“It is a lack of understanding or lack of Jewish sensitivity for anyone to say separating trumos and maasros is a waste” stated MK Uri Maklev during a session of the Knesset Audit Committee dealing with a state comptroller’s report that states taking trumos and maasros is a “waste”.
Maklev added that regarding one who is not Torah observant and lacking an understanding of the mitzvos, it would be wise for such a person not to comment on these issues as s/he is not an expert.
A representative of the state comptroller who addressed the report stated there are so many hashgachos this results in taking trumos and maasros more than once and this is ‘baal tashchis’. Maklev defended the commonplace practice as adherence to halacha in today’s reality.
Maklev feels the report displays “a lack of basic understanding and halacha as well as an insensitivity to adherence to mitzvos. One who does not understand halacha cannot make such claims halacha demands this ‘baal tashchis’ from us”.
Rabbi Mordechai Biderman, who heads the Trumos & Maasros unit in the Chief Rabbinate of Israel explained that in most cases, the produce set aside as trumos and maasros is unfit for the marketplace for one reason or another. He added that in most cases, the various private hashgachos cooperate with one another and trumos and maasros are not taken numerous times for the same produce.
The session also addressed the issue of wasting food, primarily by institutions and catering companies and how this prepared food might be able to be saved and used. Maklev explained a system must be set in place to permit businesses willing to donate food to do so without fear while maintaining the integrity of the food until it reaches its final destination.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
“Maklev added that… it would be wise for such a person not to comment on these issues as s/he is not an expert.”
While MK Maklev was speaking about someone who is not an expert in Halacha opining on Trumos and Ma’asros, his comment has many applications. One of these is non-economists speaking about economics, or non-military personnel commenting on military matters. However, MK Maklev, who is an expert in neither of these fields, has for some reason never let that stop him. Perhaps he should heed his own advice, no?
an Israeli Yid
To “anIsraeliYid”:
Maklev is one of the few honest politicians. I am not aware of Maklev issuing expert opinions about military or economics, despite him having served for many years in the economics division of the Jerusalem Muncipality.
Maybe you should heed your own advice & not comment about people you don’t know much about, no ?
Except that in today’s world, it is a waste. The tithes do not go to the people who are supposed to get it and instead is not used at all, so yes, it is wasteful. Whether that’s acceptable or not, is of course a halachic concern, but the produce is indeed wasted.