(Click on image to ENLARGE) Amidst great joy and excitement, a most unusual and momentous gathering was held in Moshav Yad Rambam, next to Ramla, as Rav Aron Leib Shteinman came to encourage the valiant farmers who took upon themselves to observe Shmittah according to halacha.
At this inspiring event, which proved to be a very moving experience for the farmers, the Rav spoke words of support and encouragement to the many farmers who gathered together from the neighboring moshavim in the moshav’s shul.
The special visit was inspired by the director of “Keren Hashviis” in Israel, Rav Ben Zion Kugler. At the end of last week, he came to Reb Shteinman’s home to ask him to come and inspire the farmers who are experiencing a great nisayon in these days approaching the planting season. This visit would reinforce the decision of the many farmers who accepted upon themselves at the start of the shemita year to observe the mitzvah of sheviis according to halacha.
The Rav immediately accepted the invitation, and within a short time “Keren Hashviis” arranged that the gathering be held at Moshav Yad Rambam, next to Ramla. Many farmers arrived Tuesday morning from all the surrounding moshavim and gathered initially next to the farming areas which had been left fallow. In the farm’s storage area laid many farming tools which also had been left to rest, according to the halacha.
Rav Shteinman was apparently very moved by the sight of the large field belonging to farmer Yehuda Avital, which had been left fallow. The many farmers in turn approached the Rav to request his bracha. The Rav turned immediately to the farmers and said “The title “giborei koach”- “brave heroes”- was meant only for you. There is no other mitzvah in the Torah whose observers are referred to as such.”
The gathering next to the farmland continued for a long time, as each farmer approached the Rav to relate the extent of his land which had been left fallow, something which caused much emotion among those present.
Rav Shteinman continuously repeated in his address “the need to give chizuk to the SHMITTAH observers and it is impossible to describe how important this is in the Heavens.” He ended with the bracha “How praiseworthy you are to be standing up to this nisayon, and in this zchus Hakadosh Baruch Hu will help all of you and your families with parnasa, health and everything you need, and you will be zocheh to olam haba, which is the eternal world, and that is the main thing.”
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6 Responses
it is amazing to me that nobody out there had a comment. for all the mundane and vain news items that appear here there is a flood of responses but for something which gives the ribino shel olam much nachas from us there is no comment! we stand here in tumas eretz hoamim while these champions of spirit stand tall defending klal yisroel before the borei olam. i feel tremendous pride to be called a brother to these giants.
What these farmers are doing is completely amazing. We should all be in tremendous awe.
It turns out that this is old news. This same exact picture and story occured about a month ago. It was featured in many of the chareidi papers in Yerushalayim.
nuschus, that could be why nobody is posting. BTW, I do agree with you. All the mundane and day-to-day matters get a flood of posts, but devarim she’b’kedusha get a few comments.
This is the problem today, gashmiyus has unfortunately “overcome” the ruchniyus. I could go and on, but I will spare the readership of Yeshiva World my long and lengthy philosophical ideas.
From Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh
happens to be yw.com has much more ruchniyusdige comments than most places. and many times torahdige topics and opinions have been launched and debated on in the comments section. just keep your eyes open, and read every comment. most people probably skip the ones that have a thread of a dvar torah in it. too boring for them.
Today, we do not always feel mesiras nefesh for a mitzvah. Here these farmers, who do not even know so much, are voluntarily giving themselves the yisurim of not actively working on parnasa, watching their hard work turn bad, along with other yisruim which I do not know since I am not a farmer. We should all learn how to be moser nefesh like them and accept yisurim with love.
Wow! These farmers should be gebentched, have nachas from their families, and much hatzlacha in Parnassah in the years following shmitah.
I feel so little just reading about these people!