Jews all over the world returned to their routine after Rosh Hashanah but for farmers in Israel, the day after Rosh Hashanah has an extra special significance – a return to working the land after shenas Shemita.
An especially moving scene can be viewed below in a video posted on Wednesday by Chareidi journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir. Dr. Moshe Zaks, a 94-year-old agronomist and farmer, completed his 14th Shemita this past year. The members of the Shalavim kibbutz dance around him with their children as they return to work the land.
The video below shows the tractors returning to plow the fields at the Beit Chilkiya moshav minutes after Rosh Hashanah.
https://twitter.com/elisha_yered/status/1574833754648055808?s=20&t=IuwHdKrbUg_Xh-vYSZV-dQ
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
The גבורה is truly amazing. In their זכות we should merit the גאולה – בקרוב
The sacrifice of these farmers is incredible
They don’t just lose their parnassa- they lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs
They still must pay land taxes
Retain trained workers
Pay to keep renting lands if they are rented
At a recent visit to Israel we met with a farmer who calculated his loss that year above and beyond his wages to be close to a quarter million dollars
And yet he still closed up his farm
I don’t know too many people who would agree to incur such a debt for the sake of Hashem
Bless them and may they enjoy success and bounty
Beautiful! I’m a bit perplexed! The Brooklyn yeshiva school that I went to taught me that 14×7=98. Were they wrong? This farmer is 94 and this is the 14th Shmitta he’s observing! Unless perhaps, like Rivka, he began working as a farmer at age 3 or 4! That could be! Hey, today’s kids aren’t like that!
As hard as it was to keep shmittah (as a housewife), and as relieved I am that I can get rid of the weeds in my garden, I am so blessed to have been able to keep this mitzva for the second time! These farmers are the reason why our land is still so holy, and they are the reason that Moshiach will come, may it be before Shabbos.
Thank you for these clips.
@yaapchik now I understand the NYT’s article.
When he was 3 years old it was shmittah.