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Beit Midrash
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Body : I now respond to your argument that I have no reason to fight (promote halachic arguments) because I have already published [my book on the laws of Shemitta,] Shabbat Ha’aretz. I already told my illustrious friend that I purposely did not set out [the halachic analysis] in a fully clear manner, organized and sufficiently deep. There are certain angles and clear reasons that I totally omitted. The reason behind this is that I did not want the leniency to be too entrenched. In that way, it would always be considered a ruling for exceptional times and a matter that was permitted only due to pressing circumstances.
When one broadens the discussion along the approach of Torah analysis, in the way it has always been practiced in Jewish scholarship, the prohibition would be weakened too much, which I do not want to do under any circumstances. Although if there was an absolute need to present the matter in the clearest manner, I still would not stop pointing out on a regular basis that the leniency is for difficult circumstances to be considered anew based on the times. But still, I prefer to not get to that point, and I would leave the matter with the flimsy presentation that I gave it in the introduction [to Shabbat Ha’aretz].
In truth, one cannot talk, in regard to the matter of Shemitta in Eretz Yisrael, about the customary practice. After all, as long as there was little Jewish-owned [agricultural] land, there was no set custom, because there was, for a long time, a consensus that Shemitta does not apply to non-Jewish fields. It turns out, then, that the present Yishuv created the question, which was born together with the very difficult circumstances. When you deal with a new question, you need to include all of the levels of halachic doubt.
The doubts include the following – A. the basic obligation of Shemitta, whether it is from the Torah or Rabbinic [in our times]; B. The doubt about which year Shemitta is. (Although there is a consensus on which year to observe, it has not been clarified in a manner that there is no doubt. It is clear only that we should not observe more than one year, whereas the year was chosen based on the approach of the Rambam. That does not mean that there is no longer doubt about the year, and the doubt can be combined with other doubts [to arise at leniency]). C. Also, the fact that there is a land tax and the nature of the [Turkish] laws of land regarding ownership, which treat all the land as the property of the kingdom, making the farmer just a renter who receives 90% of the produce according to the law, and probably only 6 or 7 portions, are among the points that lead to leniency in the proper manner.
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
213 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II
214 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part III
215 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
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Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
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 Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part II
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Trying to Arrange Purchase of Land in Eretz Yisrael
#222 Date and Place: 2 Elul 5669 (1909), Rechovot
Igrot Hare’aya Language of Instruction for Rav Kook’s Yeshiva – #325
Date and Place: 4 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Alternatives to Gymnasium and Grafted Etrogim – #286
Date and Place: 18 Adar II, 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Concern for Communal Kashrut Standards – #288, 290
Date and Place: 4 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya What Requires Protest? – #279
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook Date and Place: 15 Adar I 5670 (1910), Yafo
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
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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
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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.
