THE FIRST SHMITA UNDER THE REBBE’S LEADERSHIP

Erev Rosh HaShana 5712/1951 was the start of the first Shmita since the Rebbe became Nasi of Chabad.  Even before the Shmita year began, the Rebbe said that the Alter Rebbe’s view should be publicized, that one should make a Pruzbul Erev a Shmita year too.

From left to right: R’ SZ Garelik, R’ Yaakov Landau, and his sons R’ Moshe Yehuda Leib Landau, R’ Eliyahu LandauAfter davening Shacharis on Erev Rosh HaShana, the Rebbe did Hataras Nedarim before ten distinguished Chassidim. Then the Rebbe said, “Since we are entering a Shmita year, we also need to make a Pruzbul as the Alter Rebbe writes in Shulchan Aruch, that “every G-d fearing person should be stringent and make a Pruzbul.”  He adds “the time for a Pruzbul is, L’chat’chilla, at the end of the sixth year before Rosh HaShana of the seventh.”

After saying this, the Rebbe said to the group, “I don’t know whether anyone owes me anything, but if so, I give over to you all debts that people may have with me so that I can collect them whenever I want.”

Once again, the Rebbe turned to the congregation and said, “Surely everyone will do likewise, and may all have a k’siva va’chasima tova.”

The Rebbe wrote the instruction to publicize the Alter Rebbe’s view to make a Pruzbul Erev a Shmita year in a note to a kuntres which was published for Chai Elul, shortly before Rosh HaShana.  The Chabad posek, R’ Chaim Noeh, immediately set to publicize what the Rebbe said in Hamodia (the only religious daily newspaper at the time in Eretz Yisroel). 

5712 – A TURNING POINT

The Shmita year of 5712 was a critical turning point regarding everything having to do with the laws of Shmita and the establishing of a kashrus infrastructure to deal with these matters.  From the previous Shmita to this one, the number of Jews living in Eretz Yisroel had doubled due to massive aliya.  Among the new immigrants were many who were very religious, who sought to observe all the hiddurim of kashrus, especially those required in a Shmita year.  However, unlike the previous Shmita when it was possible to buy produce from Arabs who lived all over the country, after the War of Independence the number of Arabs in Eretz Yisroel was very small and they were not on good terms with the neighboring Arab countries.

When there are no vegetables, you eat other things.  That would seem to be the logical thing to do, but in those days, when the Israeli economy was terrible, for which reason “austerity measures” were instituted in which basic food items were distributed by coupons only, there were shortages of everything.  Obviously, it was nearly impossible to obtain substitute products.

Due to these complicated problems, those who were religiously observant were nervous about the approaching Shmita year of 5712.  All religious people, from the rabbanim and farmers to the housewives, were nervous that they would have to live through a Shmita year under very difficult circumstances.

WITHOUT A HETER MECHIRA

As is known, there are rabbanim in the Mizrachi movement who rely on the Heter Mechira which entails selling land in Eretz Yisroel to non-Jews for the duration of the Shmita year.  They then work the land as usual.  However, the rabbanim of other denominations paskened that these leniencies should not be relied upon, despite knowing how difficult the Shmita year would be.

The Rebbe strongly opposed the Heter Mechira and in anticipation of the upcoming difficulties he made sure to encourage the leaders of Kfar Chabad to enlist help from organizations in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.  Remember, Kfar Chabad was founded in the summer of 5709/1949, just two and a half years earlier, and most of the residents earned a living from agriculture.  Now, they would have to cease working in the fields.

The situation in the Kfar was very complicated.  Since the Kfar had been founded, the Rebbe Rayatz and the Rebbe had invested tremendous efforts into establishing farming in Kfar Chabad so that the Chassidim who survived the war and the worn-out Russian refugees would finally live peaceful lives.  The Rebbeim reached out to key players in government offices and relief organizations so that land, tools, and whatever they might need, would be given to them.  Jewish Agency officials and top functionaries in the Agricultural Ministry, who were touched by the suffering of Chassidim under communism and Nazi rule, and others who knew Chabad from before helped as much as they could and more.  Some even provided budgetary means and assistance above and beyond any and all legal quotas.

