Because I know that even if all the greatest rabbis of the generation opposed the sale, people would not listen, mainly because of the great need, I desired to not publicize matters. That way, our actions will not look like there is a general agreement of the leading scholars but rather a practice that people do due to their plight. The scholars of the generation need to look the other way to fulfill the Rabbis’ contention that "it is better to sin unknowingly than on purpose" (Beitza 30a). We must hope that Hashem’s mercy will bring us better days, after Hashem raises our stature in the Land, and we can support ourselves without the help of other people and without the deceptiveness of exporting Shemitta produce abroad, which is difficult to permit. Then we will return to previous glory with all its sanctity.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
P'ninat Mishpat A Commercial Rental for a Closed Business – part II
based on ruling 80047 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part I
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Departure of an Uncle to Eretz Yisrael
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Vol. I, #1 , p. 1-2 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya Adding Elements to Strengthen the Heter Mechira – #313
Date and Place: 21 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Maintaining a Friendship of the Spirit – #266 – part IV
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook; Date and Place: 11 Shevat 5670, Yafo
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
