Excitement was in the air at wheat fields in the center and
south of the country two weeks ago on the occasion of the
harvesting of wheat for the Yad Binyomin Matzos Hamehudoros
bakeries. The bakeries are under the strict supervision of
the BaDaTz of Shearis Yisroel. Present at the inspiring event
were the gaavad of Shearis Yisroel, HaRav Chaim Shaul
Karelitz and the ravad of Kedassia in London, HaRav
Yosef Tzvi Dunner, as well as members of the BaDaTz of
Shearis Yisroel: HaRav Tzvi Friedman, HaRav Eliezer Dunner,
HaRav Y. Chesner, the moreh tzedek of the chareidi
community of Ofakim; and also Rabbi Yekusiel Dershowitz,
director of Shearis and a number of prominent
avreichim.
Preparations for the wheat harvest intensified in the weeks
before the event. Fields earmarked for harvesting were
examined in advance by a team of mashgichim from
Shearis. A Torah-observant combine driver was hired, in line
with the guidelines of Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, who
stipulated that the combine driver -- who does the reaping,
threshing and winnowing -- have in mind that these labors be
lesheim matzos mitzvah.
The go-ahead to begin the actual reaping was approved only
after another inspection of the fields to ensure that all was
well.
Due to the past winter's severe drought, many of the
country's fields yielded no wheat at all, while the wheat in
other fields was of low quality. As a result, efforts were
made to obtain wheat from fields which had been irrigated at
the beginning of the season, and which had yielded especially
high quality wheat of various species, a project which
involved considerably more expense than usual.
The harvesting process, spanning a number of days, began
every morning at least four hours after netz, while
"the sun was in the skies." The operation was performed by a
new combine, which had been thoroughly cleaned.
Reaping began in the fields of Mevo Choron and continued in
wheat fields in the Negev. When the rabbonim arrived, a
halachic discussion about the obligation to fulfill the
mitzvos of leket, shichicho and pei'oh
developed. For a while, the field resembled a beis
medrash.
The rabbonim then instructed the combine driver to recite the
nusach which states that all the tasks he would
perform -- which the combine does simultaneously: harvesting,
threshing and winnowing -- would be lesheim matzos
mitzvah.
The fascinating event began after the gaavad, HaRav
Chaim Shaul Karelitz, honored HaRav Yosef Tzvi Dunner with
the privilege of mounting the steps of the combine and being
the first to turn part of it on.
Those present could not hide their amazement at the special
enthusiasm displayed by HaRav Chaim Shaul Karelitz when he
climbed the steps of the combine in order to turn on the
cutting apparatus, "lesheim matzos mitzvah."
It was especially inspiring to see the most venerable rav of
Europe, the ravad of Kedassia of London, HaRav Yosef
Tzvi Dunner, who had come to Eretz Yisroel especially
for this event, climbing the steps of the combine and seating
himself beside the driver in order to personally participate
in the reaping of the wheat. The ravad of London did
not hide his excitement over the fact that this was the first
time he had personally participated in the harvesting of
wheat for Pesach.
After the first harvesting and the transfer of the wheat to
containers, an on-site mashgiach continued to watch
the wheat. After the containers were carefully covered and
loaded, the trucks began to leave for the cleansing plant.
Special mashgichim manned each truck, watching the
wheat throughout the entire trip and during the unloading at
the plant.
A genuine atmosphere of simchas mitzvah prevailed
during the event, and all of the work was done with a sense
of awareness of the tremendous responsibility resting on the
rabbonim and the mashgichim until the completion of
their task of preparing a sufficient supply of wheat for next
Pesach's matzos, ten months from now.
Following the cleaning, the wheat will be transferred to a
special storehouse in Yad Binyomin, located near the milling
station. The wheat will be stored in hermetically sealed
bags. Terumos and ma'asros will be separated,
according to the stringent procedures Shearis is known
for.