Then came the Shmita year; if agriculture would take a break in Kfar Chabad, severe problems in parnasa would result and the government officials who had helped them until that point would not take kindly to their “break” for an entire year.

R’ Shneur Zalman Garelik, rav of Kfar Chabad, entered into halachic negotiations with other great rabbanim in Eretz Yisroel to find out what to do.  When he wrote to the Rebbe, the Rebbe responded that Kfar Chabad is not the only yishuv where Shmita is observed b’hiddur and there were other religious kibbutzim that kept Shmita.

In light of this, it was clear that in Kfar Chabad they would not rely on any leniency and therefore they would not work the land.  At this point, it was feared that the government would compel the residents to plant, since it was the government which supplied them with land and agricultural equipment.

The Rebbe took advantage of the visit of Mordechai Sirkis, head of the council of Kfar Saba and member of the acting committee of the Histadrut national labor union, to him in 5711 to discuss this with him.  Sirkis promised to see to it that the government would not force the residents of Kfar Chabad to do agricultural work during the Shmita year.

At the same time, the Rebbe urged the vaad of Kfar Chabad to obtain monetary help for the farmers who were not working.  In the summer of 5711/1951, the Rebbe encouraged the heads of Kfar Chabad to try and get aid from the Shmita Fund in the US.

At the end of Av and the beginning of Elul 5711, leaders of the United Jewish Appeal from the US, leaders of the United Israel Appeal and leaders from the Joint Distribution Committee visited Eretz Yisroel.  When the Rebbe found out, he wrote to the vaad of Kfar Chabad that they should see to it that these leaders visited Kfar Chabad. After a nice welcome, representatives of the residents, along with representatives of Agudas Chassidei Chabad and representatives of Chabad shuls all over the country, should meet with them and ask for help for the Shmita year.

During the visit, a memorandum about Shmita in Kfar Chabad was given to Dr. Schwartz, director of the UJA.  However, Chabad askanim in Eretz Yisroel were afraid that this request wasn’t enough.  So leaders of Kfar Chabad asked R’ Pinye Altheus, member of the leadership of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, to ask the Rebbe to influence Dr. Schwartz to accede to their request.  The Rebbe gave the job to his representative R’ Binyamin Gorodetzky who carried it out; it seemed as though the request would be approved.

Then something went awry and Dr. Schwartz denied the request of the vaad of Kfar Chabad, claiming he had no funds for this purpose and other excuses such as, “It is hard to explain to the donors here in America, since they know that the chief rabbinate found a way to work the land.”

The Rebbe expressed surprise about this negative answer in a letter to the vaad of Kfar Chabad on 22 Cheshvan, and found another possible source of money: “I have also found out, and this is practically relevant, that the Jewish Agency designated a sum of 125,000 as a Shmita Fund and for this you need to speak directly with the Agency in Eretz Yisroel with a demand, and of course the earlier the better.”

The vaad of Kfar Chabad began looking into the possibility of receiving money from this fund, but were told no.  The secretary of the vaad, R’ Yitzchok Mendel Liss, reported to the Rebbe who responded in a telegram dated 20 Kislev, “The matter of the Agency’s Shmita fund is based on what [Dr.] Schwartz told Gorodetzky and he is currently visiting in Eretz Yisroel.” 

On 12 Teves, the Rebbe explained in a letter to the vaad that he was surprised to hear that they received a negative answer since Dr. Schwartz spoke explicitly about the Agency’s Shmita fund. The Rebbe expressed his apprehension that they were hiding the Shmita fund from them so that they would not receive many requests or for other reasons.  Therefore, the Rebbe suggested, “If you can meet with Dr. Schwartz and remind him – albeit pleasantly and diplomatically – about this matter, he should be able to help you with this.”

Their efforts were in vain.

After a few months, in Sivan, the Rebbe asked again what had happened with the financial aid.

In addition to the proper observance of Shmita in Kfar Chabad, the Rebbe told R’ Garelik to arrange shiurim in the laws of Shmita and he told Agudas Chassidei Chabad to spread awareness of Shmita, i.e. information needed for those who observe Shmita.

