Hundreds of "giborei koach" farmers from the North
were honored at a special event in Afula sponsored by the
National Center for Shomrei Shevi'is at Kommemiyus, which is
under the aegis of Keren Shevi'is.
The event was led by HaRav Elimelech Tirnauer, who invited
the rov of Kfar Gidon, HaRav Avrohom Halevy Lipshitz, to
address the gathering, followed by HaRav Shechter, who serves
as a rov and moreh tzedek in London and as chairman of
Keren Shevi'is of England.
HaRav Avrohom Margaliot, the rov of Carmiel, noted this is a
gathering of farmers who wholeheartedly devoted themselves to
keeping shmittah properly, in accordance with halacha.
HaRav Y.D. Grossman, the rov of Migdal Ha'Emek, told the
farmers they had the merit to keep the mitzvah for which
Moshe Rabbeinu yearned to enter Eretz Yisroel. He also
conveyed blessings in the name of the Admor of Lelov, who was
unable to attend the event.
The speeches were followed by a collective acceptance of the
Yoke of Heaven, and then the farmers all took out the shofars
they received upon arrival at the event and blew them at the
same time. Afterwards they danced together in a show of
simchoh shel mitzvah.
HaRav Y.M. Zonenfeld, the rov of Rechasim, said 90 years ago
his father stood up to the porkei ol and declared,
"The day will come when our Holy Land will be filled with
shomrei Shevi'is," and now 2,500 farmers have let
350,000 dunams (85,000 acres) of farmland lie fallow.
Others speakers included the farmer Isaac Perl of Ein Ilah,
the Admor of Modzitz and HaRav M.M. Mendelson, the av beis
din of Moshav Kommemiyus. Birkas Hamozone was led by
David Damati, a farmer from Achihud.
