We are happy to hear that there has been an increase in the
number of the farmers, gibborei koach, who have
accepted upon themselves to keep the Shevi'is laws
pertaining to fruits and specifically vineyards, because
shomrei Shevi'is have always needed exceptional self
restraint to refrain from all pruning in the seventh
year.
Now these farmers are standing firm in all the difficult
trials of the gibborei koach who observe Shevi'is.
They prune in the sixth year and maintain their orchards
and vineyards according to the din. All these
orchards and vineyards are under the supervision of the
Otzar Beis Din headed by the HaRav HaGaon R' Nissim Karelitz
shlita and his beis din. Everything is done
according to this beis din which is particular that
no forbidden work should be done in these orchards, chas
vesholom. Those dealing with the fruit receive only
compensation for their expenses and are particular that this
should not involve issur sechora.
At the vine harvest, wine and grape juice with kedushas
shevi'is will be produced and distributed under the
auspices of the Otzar Beis Din. Kashrus arrangements
will be of the highest hiddur.
Because the fruit distribution has just begun, I hereby
appeal to the Torah observant community and to Torah
institutions to assist in the observance of shmittah
by buying the products distributed by the Otzar Beis
Din. There are those who hold that eating shmittah
fruit is the fulfillment of a mitzvah (Tashbatz in the
Zohar Haroki'a and the Megillas Esther).
How the Ridvaz zt"l toiled that Shmittah
observance should return to the Holy Land! He
distributed kiddush wine of kedushas shevi'is
taken from fields where the verse, "And the land shall rest
a Sabbath of Hashem," had been fulfilled. We had not merited
to do this since the destruction of the Temple (as he writes
in the introduction of his sefer).
Buying fruit and wine and grape juice will help the beis
din to pay the expenses of the farmers they represent,
who keep shevi'is according to halacha. May all those
who assist these shomrei shevi'is be blessed by the
Source of all blessing.
In the merit of keeping shevi'is according to
halacha, may we speedily merit the complete Redemption.
(signed) Yosef Sholom Eliashiv
Jerusalem
