HaRav Hagaon Yaakov Ariel shlita,
sent Zo Artzeinu a letter with a psak halacha (legal ruling) on how everone in the world can keep Shmitta and all the agricultural Mitzvot in Israel by partnering with farmers and helping them plant fruit trees.
He is a leading Posek on the מצוות התלויות בארץ Mitzvos of Agriculture that are applicable in the Holy Land, author of dozens Halachic Seforim (books) on this subject, former Rav of Ramat Gan and Rosh (directing head of) Machon Torah VeHa'aretz.
Full translation of the letter:
The seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto the Lord” (Leviticus 25:4)
The commandment of Shmittah applies to the land, and the entire land belongs to all of Israel.
Every Jew, wherever he is, has a share in the Land of Israel and must do everything in his power to make sure the land rests from doing forbidden things and does only what is permitted in the year of the Shmittah (see “HaEmek Davar”, Natziv from Volozhin, Leviticus 25:4).
Therefore, it is appropriate that every Jew in the world partner with a farmer in Israel to observe the mitzvah of Shmittah along with the other agricultural Mitzvot that apply in Israel, and by doing this, he himself keeps all the mitzvot, for the land belongs to us all.
Therefore, the initiative to share the agricultural mitzvot including Shmittah with all Jews around the world, by partnering with Israeli farmers who keep the Shmittah - through planting fruit trees on the "Zo Artzeinu" website - is to be welcomed and blessed.
The Torah (Bible) says...
וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת הֵן לֹא נִזְרָע וְלֹא נֶאֱסֹף אֶת תְּבוּאָתֵנוּ
וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת בִּרְכָתִי לָכֶם בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלשׁ הַשָּׁנִים
"And if you will say 'What will I eat in the seventh year? - Behold, we will not sow and we will not gather our crops', I will ordain My blessing for you in the sixth year and it will yield a crop sufficient for three years"
(Vayikrah/Leviticus 25:20-21 ויקרא)
"וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת-בִּרְכָתִי לָכֶם"
I will ordain my blessing to YOU!
Partner with a Farmer and Share the Blessing!
