With Shmittah beginning this week, my wife and I have to make a decision.
There are two minhagim ('traditions') in Israel, which differ on one small point, yet have profound consequences.
There are three main ways to get produce during Shmittah:
1. Through Otzer Beis Din. The farmer, as per halacha, does not work his land, declares the produce ownerless, and Beis Din (Jewish court) comes, harvests it, and brings it to the store. Since, the produce was ownerless; the fruits are cheaper than ever. You just pay for the 'travel' expense.
2. From produce outside of Israel. Since it's not from Israel, it has no holiness.
3. Arab produce (from Israel), which we get during the other six years as well.
The question is: what is the status of Arab produce in Israel? Does it contain holiness or not?
Minhag Yerushaliyim (Jerusalem) says 'no'. It's like produce from outside of Israel and can be treated in any way.
Minhag Bnei Brak says 'yes', and each vegetable must be treated properly, and cannot be thrown away in a normal manner.
Both are completely acceptable and both have very big people keeping it. However, if you hold Minhag Bnei Brak, you will be running your kitchen and shopping in a more careful way for the next year and a half.
With Shmittah produce, you have a mitzvah to 'guard' it , by treating it with respect. If you don't, you do an aveirah (sin).
So, if you keep Minhag Yerushaliyim, there's no risk, since it has no holiness, yet at the same time, you're not performing the mitzvah.
However, with Minhag Bnei Brak, every time you treat it properly and 'guard' its holiness, it's a mitzvah, AND the food you are eating contains holiness. However, you get a black mark if you treat it improperly.
Right now, since we've been brushing up on our Shmittah education and asking questions, we're leaning towards Bnei Brak. This happens only in Israel and only once in seven years. It's too hard to pass up on this opportunity.
Okay, on to more Torah!
"And you will hear these words and bless yourself in your heart saying, "I will have peace, I will go with the whim of my heart..." Devarim (29:18)
A few years ago we spoke of this pasuk and said that this can refer those that change around the Torah to fit their desires. After "correcting" what they believe Hashem somehow made wrong, they will be able to live their lives in a happy, "Jewish" manner.
This pasuk can refer to another type of personality that we all contain a little of.
The more time I spend learning, the more time I realize what little we know. In the mornings, we learn halacha. We start with the Gemara, move to the Rif, Rabbenu Yona, the Rosh, the Rambam, the Tur, Beis Yosef, and finally the Shulchan Oruch and Mishnah Brurah.
Unfortunately, most Jews have no idea who these names are.
Simply put, they are the basic “founding fathers” of Jewish law. In order to know, understand, and render halacha, you need these as a mere beginning.
However, most people are satisfied with their lot. They have no need to know who these great rabbeim are or what they have to say. They can read about Jewish law in a Jewish paper, internet, or an Artscroll book. Suddenly we know all the important things, we know the halacha, and we are free to render judgment. We pat ourselves on the back when we 'know' what we're talking about, and we feel free to argue in halacha with others.
We live in true ignorance, and thinking we know it all, we live in bliss.
Hashem gave us the Torah to learn, understand, and integrate into our lives. When we have a question, whether in halacha or in Jewish outlook, we have two options:
1. We can say, "Well, I believe..."
2. We can sit, learn, ask questions, and understand.
If we walk around thinking that we have all the Torah we need, we will continue to fool ourselves for the rest of our lives. With our lack of knowledge, we will only continue to fall in our growth.
Or, we can learn and strive to understand the Torah the way it is meant to be. We can sit and toil for hours and days to find out the underlying reasons for halachos or beliefs, and truly know Torah. It might not be as 'quick and painless' as the first option, but it will lead us to live a proper life as the Torah wanted us to.
With that, I wish you all an excellent Shabbos!