Motty Steinmetz Shmita Clip Raises Ire Of Religious Affairs Minister- ‘Propaganda Against Heter Mechira’

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A clip by Motty Steinmetz in support of farmers who are keeping Shmita (leaving their fields fallow during the upcoming Jewish year which is the seventh year of the cycle) has garnered criticism from Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahane because it seemingly calls for people to keep the most stringent form of Shmita by not performing any work in their fields.

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The clip describes a farmer who has fallen on hard times and “has no choice but to rely on the leniency of an unknown rabbi” and to till his field in the Shmita year.

Many farmers in Israel rely on the Heter Mechira, a leniency which was first issued in 1889 and then upheld by Rabbi Kook, the first chief rabbi to serve in Israel. The leniency allows for the land to be sold to gentiles during the course of the seventh year and thus it can be cultivated by Jews since it is not Jewish-owned land which is required to lie fallow. Some rabbis consider this leniency to be crucial to maintaining Israel’s agricultural viability which is a strategic asset in a world which is still dependent on local produce for economic viability.

The leniency has been hotly disputed for over a century and the current opinion of the chief rabbinate as well as the chareidi establishment is that it should only be used in emergency circumstances but in general the biblical command should be maintained. Kahane however felt that the clip degrades those who rely on the leniency, a large proportion of Israel’s farmers as well as those rabbis who supported the leniency.

Clip with Motty Steinmetz (Hebrew with Yiddish subtitles, Yiddish with Hebrew subtitles)

“I really love the songs of Motty Steinmetz, its a pity he has joined the chareidi propaganda against the Heter Mechira which is based on the holy giant Rabbi Kook. It is good that there are different viewpoints, we can differ but there is no need to degrade gedolim. What a shame.”

Bannet Productions which issued the clip responded by stating: “Dear brothers, we saw your responses and it’s important for us to stress that we do not slight the rulings of any rabbi or Jewish practices of any kind.

“The clip was not intended to insult any person or community and if anyone was insulted we request forgiveness on the eve of the High Holydays. We bless everyone with a happy new year, a year in which we will “see each other’s attributes and not the shortcomings.”

 


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16 Comments
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YITZCHOKLEVI
YITZCHOKLEVI
2 years ago

Tell Kahane to ask his buddies in the Conservative & the Reform movements. They will tell him they don’t believe in Shmittah.
He known nothing about Piskei Halacha and should leave Psak to the Rabonim. Cabinet Ministers should stick to politics.

Hat
Hat
2 years ago

The guy playing he farmer is basically crying that he is relying on Heter Mecheria from some “unknown” Rabbi and his father should forgive him for doing so, only to be saved from this terrible thing by others.

Agree or disagree with Heter Mechera but to suggest that this video was not insulting those who would rely on it, is simply a lie. The apology does not change that. I guess the people behind it, rationalize that they are saving people from a D’Oraisa so lying about what they said is okay.

Maharam
Maharam
2 years ago

Uh
Rabbi matan!
We must heed this mans word!
He has only been fulfilling ועשו סייג לתורה since the day he came into office

This mans word carries a lot of weight especially after all he has done to ensure giyur and kashrus are held to the highest standards with no compromises!

Rocky Stewart
Rocky Stewart
2 years ago

Rav Cook zatzal had many other chumros that one must do at that time together with the Heter Mechira ( which at that time was mamash Hatzolos Nefoshos) It was not a blanket Heter to do stam Heter Mechira. He would never have allowed what they do today with Heter Mechira

snowman
snowman
2 years ago

The intellectual dishonesty of the anti-Heter Mechirah faction is well documented. They have gone so far as to delete teshuvos in support of the heter when reprinting seforim of past poskim. Such people cannot be trusted or believed in anything they say. By all means allow each farmer to decide for himself what to do with the guidance of a competent rav but respect his decision because yesh lo al mi lismoch.

Last edited 2 years ago by snowman
Anonymous
Anonymous
2 years ago

“Many farmers in Israel rely on the Heter Mechira, a leniency which was first issued in 1889 and then upheld by Rabbi Kook, the first chief rabbi to serve in Israel.”

Actually, Rabbi Kook was appointed the political job of Chief Rabbi in then-Palestine, not Israel.

Also, the present Zionist “Religious Affairs” minister is said to be a “Religious Zionist”.

It is, thus, worth noting the Brisker Rav’s highly publicized printed daas Torah that the “Religious Zionist” education system is a “sea of heresy mixed in with a drop of Torah”.

Secular
Secular
2 years ago

Yet nearly everyone sells their חמץ …..