Chief Rabbis Isaac Herzog and Isaac Nissim issued a proclamation on the eve of “Shemita 5719,” the sabbatical year when all lands in Israel are to remain uncultivated, and urged farmers to avail themselves of “Heter Mechira” under which their holdings need nor remain fallow. “Heter Mechira, ” a form of rabbinical dispensation which permits deviation from strict halachic observance in the light of modern changes, was evolved from rulings of sages to meet current needs.
The rabbinical proclamation states that since sabbatical and jubilee years cannot be observed in full detail and in all their particulars, dispensations will be granted to those who apply and conform with instructions to be issued by the rabbinate.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
