Following numerous requests regarding the problem of water on Pesach, MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni contacted Mekorot CEO Ronen Wolfman and Central District Manager Yisrael Mantel with his annual request to provide a solution for those who do not want to drink water from the Kinneret that passes through the uncovered national water carrier. On the other hand underground water does not raise any concerns of containing chometz since it is not exposed.
In response to Rabbi Gafni’s request, Wolfman said the proposed plan is to provide underground water to as many towns as possible, namely Jerusalem, Beitar Illit, Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Ye’arim (Telzstone), Modi’in, Modi’in Illit, Chashmonaim, Rosh Ha’ayin, Elad, Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Givatayim.
Hadera and Netanya will also be supplied with underground water, but if any technical difficulties arise Mekorot will have to supply water from the Kinneret. Haifa will be supplied with reservoir water for five days in coordination with the local rabbonim.
Based on Rabbi Gafni’s request the transition to underground water will take place on Thursday.
The head of Bnei Brak’s water department, Engineer Shalom Daniel, arranged to have Mekorot supply the city with well water from Rosh Ha’ayin. City Secretary and Spokesman Rabbi Avrohom Tanenbaum said that years ago Bnei Brak residents used regular Mekorot tap water, and for a period they used water from the national carrier. Due to the possibility of chometz during these years Bnei Brak residents began using only water from local wells during Pesach, but the well water, which comprises 40 percent of all potable water in the city throughout the year, does not suffice for the entire population, which grew during this period. As a result a new arrangement was introduced involving the use of underground water with close sanitary supervision based on the same standards used in overseeing water from the national carrier.
(Source: Dei’ah veDibur)
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6 Responses
In Europe they definitely did not drink from the Kinneret. You have the wrong idea – blindly NOT doing anything that “our forefathers” didn’t do is just as bad or worse than blindly doing exactly as they did. Feel free to use sechel to distinguish where or where not to apply your statement. In this case it is ridiculous.
Waiting to hear all the THANK YOUS to those who are going out of their way, to cater to a minority opinion.
Is there a real possiblity for Chametz to get into the water supply?
supposedly chilonim who know that chametz isnt batel throw bread into the kinneret.
jdspero, I second that
sheryl, jdspero made 2 comments. Which is it that you stand behind?
Is it the first? The one where he asserts that since our forefathers in Europe didn’t worry about the tap water we also shouldn’t? That one is ridiculous because they didn’t have tap water – they drew water from a well before Y”T or set out buckets to catch rainwater.
Or is it the second? Where he makes an unrelated comment that one should follow Gedolim blindly? I agree with that too except that it has no relevance here. In this case it is Rabbonim who are saying to be concerned about the water supply and he is mocking them. If anything, he is contradicting himself. Is that what you agree with?
Edited by Site Moderation Panel.