Rav Avraham Yitzchak haCohen Kook zt”l (1865-1935) was one of titanic figures in Jewish history. His mastery of all areas of Jewish knowledge, his prolific writing on all branches of Torah, his bold leadership of the Jewish people coupled with his absolute love for all Jews make him absolutely unique.
The title of this series of talks is “Rav Kook’s Teachings:Shmittah.” When people mention Rav Kook in connection with Shmittah they are referring to his famous “Heter Mechirah” the sale of agricultural land to a non-Jew. This sale would abrogate (to a certain extent) the Shmittah regulations which limit agricultural activity.
Rav Kook’s book on the laws of Shmittah is titled Shabbat ha’Aretz. The book has three sections. The first section is an extended essay on the meaning of Shmittah and the return in our time of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. The third section is Rav Kook’s extensive notes to the laws of Shmittah of the Rambam. The second section is Rav Kook’s “Heter Mechirah.” This section is sixty-six pages long and is an exhaustive discussion of the laws of Shmittah and the basis for selling land in Eretz Yisrael in order to abrogate the regulations of Shmittah.
Rav Kook zt”l did not invent the Heter Mechirah.[1] As the Jews began returning to Israel to work the land they were under tremendous financial pressure from their supporters in Europe to continue the cultivation of the land during Shmittah. This being the case, the first “Heter Mechirah” was promulgated in the Shmittah year 5649. The Heter Mechirah was renewed ever since. Rav Kook published his defense of the Heter Mechrah in his book Shabbat ha’Aretz in the Shmittah year 5670.
What makes Rav Kook’s defense of the Heter Mechirah so noteworthy is his poignant confession which appears before the actual defense. In this brief “Note to the Public” (in the original Hebrew it is “וזאת למודעי” ) Rav Kook expresses his ambivalence regarding the Heter Mechirah. On the one hand he vigorously expresses his view that the Heter Mechirah has a solid basis in the Halacha. On the other hand he is saddened that necessity is preventing many farmers from observing the mitzvoth of Shmittah. It was only Rav Kook’s devotion to the cause of reestablishing a Jewish presence in The Land of Israel that motivated him to work so hard to defend the Heter Mechirah.
So to understand the Heter Mechirah we must study not only the Halachic portion of Shabbat ha’Aretz. We need to study Rav Kook’s writings on the return to the Land Of Israel and its importance to Judaism.
So in the six weeks set aside for this course we will study many of Rav Kook’s writings. I hope that the meetings will give us all a greater appreciation for one of the most magnificent people that the Jewish people have been blessed to know.
[1] https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%A8_%D7%9E%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%94#%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%94%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%A8