Comments on: Eretz Yisroel: The Shmita wars have begun

By: Benson47

Benson47 — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:23:00 +0000

Facts as they are:
To rely today on sale of land to non-Jews is first an issue which has Halachic ramifications. The use of a Heter given in years where the agriculture in Israel was undeveloped and the lack of products could be a famine risk has to be reviewed in the situation where the agriculture is well developed and alternative means are possible. It is enough a heter to sell chometz for 7 days and even than there are sources who make the issue debatable. To sell for a WHOLE YEAR huge tracts of land is even a greater lenience especially when there ae other options. on this precipice there are even religious nationalists who work with the Charedi community to circumvent the necessity to rely on the sale of land for other workable options.
The use of arab produce is also a partial option.According to the Chazon Ish [relying on the opinion of the Mabit], produce grown on land of Eretz Yisroel under gentile ownership has the same SHmita limitations as Jewish produce. Therefore the comments of “arab cucumbers” etc. is merely a part of the story. The vast majority of produce is INDEED imported vegetables from Europe etc. and not from Gaza.
Also, to make a statement that merchant ties with arabs is putting $$ into terrorist pockets is a generalization. Most of the produce does NOT arrive from Gaza but from Judean locations and those arab individuals working in agriculture and merchant sales of produce aren’ t terrorist advocates. It isn’t profitable for them and won’t endanger their future for shuttling profits to terrorists. Terrorists are funded mainly from abroad-Egypt,Syria and Iran. I am sure that if the country could make use of all vegetable produce from imports without using local arab produce they would consider it, but to say that buying produce from arabs means putting $$$ in terrorist pockets is at most a monstrous overstatement.

By: MelechEitan

MelechEitan — Wed, 23 May 2007 18:17:02 +0000

I dont understand why the Eda Charedis would prefer to buy from the murderous arabs YM”S rather than set up an otzar beis din (Like the Tzionim are doing) or just rely on the heter for shmita bzman hazeh which is Drabanan anyway lfi rov poskim. I know that historicaly Charediem hashkafically disagree with anything the Tzionim do bshita, but come on, this is ridiculos. How is it any different than Neturei Karta mingling with the Iranians or the PLO, which even Satmar was against. Also, the heter, imho, is to prevent the non-religious farmers from being over on the issurim, which they are going to do most likely with or without buying from the arabs. Therefore, why not prevent being mikalkel Erezt HaKodesh and rely on the heter, which, in any case is better than giving the arabs YM”S money.

By: stan the man

stan the man — Tue, 22 May 2007 23:10:38 +0000

bugnot “cooked up 50 yrs ago”- u talking about the heter of Rav E. Speckter zt”l?

By: bugnot

bugnot — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:29:33 +0000

“saying they scoff at solutions meant to protect farmers but have no problem finding solutions to circumvent the biblical prohibition against charging interest.”

how dare you reprint such outright apikorsus?
How dare they compare a heter made by Tanaim/Amoraim (i don’t remember which) to something cooked up (pun not intended) 50 years ago

By: stan the man

stan the man — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:02:10 +0000

Wasn’t cucumbers what made the yiddim unhappy in the desert, that they wanted to return to Egypt? A little ironic.

By: esg78

esg78 — Tue, 22 May 2007 16:40:47 +0000

I see a certain amount of hypocrisy here. Not every Arab farmer is automatically a terrorist. Also, tens of thousands of Arabs used to and I think to some extent still do, cross into Israel every day to work for Israeli Jews. Why isn’t that considered $$ for terrorists?

By: sayitlikeitis

sayitlikeitis — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:58:49 +0000

gemora
Find a solution or DO NOT eat them. How about a drop of sensitivity might be necessary, instead of buying them from the Arabs of GAZA?
$$$$ for terror, figure out a solution that does not include a rock in the forehead of a Jew.

By: gemorakop

gemorakop — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:58:08 +0000

for all those knocking the Edah HaCharedis, there is unfortunately no other way to get cucumbers and tomatoes than to purchase from the arabs in Gaza. To import these items will make the cost prohibitive, and given that they would be considered “sefichin” if not grown by goyim, there is no other solution.

By: Yitzd

Yitzd — Tue, 22 May 2007 13:45:41 +0000

How can they call themselves Religious Zionists when they sell the Land of Israel to arabs? The Torah does not say anything about not owning land during Shmittah the Torah says the Land must rest!
The Eidah HaChareidis should be ashamed of themselves everyone know that ever agorah given to an arab is in part used to support terror! They could have put pressure on the gvt. to arrange for imports from “friendly” countries!