Page 10 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

Ask the Rabbi

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

BUYING

ISRAELI FRUITS OVERSEAS

W hen buying fruits and Kook (Mishpat Kohen 46), and Rav “Is it not true that the sanctity of the

Land, influenced by the higher sanctity
is
abroad,
vegetables
Shaul Yisraeli (Chavat Binyamin, 1:3),
it better to buy Israeli
to separate terumot and ma’asarot but
fruits, which imbibe the holiness of
produce or to actually avoid buying even though he himself was particular of the Land, is also impacted by its
it, because maybe terumot and without a bracha. Rav Ovadia Yosef was the Shechina dwelling in the Land…
ma’asarot have not been taken? also lenient (Yabia Omer 10:46), while and therefore it is obvious that we
the Chazon Ish (Demai, 15:4), the insert, ‘and we shall eat from its fruits
The Rambam writes (Hilchot Terumot Achiezer (Kovetz Iggrot 309) and Rav and be satiated from its goodness,’ in
1:22) that fruits exported overseas are Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Ma’adanei this bracha [al HaMichya], because by
exempt from terumot and ma’asarot. Aretz, Terumot 1:22) all ruled that the eating its fruits we are nourished by the
The Ra’avad disagrees and says there fruits – even if they were always intended sanctity and purity of the Shechina.”
is a deRabanan obligation. Other for export – are obligated to be tithed.
Rishonim also rule that terumot and This principle was repeated by Rav Kook
ma’asarot must be taken from Israeli Practical Halacha (Orot HaKodesh 3, p.295): “The food
exports (e.g. Rosh, Sefer Year’im, Sefer of Eretz Yisrael is innately holy and is
HaChinuch, Rabbeinu Yona). As mentioned above, most Rishonim only physical in its external appearance.”
and Acharonim hold that one should
The Rambam’s position invites deeper take terumot and ma’asarot but without This is particularly important for those
analysis. Terumot and ma’asarot must a bracha. Nevertheless, the Aser Te’aser who do not live in Israel. For when one
be taken from fruit in Eretz Yisrael (21), Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, and lives in a place void of the sanctity of
after the action that makes them ready Rav Ovadia Yosef all suggest that Eretz Yisrael, one should at least try
for use (like picking them from a leniency has support. Even those to connect to the holiness of the Land
tree for example). It seems from the who are stringent can suffice with the as much as possible. Eating fruits from
Rambam’s wording that there is no Chazon Ish’s abridged wording of the Israel provides some connection to
such obligation if the produce is being separation, i.e. make a photocopy of this sanctity and reinforces agriculture
exported. the wording (and place a coin next to in Israel. Observing the mitzvah of
it, upon which Ma’aser Sheini and Neta separating terumot and ma’asarot also
However, the Ridbaz, the Mishneh Reva’i will be mecholel – redeemed. connects a person to Eretz Yisrael.
LaMelech, the Mabit and most A one-dollar coin will suffice for
Acharonim write that it is simple 35 times ), take a little more than One should make the effort to buy

1
logic that if the fruits already have an one hundredth of the produce and Israeli produce, and enjoy the merits
obligation to be tithed in Eretz Yisrael say, “I hereby declare that these are of eating of the fruits of Eretz Yisrael.
(because they are now ready for use), terumot and ma’asarot according to the Ideally one should separate terumot
they should retain that obligation terumot and ma’asarot wording in my and ma’asarot (without a bracha),
outside of Israel too. According to possession,” and then place this one easily and simply as described above.
them, nowadays even the Rambam hundredth in a bag and in the garbage. Yet even if one doesn’t take terumot
would agree that it is an obligation, and ma’asarot there is a halachic base
for that as well.
because the action that made them The Value of Eating Israeli Fruits
ready for use was performed here in
Eretz Yisrael. There is a special merit in eating 1 At current exchange rate.
fruits from Eretz Yisrael. And a special
The Maharsham (1:72) wrote that sanctity. Thus wrote the Bach (Orach
even according to those stringent about Chayim 208:8), saying that since the Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Head of
fruits obligated to be tithed in Eretz fruits are influenced by the higher Mizrachi's Shalhevet Educational
Yisrael, if the owner originally intended sanctity of the Shechina in Eretz Yisrael, Advisory Board, Chairman of the
to export them, they would be exempt. so their consumption is automatically Halacha Education Center and Rabbi of
This theory was also mentioned by Rav not a normal consumption: Machon Lev

10