אויך מיר א מצוה

Rabbi Yaakov Stefansky of Jerusalem, founder and director of the
Kinyan Ha’aretz Association.

One of the local circulars, the Luach HaTzibur, which advertises such important things like where Yankel Bergstein is making a Kiddush this week, and the Great G&G Clothing sale, has begun to advertise a new Mitzvah, Mitzvos Hatluyos Bo'Oretz. They sell you a small (miniscule) plot of land and take care of all the Mitzvos that are required of you, some 20 in all. It also carries the standard "BeHaskomas Gedolei Yisroel Shlit"a" that everything else has these days. A smart man upon seeing this ad commented: it's like that ad you hear on the radio saying: "for 54 dollars and a call to ------- you can have a star named after you." Would this fall into the same category? maybe. Now I see in the Five Towns Jewish Times that there's a name attached to it, a Rabbi Yaakov Stefansky, I believe he's formerly of Dagim Tuna?

"Jewish people all over the world will now be able to fulfill all of the precious Mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’Aretz - laws dependent on the Land of Israel.
This opportunity has been made available as a result of the efforts of the
Kinyan Ha’aretz Association, recently founded by a group of prominent
Israeli Rabbanim. [Sounds a lot like the JNF, no? - HT]............. Throughout the bitter Galus, Jews have always longed to live in Eretz HaKedoshah, where all of the Torah’s mitzvos may be fulfilled. ...........

When preparing for his journey to Eretz Yisrael, the Chazon Ish’s primary concern wasn’t packing his belongings or arranging the practical aspects of his move, but clarifying certain points regarding the performance of the mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz, which he would soon be able to fulfill. [No mention here that the person he asked was Rav Kook. - HT]

Now all that has changed, and these mitzvos, which many have never fulfilled, will be yours! What is involved? The Kinyan Ha’aretz Association has leased, for a period of fifty years, agricultural land near the towns of
Zichron Yaakov and Mazkeret Batya. On these plots it will operate a wheat field and a vineyard, where farmers will cultivate produce on behalf of its
members and, when harvesting time arrives, will fulfill all of the relevant
mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz. At that time, each member will appoint
Kinyan Ha’aretz as his emissary to perform these mitzvos on his behalf, and
will be considered as having personally performed them. Anyone who wishes, no matter
where he lives, may lease “dalet amos” of this land for a nominal fee, and will
thus be able to fulfill all of the land-related laws on his very own piece of
property.

This idea has received the ardent support of Maran HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, the halachic pillar of our generation, who said: “One who merits to be a partner in the important association,
and to thereby fulfill these beloved mitzvos, is indeed fortunate.”

............................ This is not a new idea. Its roots date back to the 18th century, when the disciples of the Vilna Gaon who settled in Tsfat founded an enterprise which would enable Jews of the Diaspora to fulfill these mitzvos. They were guided by Rav Chaim of Volozhin. (A letter which appeared in Pe’as HaShulchan of Rav Yisrael of Shklov testifies to this endeavor.) However, various difficulties prevented the plan from materializing, and technical and administrative problems prevented its realization.

Jews of the Diaspora are not obligated to keep mitzvos hateluyos ba’aretz, since they don’t live in Eretz Yisrael. However, as the Shelah HaKadosh notes, when a person undertakes to observe them nonetheless, Middas HaDin is transformed to Middas HaRachamim.During these troubled times, when
we so need Middas HaRachamim, let us do our utmost to help it prevail in
Klal Yisrael." [so is this a not-for-profit venture set up just to infuse the world with Midas HoRachamim?! - HT]

It used to be that people, especially Acheynu Yatzay Litteh, either worked or learned, they didn't sit around and look for a Chap, a Drei, how to help a Yid find a Mitzvah. I can understand starting organizations that fulfill a need, even a G'mach for Untervesh, but this seems a bit much. Then again, maybe it's the fact that I'm not part of mainstream Judaism anymore that makes me think this way. I should begin to read the Yated every week, maybe that'll help change me for the better. You be the judge.