Rabbis Meeting to Consider a Ban on Selling Houses to ArabsThis is awfully frustrating, as we already have such a law (see sources below). It is a shame such a meeting even needs to take place.
Gil Ronen, 10 Ellul 5769/August 30, 2009, 7:40 PM
(IsraelNN.com) Hareidi and national-religious rabbis will meet Monday in Jerusalem to discuss ways of dealing with the Arab influx into Jewish neighborhoods in northern Jerusalem, as well as the purchasing of agricultural land in the Galilee by wealthy foreign Arabs.The rabbis are expected to call for an end to the phenomenon of sale of land and houses by Jews to Arabs. The organizer, Aryeh King, who heads the Israel Lands Fund, told Arutz Sheva's Hebrew service that he is hoping to see the rabbis issue a pronouncement that sale of land and houses to Arabs is forbidden....
However, since Rabbi Ya'aqov Yosef and Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu, legitimate halachic authorities, are said to be involved, I have confidence that this meeting will be used as a some sort of strategy to publicize the 3,300 year old halacha mid'Oraitha.
Unfortunately, I must offer the prediction that this will be on the first stage in the next set of battles between Torah and anti-Torah Israeli laws. The Israeli Supreme Court will undoubtedly decry "racism."
In recent years, we have already seen the Israeli Supreme Court order the Chief Rabbinate around with regard to kashruth (dietary laws) certification. We have also seen prominent rabbis, such as Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, arrested for daring to discuss halachoth (Jewish laws) which appear to be in contradiction of Israeli law.
Stay tuned...
רמב"ם הלכות עבודה זרה פרק י
ד [ג] אין מוכרין להם בתים ושדות, בארץ ישראל; ובסוריה, מוכרין להם בתים, אבל לא שדות. ומשכירין להם בתים בארץ ישראל, ובלבד שלא יעשם שכונה--ואין שכונה, פחותה משלושה. ואין משכירין להם שדות; ובסוריה, משכירין להם שדות. ומפני מה החמירו בשדה: מפני שיש בה שתיים--מפקיעה מן המעשרות, ונותן להם חניה בקרקע
ד [ג] אין מוכרין להם בתים ושדות, בארץ ישראל; ובסוריה, מוכרין להם בתים, אבל לא שדות. ומשכירין להם בתים בארץ ישראל, ובלבד שלא יעשם שכונה--ואין שכונה, פחותה משלושה. ואין משכירין להם שדות; ובסוריה, משכירין להם שדות. ומפני מה החמירו בשדה: מפני שיש בה שתיים--מפקיעה מן המעשרות, ונותן להם חניה בקרקע
Ramba"m: Laws of Foreign Worship 10
4 [3] One does not sell them houses or fields in Eretz Yisrael; but in Suriyah one may sell them houses, but not fields. One may rent them houses in Eretz Yisrael, provided that one does not make them a neighborhood -- and there is no neighborhood with less than three [households]. One does not rent them fields; but in Suriyah one rents them fields. And why were they strict regarding fields? For two reasons -- [because they would] expropriate the tithes and be allowed to settle the land.
The negative commandments "do not make a covenant with foreign worshipers" and "do not have mercy on them" come directly from Deuteronomy.
דברים ז,ב ונתנם יהוה אלהיך, לפניך--והכיתם: החרם תחרים אתם, לא-תכרת להם ברית ולא תחנם
Deuteronomy 7:2 and when the LORD thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them.
For additional information on these negative commandments, you can download the shi'urim (audio) given by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim, part 1 and part 2.
5 comments:
It is infuriating to see this garbage continue. This is not a complicated issue. The halachah is clear. The only logical conclusion is that these poskim are terrified to say what at least some segment of the religious populace knows to be true.
True. However, as it happens We have Rav Ya'aqov Yosef and Rav Shmu'el Eliyahu, both vast improvements over their fathers, may they both be healthy.
Rav Yosef adamantly opposes Aviner's shenanigans and Rav Eliyahu has risked jail to tell the truth about not giving up land and refusing anti-Torah IDF orders.
Rav Ya'aqov also lost his inheritance as Rav Ovadiah's next in line {I'm pretty sure he's the oldest} by not speaking to his father after ShaS voted for Oslo.
These are two of the very few prominent rabbis I bother following.
Anything can happen, but I am willing to wait and see the results of this "meeting." If they can't convince other "rabbis" of their correct views, I still might expect them to come out swinging with their usual no nonsense rulings against the true obstacles to peace, the Rabbanim Tze'irim.
If I turn out to be wrong, then you are welcome to say "I told you so."
ATE, Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it.
Just one question:
To which "Rebbe" are you referring??
The Bostoner Rebbe?
The Gerer Rebbe?
It's not like the Toldos Avraham Yitzhaq Rebbe to make such comment.
To the last person you attempted to post a comment here:
Your post was condescending, offensive to Hassidim, hadrachath sheqer, and most importantly galuthi, and thus will not be allowed.
Please read this post.
Shannah Tovah.
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