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Nov 13, 2014
The Sefardi Rabbonim support hetter mechira, but not for everyone
After the surprise letter in the Yated in which the Sefardi rabbonim seemed to be parting ways with Rav Ovadia's psak and their own personal halachic decisions in the past, it is important to clarify the retraction (not really a retraction, but for lack of better word).
The rabbonim signed on the new letter denouncing hetter mechira have denied that they ever signed such a letter. In their opinions, as they have stated, nothing has changed. The hetter mechira is a full-fledged hetter based on proper halachic process and has gedolei olam to rely upon. That being said, the rabbonim qualify their allowance of using hetter mechira by saying that that is proper for the general public, but "bnei torah" should buy mehadrin products, i.e. not rely on the hetter mechira, as they do every year, even spending a bit more money.
They issued a new letter printed in both Yated and Yom lYom. The letter was worked over so it would not mention anything about allowing the use of hetter mechria, but it talks about bnei torah consuming mehadrin produce as they always do.
I am happy to say that what I wrote the other day is no longer relevant, and they have remained consistent with their psak halacha of previous announcements, and consistent with Rav Ovadia's psak on the matter.
That being said, it is disturbing to me that those people who are working to denigrate the hetter mechira and influence people to not rely on it are resorting to using lies, forgeries and falsehoods instead of using halachic arguments.
The rabbonim signed on the new letter denouncing hetter mechira have denied that they ever signed such a letter. In their opinions, as they have stated, nothing has changed. The hetter mechira is a full-fledged hetter based on proper halachic process and has gedolei olam to rely upon. That being said, the rabbonim qualify their allowance of using hetter mechira by saying that that is proper for the general public, but "bnei torah" should buy mehadrin products, i.e. not rely on the hetter mechira, as they do every year, even spending a bit more money.
They issued a new letter printed in both Yated and Yom lYom. The letter was worked over so it would not mention anything about allowing the use of hetter mechria, but it talks about bnei torah consuming mehadrin produce as they always do.
I am happy to say that what I wrote the other day is no longer relevant, and they have remained consistent with their psak halacha of previous announcements, and consistent with Rav Ovadia's psak on the matter.
That being said, it is disturbing to me that those people who are working to denigrate the hetter mechira and influence people to not rely on it are resorting to using lies, forgeries and falsehoods instead of using halachic arguments.
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Labels:
heter mechira,
rabbonim,
sefardim,
Shas,
shmitta
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Most sefardi gedolim say that chas v'shalom may one rely on the so-called "heter mechira." they include Rav Addas, R' Yaakov Hillel, R' Ben Tzion Aba Shaul and more.
ReplyDeleteRav Ovadia held that everyone - including so-called "Bnei Torah" - can rely on the Hetter Mechira l'chatchila.
ReplyDeleteSo much for Shas always following "Maran".
Did Rav Ovadia eat heter mechira produce?
ReplyDeletegood questino. I heard on the radio last night [part of] an interview with Rav Ovadia's grandson-in-law. They were talking about the entire issue (the grandson insisted he rav held it was lechatchila muttar and bnei yeshiva should be machmir not to rely on it unless there were financial difficulties).
ReplyDeleteat the end of the interview they asked him if the rav had eaten hetter mechira himself. His answer was that the last couple of shmittas, he did not eat it, because he was already in a situation where other people were buying his food and taking care of him. Not necessarily his own policy, but other people were feeding him, and we know he dint have heter mechira in the hous,e because others were buying. He added that what was in previous shmittas, before the last 2, we dont know if he ate hetter mechria or not.
in other words, the grandson himself didnt say "of course not", or probably not. he leaves it open to the possibility that when he was runnign his own household he possibly might have brought hetter mechira produce
Some relevant links:
ReplyDeleteYalkut Yosef on Heter Mechira (by Rav Yitzhak Yosef Shlit"a)
Halacha Yomit on Heter Mechira (by Rav Yaakov Sasson Shlit"a - grandson of Rav Ovadia ZT"L):
Part 1
Part 2
"That being said, it is disturbing to me that those people who are working to denigrate the hetter mechira and influence people to not rely on it are resorting to using lies, forgeries and falsehoods instead of using halachic arguments."
ReplyDeleteHear, hear!
thanks for the laugh you are so weird
ReplyDeleteInteresting chatter this morning on the radio. Lot of peculation that there is nothing new here that despite Rav Ovadia's 'kav', the Sepharadi world has evolved through the Litvish, and we are now seeing how there is now a power struggle and the Ashkenazi Yated Neeman does not see to have qualm with encouraging that strife by permitting that advertisement which is misleading to say the least.
ReplyDelete