SHMITA IN
TOMCHEI T’MIMIM

In Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Lud, which had also been founded just a few years before Shmita, no dramatic change was noticed in the meals that were served since, in any case, financial austerity was the norm and the food was limited.  Thanks to the directors of the yeshiva, R’ Efraim Wolf and R’ Avrohom Drizin, there was no difference in what was served.  The two of them spared no effort to take care of the bachurim so they would have food to eat and there would be no reduction in their nutrition.

The hanhala of the yeshiva had to plead and beg government officials and wealthy people to donate food to them.  As the same time, they enlisted help from wealthy people abroad who sent them shipments of meat.  But for certain reasons, these shipments did not always reach their destination.  Despite all the problems, the talmidim did not feel any lack.

One of the important supporters of the yeshiva at that time was R’ Shmuel Betzalel Altheus of Melbourne, Australia. R’ Avrohom Drizin turned to him at the beginning of the Shmita year and requested urgent aid: “Our financial situation which is difficult to bear forces us to turn to you once again and remind you of the tremendous hardships we have … In addition to this, this year is a Shmita year and we do not use any produce that is grown here and so we find ourselves lacking on both fronts, i.e. we have no food items since our supply was used up and there are no vegetables either for us to use, and so we face a severe problem which threatens the existence of our institution, for what shall we give our talmidim to eat?

“We have no other choice but to turn to our friends abroad for help.  We turn to you to invest your great and prodigious energies into the matter of sending food to our yeshiva as soon as possible because each additional day places a heavy burden upon us.”

CHABAD RABBANIM IN THE NATIONWIDE KASHRUS AGENCIES

There were three large kashrus agencies at that time in Eretz Yisroel, and the three of them handled the Shmita issue devotedly, though each was on its own.  These kashrus agencies were run by the Eidah HaChareidis, the Vaad HaRabbanim of Agudas Yisroel, and by Rabbi Yaakov Landau, rav of B’nei Brak, a distinguished Chabad rav.

The kashrus division of Agudas Yisroel was founded just a few years earlier (when Agudas Yisroel and the Eidah HaChareidis split) and this was run by three rabbanim including the Chabad posek, R’ Chaim Noeh.  He had vast experience in kashrus and Shmita since he had been part of the kashrus division of the Eidah HaChareidis for many years.

Let’s take a look at the kashrus divisions in which Chabad rabbanim were actively involved.  The Vaad HaRabbanim of Agudas Yisroel, which was headed by three distinguished geonim, R’ Noeh, R’ Yitzchok Zilberman, and R’ Gershon Lapidot, did much to supply produce without any Shmita concerns despite all the obstacles this entailed.  At the same time, they had to supervise the stores which sold merchandise intended for religious customers.

Apparently, gentile produce was not available in the Shmita year of 5712.  Religious people who lived through that time have painful memories of that period seared into their hearts. The directors of the kashrus divisions put in tremendous effort into getting the austerity rules changed for the ultra-Orthodox so they could receive rations that had no Shmita concerns, like rice from abroad and eggs instead of fruits and vegetables.  That year it was very hard to get a sack of flour or sugar without Shmita concerns.  If you found such a sack it was quite a find.

Representatives of Agudas Yisroel went all over the country, climbing on sacks in wheat silos and large warehouses and they also visited importers.  They looked at sack after sack for clear signs that the wheat was from abroad in its original packaging.  The bakeries under excellent hechsherim baked limited amounts and there was always the fear of what would be available to bake with on the morrow.

After exerting mighty pressure, the ultra-Orthodox leaders were able to reach an agreement in which there was increased importation of sugar, wheat, dried onions, potatoes, apples etc. for those observing Shmita.

Since the laws of Shmita were not familiar enough to people, especially not to new immigrants who had never observed this mitzva before, R’ Chaim Noeh took on the job of explaining and teaching the laws of Shmita.  He publicized many practical Piskei Halacha regarding the laws of Shmita in his column in Hamodia.  These Piskei Halacha were written on numerous topics having to do with Shmita produce, other things that grow, biur of Shmita produce, Pruzbul (the cancellation of financial debts), and more.  His first article on the subject of Shmita was published on 26 Tishrei 5712.

