Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II | Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit | Beit Midrash

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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. The main topic of the first installment was the damage of not allowing the Shemitta leniency.

Body : I now respond to your distinction between those who devised the leniency of selling the land, who did not fight for its implementation, and me. This claim does not make sense to me. What reason did he have to fight for it? He (perhaps, Rav Shmuel Mohaliver or Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor) lived in the Diaspora. He did not see the poverty and the pressure upon the farmers, who set their eyes [on the rabbis] to sustain them and their families from their produce, while they were under the pressure of various taxes. Additionally, they have the expense of the Shemitta process, which is cumbersome even after the leniency of the sale of the land. He also did not see the general danger to Judaism that would stem from the proclamation of a prohibition on this matter that people could not uphold.
Those who were here did not need to fight because until this Shemitta year, things proceeded smoothly. Whoever wanted to be stringent for himself did so, but there was no disturbance to people’s ability to sell the produce on which their livelihood depended nor aspersions placed on those who followed the leniency. Similarly, people do not cast aspersions on the many [Diaspora] Jews with large estates, who use non-Jews to work the fields with their animals on Shabbat and holidays, based on a legal fiction of selling the fields to the non-Jews, due to the great loss [if they do not do so]. Only recently have the stringent assembled to publicly criticize and to say that which we should never have to hear; this causes immeasurable problems. How can it be that I, who am positioned in the midst of the Yishuv, would not stand by them?
You also wonder why sinners support me and those who fear Hashem oppose me. Why should it be a wonder? Everyone can see that being stringent will have a negative material impact on the Holy Land’s Jewish community. Therefore, when I act to protect from such danger, they recognize the benefit. Those who fear Hashem only look at the spiritual side, from whose perspective it is better to be stringent. However, there are G-d fearers who have a clear outlook and do not deceive themselves or others. They see my noble intentions and support me.
There is precedent from the time of Ezra, when some great and good people did not want to rebuild the Jewish community of Eretz Yisrael. Ezra took the people with poor lineage and ugly actions, who did not merit blessing, and they desecrated Shabbat even in Eretz Yisrael. Even so, salvation grew from their arrival. The Second Temple was built; we received the publicizing of the Oral Law, the expansion of Rabbinical legislation, and the dissemination of Torah in the Jewish world. (It says in Heichalot that the Torah’s main glory was in the Second Temple period.)

Igrot Hare’aya (200)

Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit

211 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part I

212 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II

213 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part III

The same thing will happen with Hashem’s help in our times. As we strengthen the developing Yishuv and more brethren will come to settle here, the light of liberation will grow. At the end, all the sinners will repent fully with love and joy, with the help of the light of the Holy Land’s sanctity. This will be aided by Torah scholars who truly serve Hashem and love the Jewish Nation. They will go with them with love and patience, and the whole world will see that the righteous are concerned for the sinners’ welfare. This shall awaken the sleeping spark of Israel’s deeply hidden sanctity, even in the hearts of those who appear bereft [of mitzvot]. All of them together will be a vessel that holds sanctity for Hashem’s nation on His holy soil, which He chose from all the lands.
If only my words will penetrate your heart, and you will join me on this holy path, to help raise the stature of the Yishuv. We will thereby sanctify His Name in the world, and the banner of Torah and the honor of Torah scholars will be elevated on the holy soil.

Igrot Hare’aya