The Emunas Ish Beis Midrash L’Halachah B’Hisyashvus is a one-of-a-kind institute for the study of the Torah and science of the mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz — the agricultural mitzvos. The institute was founded by HaGaon HaRav Kalman Kahana zt”l, a talmid of the Chazon Ish, who served as the rav of the Chafetz Chaim agricultural settlement. Today, the institute is led by HaGaon HaRav Yosef Eftai shlit”a, a talmid of the renowned posek HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l.
The unqiue connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel is expressed in tefillah, in yearnings transmitted from father to son, and in countless stories of heroic figures who left everything behind and moved to Eretz Yisrael. In the Torah itself, there are numerous mitzvos that reflect the deep connection between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael, and the love that Hashem has for the Land. Collectively, these are known as the “mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz,” the land-dependent mitzvos.
In recent generations, we have been privileged to return to our Land and its holy soil. After a lengthy slumber, the mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz have been revived and are once again at the forefront of our national consciousness. It is our obligation to put them into practice, and to teach them to ourselves and to future generations. The Beis Midrash L’Halachah B’Hisyashvus is dedicated to this very mission.
The Beis Midrash has made it its mission to raise awareness of the mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz among Jewish communities in Eretz Yisrael and abroad.
Initiatives
Beis Midrash and Kollelim
At the Beis Midrash L’Halachah B’Hisyashvus, located on the outskirts of the Jerusalem neighorhood of Har Nof, talmidei chachamim study the mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz in great depth, at all hours of day and night. In addition to the main Beis Midrash, there are branches of the kollel located throughout the country.
At the helm of the Beis Midrash stands HaGaon HaRav Yosef Efrati shlit”a, one of the outstanding disciples of Maran HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l. Under his direction, the Beis Midrash produces Torah scholars who are experts in the agricultural mitzvos.
These scholars are active in numerous endeavors aimed at deepening Am Yisrael’s connection to these important mitzvos. The in-depth study and vast knowledge they acquired in the Beis Midrash have revolutionized the advancement of the halachos pertaining to Eretz Yisrael and its unique mitzvos.
Publications
The Beis Midrash operates a publishing house for a wide array of Torah journals and halachic literature on the subject of Eretz Yisrael and its mitzvos. We publish beautifully designed, carefully edited sefarim that encourage the study of these subjects in batei midrash throughout Eretz Yisrael and the entire world.
The publication of these sefarim is intended, among other things, to give meaningful expression to the subject of the mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz, which are not often studied thoroughly and systematically in the Torah world. The combination of high-quality Torah content and aesthetic design have earned these works a place of respect among Torah scholars in the yeshivah world.
The Rav Rosenberg zt"l World Information Center and Beis Hora'ah
Within the Beis Midrash, the Beis Hora’ah adresses an endless stream of halachic questions on the mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz that arrive from all over Eretz Yisrael and abroad. The Rabbanim of the Beis Hora’ah anwer thousands of such questions, whether they are from talmidei chachamim seeking a clearer understanding of halachic texts and sources; educators seeking direction on how to teach these all-important subjects; farmers requesting guidance in hands-on, practical matters; and more. Individuals with halachic questions that arise on a day-to-day basis are also welcome to turn to us. We do our best to respond to all queries in a timely manner.
Notifications for the General Public
To encourage involvement in the agricultural mitzvos, the Beis Midrash sends out updates to the general public through various channels. These updates might address innovations in agriculture and their halachic ramifications; guidelines for both professional and amateur gardeners; questions and answers on halachic topics, and more. In addition to printed material, our website offers extensive halachic information and a large selection of audio and video shiurim. Our rabbinical team is constantly working on agricultural-mitzvah updates for both farmers and homeowners.
Educational Center
At the Emunas Eretz Visitor Center, the value of the mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz is transmitted to students in an exciting and interactive way.
The Center is an experiential learning facility with various wings, each designed to teach a different mitzvah: terumos and ma’asros, shemitah, hafrashas challah, kilayim, and more. Using cutting-edge technology, the Center combines in-depth learning and fun to create an enjoyable educational experience.
In addition, the staff of the Educational Department is constantly developing new educational programs that are presented both at the Center and in schools nationwide.These programs include Eretz Chemdah – a series of classes taught remotely from Yerushalayim to schools around the world; study modules for teachers and students; a variety of field trips to see agricuture in action and meet with farmers personally; and much more.
Virtual Learning – Eretz Chemda
The Eretz Chemda Program of the “Beit Midrash For Halacha in Agricultural” was a pioneer in distance learning. Before anyone else was on Zoom Eretz Chemda was. The program is the only place students learn all about Eretz Yisrael and its special Mitzvos.
Dozens of schools across the United States, Canada and around the world have joined, getting rave reviews from principals, teachers, students and parents. The program is geared toward 5th and 6th graders and is fully adaptable to different academic levels and educational goals.