These Piskei Halacha on Shmita were published in 5712 and 5713 and were welcomed by the religious public, as they were clearly written.  These articles covered a vast array of pertinent topics and were based on the rulings handed down by the greats of earlier generations, many of which he heard directly when he was involved in kashrus work for the Eidah HaChareidis.

With these Piskei Halacha, people knew what to do about all growing things, how to handle actual Shmita fruit, and when and whether things could be bought in the market without concern.

MY ADVICE – BUY LETTUCE NOW

Pesach was approaching and in addition to the year-round concerns, many people were also worried that they would not be able to buy enough lettuce. R’ Noeh found creative solutions for this too which he publicized in his column on 2 Nissan.

First he brings the Halacha that the main way to fulfill the mitzva of maror is with lettuce, as well as the din in Shulchan Aruch that one fulfills his obligation with the leaves only when they are moist, while the stalk can be used whether dry or moist.  Based on this R’ Noeh wrote the following suggestion for Shmita observing Jews:

“Therefore, I suggest that you buy lettuce today and keep it under careful supervision for Pesach, hiding it away in a cool place.  By Pesach the leaves will wither and rot, but the stalk will remain in good condition since the leaves were covering it all along and preserving its moistness (and even if it becomes dry it is also kosher for maror).  On Erev Pesach remove the leaves and throw them out and leave the stalk in its outer layer, and on Pesach night, before the Seder, peel the stalk and fulfill the mitzva of maror.  You can also remove the leaves and eat them now, just leaving some leaves around the stem so that it remains somewhat moist and be more fit to eat than if it’s dry … But do not leave the lettuce for 24 hours in water because then it will be considered pickled and you are not able to fulfill your obligation with pickled maror, neither with the leaves nor the stalk.”

Many years later, R’ Noeh’s Piskei Shmita were published in book form.

SHMITA IN B’NEI BRAK

R’ Yaakov Landau served as the rav of B’nei Brak from the year 1936.  In this position, he had to oversee the entire kashrus infrastructure required by the residents of B’nei Brak.

Back in 1938 he oversaw the kashrus operations for Shmita, as well as in 1945, but in those years produce was bought from Arab farmers and the Shmita year passed relatively smoothly.  However, in 5712/1952, B’nei Brak also opened a special division to supply produce even though the city of B’nei Brak was just starting out and its population wasn’t that big, as R’ Moshe Yehuda Leib Landau, son of the rav, related years later:

“In 5712, before Pesach, a shortage of kosher potatoes was expected, so R’ Yosef Kristal worked on importing potatoes from Cyprus.  Starting from that Pesach 5712, a Shmita vaad was formed which took care of the people’s needs so they could observe Shmita properly.  That is how proper care in observance of Shmita was established in B’nei Brak.  Obviously, from Shmita to Shmita things developed further for more people were keeping the halachos and more and more products were needed.  Today, it’s hard to imagine B’nei Brak with only a few people observing Shmita b’hiddur.  To describe the privation at that time, I can tell you that for Rosh HaShana of the 8^th year, they brought us half an apple grown abroad.”

TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT SHMITA

We will conclude with the Rebbe’s horaa to the hanhala of Kfar Chabad to prepare for the next Shmita year, 5719.  Farmers in Kfar Chabad complained already in the middle of 5717 that the vaad of Kfar Chabad was not preparing enough in advance of Shmita.  The Rebbe responded that one should learn from the places where they observe Shmita properly where immediately after one Shmita year ends, they start preparing for the next one.  The Rebbe writes that they could find out how to proceed by inquiring of those involved in Shmita at Moshav Komemiyus and Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim.

In 5719, the situation was far better, for some of the arrangements made during the previous Shmita year were already in place.  The Israeli economy had also greatly improved.  Although produce was expensive, those living in Eretz Yisroel were not hungry.

May we observe this Shmita year 5775 punctiliously and in peace and soon merit everlasting peace with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.