[Avodah] Minimization of the Heter Mechirah

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, January 30, 2007 9:14 am, RSBA pointed us on Areivim to
<http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=12057>:
: Chief Rabbinate to Reduce Use of Special 7th-Year Dispensation
:
: The Chief Rabbinate plans to reduce its reliance on the controversial "land
: sale dispensation" for the upcoming Shemittah "year of fallow."
...
: The Chief Rabbinate's announcement states, "Only in cases where it becomes
: clear that the national kashrut system could be harmed [by the introduction
: of agricultural produce resulting from overt violations of the Shemittah],
: or in cases where the sustenance of farmers would be dealt a severe blow, or
: where it is feared that Jewish farmers will abandon agriculture altogether,
: will the dispensation be implemented."

I think this is consistent with RAYK's original intent. The heter was to keep
the yishuv viable. I do not know if there was ever a thought that the heter
mechirah would be used when (1) EY economy isn't as agrarian and (2) even the
farmers have other fiscal options.

I'm posting this to Avodah as a means of asking whether someone has meqoros
from the period that would indicate one way or the other. I'm simply repeating
what I heard 12th hand or so.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
micha at aishdas.org        your grip on it, it chokes; slacken your grip,
http://www.aishdas.org   and it flies away.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter