[Avodah] [Areivim] kosher cabbage

[Ben Waxman]

[Same Areivim-bounced converation as before, the other side of the
discussion. Sorry I messed up the interleaving. -micha]

From: Prof. Levine 
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 5:49 PM
> I knew that this is what the term "kivush ha'aretz" means. However,
> in what way do you see this going on today? The boundaries of EY are
> set. Some land was taken away with the Gush Katif business. Do you see
> the Israeli army taking this area back? Does Israel have expansionist
> plans that I have not heard of?

Everytime someone expands/builds their home, has a child, starts a
business, runs a half marathon (well maybe not this one), he is taking
part in the kivush.

The Ramban in Mitzva 4, in his list of mitzvot which the Rambam does
not list, states clearly that the mitzva is to conquer AND settle the
land. We are not to leave the Land in the hands of goyim or let it simply
be a wasteland. Conquering the land is of course part of the mitzva,
it is a milchemet mitzva.

But the mitzva of kivush ha-aretz is a mitzva which is incumbent on
everyone. Since not everyone goes to the army, therefore there must be
aspects to the mtizva, such as simply living here.

[Email #2. micha]

From: Prof. Levine 
> So how can you make a brocha given that it is a sofeik?  

> And this may be why Rav Schwab said what he said, namely, that it
> is not clear if one should or should not make a brocha on fruits and
> vegetables that are exported to the US.

I don't. I only make a bracha on stuff from my garden, where I have no
doubt what so ever that the produce is tevel. Any tithing that I do on
produce from the shuk is done without a bracha.

This isn't rocket science. If you know that the tomato is tevel then
you make a bracha. If you don't know with 100% certainty, you don't.

[Email #3. -micha]

From: Prof. Levine 
> And how is one supposed to know with certainty anything about the status
> of fruits and vegetables that are exported to the US?

> Micha and others told me that one can buy some Israeli produce in
> Costco. When you take terumos and meiseros, how do you know if you
> should or should not make a brocha. And, if you do not make a brocha,
> then this entire business of trying to tie a Mitzvah to making a brocha
> seems to fall away in this case.

You don't know, so you don't make a bracha.

However a mitzva can be done without a bracha. If someone puts on tefillin without making a bracha, he has fulfilled the mitzva of putting on tefillin. If you seperate terumah without making a bracha, you have fulfilled the mitzva.

Ben