Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Igrot Hare’aya
Body : I just received my good friend’s letter. I am very surprised that you assume my words have false intentions. Why would anyone think I would force those who do not agree with the lenient [Shemitta] ruling to eat what is forbidden according to their opinion? My intention is only to stand in the breach against those who cast aspersions on those who come to settle Eretz Yisrael and have no choice but to rely on the well-known leniency, which has a basis in the Talmud and poskim. These aspersions damage the Yishuv spiritually and physically.
The physical damage is that it is impossible for everyone to keep the laws of Shemitta without uprooting it [through sale]. If they will not export the produce, e.g., wine, oranges, almonds, the land will be truly desolate. This will ruin the New Yishuv and, with it, certainly the Old Yishuv, as one who looks with open eyes sees that the two are intertwined.
The spiritual danger is that if a prohibition would be publicized, it would, for completely religious Jews, close the door to coming to Eretz Yisrael to build it through planting, sowing, and agricultural commerce. Then only those who throw religion out behind them will come [for these purposes], thereby causing an immeasurable drop in Judaism in Eretz Yisrael. Now, although irreligious Jews also come, every moshava has Jews who are connected to Torah and fear of Hashem. They hold important positions in their communities and strengthen religious institutions, e.g., kashrut. I have received letters, as expected, saying that no rich person, even if G-d-fearing, will invest in Eretz Yisrael at this time, when we do not see miracles, if Shemitta will uproot the foundations of his finances.
[The second spiritual damage (which we have seen before) is that if the rabbis are stringent and religious people feel compelled to ignore them, it pushes them toward generally not listening to rabbis.] Therefore, anyone who can predict the future and wants to serve Hashem not with pipe dreams but with clear, calculated logic (as proper for one whom Hashem gave mental capacity), will conclude that we must be careful to not lose the leniency of selling the land. This has been practiced for three Shemitta years, and the leading rabbis of the time in Eretz Yisrael did not protest it in practice. It has justifications in Halacha, as everyone with straight intellect will admit. Why should you be surprised that I come out against anyone who calls many of our fellow Jewish brethren evil people and thereby cause spiritual and physical destruction to the Land of our Fathers? On the other hand, who would fight against individuals who want to be stringent on themselves (certainly, it is not my intention)!?
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
209 - Public Response to Zealous Defense of Rav Kook – #308
210 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part I
211 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II
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It is not at all the Torah’s way to enhance observance based on fear of punishment. We must determine from Torah sources if there is room for leniency in a case of need. If leniency is correct, we should not connect punishments to the leniency, as His Torah is not a fake. We should inspect different actions and attributes that are prone to mistakes, as the great righteous people have done over the generations.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
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
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 Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
Igrot Hare’aya Semi-solicited Advice to Calm Down Petach Tikva
#227 Date and Place: 8 Tishrei 5669, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Alternatives to Gymnasium and Grafted Etrogim – #286
Date and Place: 18 Adar II, 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Worse on the Outside, Better on the Inside – #332
Date and Place: 26 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Public Letter on Observance of Shemitta – #287 – part II
Date and Place: 4 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
