Dei'ah veDibur - Information &
Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

13 Marcheshvan 5775 - November 6, 2014 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

OBSERVATIONS

HOME
& FAMILY

IN- DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

POPULAR EDITORIALS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Chareidi.org
Chareidi.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS
Shmittah: Every One Has to Try

Maran the Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Shteinman shlita made the following statement to the Keren Hashevi'is:

The Chazon Ish brings in the name of the SM"A that in these times, when the mitzvah of Shevi'is is derabbonon, the Torah blessing of, "I shall command My blessing" does not apply. However, the Chazon Ish himself maintains that even in present times there is this Divine blessing, and in fact we see that brochoh is found by those who observe Shmittah. The fields of those farmers produce beautiful fruit, in contrast to their non-observant neighbors' produce which is meager.

When we see the fulfillment of this blessing of the Torah, we cannot help but acknowledge that the Chazon Ish is the ultimate authority in Eretz Yisrael and he was the one who restored the observance of the mitzvah in the last generation that his word and halachic rulings are accepted in Heaven.

Chazal stated in Pirkei Avos that the world is sentenced to exile because of laxity in keeping Shmittah, whereas observing this commandment brings Geula to the world. We, the public, are commanded to assist those Shmittah observers lest they stumble in the course of time due to the difficulties and trials. It is incumbent upon every one of us to come to their aid as a personal obligation. Whoever does so will surely be blessed from Heaven to be helped in ruchniyus and gashmiyus, and may we merit, with the coming of Moshiach, to keep Shmittah mideOraysa according to all halachic regulations (as heard this past Monday from HaRav Shteinman in his room).

He added that the so-called Heter Mechirah is not a simple authorization but serves to "uproot Shmittah altogether," as if it were nonexistent.

This is how Rabbenu answered one person who said that the Heter Mechirah is a leniency in only one thing, while the Chazon Ish made lenient rulings in many areas. Rabbenu told this person that the Heter Mechirah is not a single lenient ruling but a veritable total extirpation of the very mitzvah of Shmittah!

On this subject, he said that we always see the power of the Chazon Ish particularly during Shmittah, so that in the various situations where there are agricultural losses during the Shmittah year, such as in the case of frost where the fruits of entire orchards were destroyed, in those places where Shmittah was scrupulously observed, there were no damages. On the contrary, the farmers saw great blessing in their produce. It follows what the Chazon Ish determined that even in these times [of Shmittah miderabbanan], the Torah's guaranteed blessing is, notwithstanding, still in effect.

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.