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Beit Midrash
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Body : I received your letter and am honored to tell you that the immoral matter of work being done on Israel National Fund land [during Shemitta] is just what they are doing of their own volition. They did not ask any question of which types of work may be done by a Jew, based on the sale of the land, and which types of work may only be done by a non-Jew. They did not present me with the facts of the matter at all, so that I could determine which things are so pressing that they cannot wait until next year and which things will not cause serious loss to the Yishuv if they wait until the non-holy, next year.
Realize that we have not allowed at all to plant new vegetation. There are only a small handful of exceptions, which involve unusually large loss, where we allowed non-Jews to plant, in addition to other known halachic reasons for leniency. All of this applies when parties come to ask halachic authorities, but when they treat Shemitta like any other year, without asking for the instruction of a religious authority, it desecrates the holy Torah regarding national property in the Holy Land. We must protest this with all our might, and whoever possesses sensitivity for the honor of our nation should accept our call.
Requesting Limitations on Shemitta Stringency – #305
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
205 - “Rulings” on Philosophical Matters? – #302
206 - Shemitta Work at Israel National Fund Land – #
207 - Public Response to Zealous Defense of Rav Kook – #308
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Recipient and Background : Rav Yaakov David Wilovsky (Ridbaz), a leading rabbi who moved to Eretz Yisrael and was known, among other things, as a strong opponent of leniencies on Shemitta.
Body : I find it necessary to seek out my dear, illustrious colleague, when I heard that there are now those who cast aspersions on the produce of the vineyards and fields of the moshavim that have been sold to a non-Jew due to the restrictions of "the sanctity of Shemitta produce." This will take away the meager livelihood of the members of the moshavim. Many of them are destitute, and they are looking toward the price they will get for the fruit to sustain them and the children who depend on them.
Regarding [the halachic status of] the fruit, there are not really halachic grounds to cast aspersions. Even according to the Mabit’s opinion, which is stringent regarding the sanctity of the fruit of a non-Jew during Shemitta, it is permitted to use them commercially, and the money spent to acquire them does not have sanctity of Shemitta (see Shut Maharit (the Mabit’s son) 43).
In the sale of the land, we have included renting it and including in the price non-Shemitta things, so that if there are questions about the sale because of the law of the land, then rental will work regarding the fruit even if it does not work for allowing working the land. Since in previous Shemitta years, in the lives of the great Rav Y.L. Diskin, Rav S. Salant, and my father-in-law, there were no new stringencies, it is improper to make new ones now and impoverish families of our brethren, which would raise great fears of major problems.
Therefore, I request of my beloved friend to please inform the members of the rabbinical court to not do anything new, and allow the people to rely on the halachic opinions upon which they relied in the past. This would promote the mitzva of increasing peace in Israel and preventing enmity and other things that we can’t even know in advance. I will rely on our warm relationship that you will act to do the right thing with full power, and Hashem will be with you to bring you success, along with the blessing of the multitude.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
Igrot Hare’aya Trying to Arrange Purchase of Land in Eretz Yisrael
#222 Date and Place: 2 Elul 5669 (1909), Rechovot
P'ninat Mishpat Repercussions of a Sale That Turned Out Not Happening – part II
(based on ruling 83045 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Igrot Hare’aya Excitement over a Friend’s New Newspaper – #319
Date and Place: 4 Menachem Av 5670 (1910), Rechovot
Igrot Hare’aya Maintaining a Friendship of the Spirit – #266 – part III
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook; Date and Place: 11 Shevat 5670, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Language of Instruction for Rav Kook’s Yeshiva – #325
Date and Place: 4 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya The Need for a Broader Education – #274
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook Date and Place: 8 Adar I 5670, Yafo
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
