MIZRACHI IN ISRAEL’S NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman

Pesach and Financial Hardships

esach is a holiday associated remain silent or rest until the price merchants knew that Jews would with many extra expenses, and dropped. The tells us that buy fish for Shabbat regardless of its many families struggle under he went to the Beit Din and issued a price, they overcharged them. Rabbi Pthe yoke of this huge burden on their new regulation: it was enough to bring Menachem Mendel ordered the Jews budget. just one nest so the cost would not to refrain from buying fish for Shabbat be so high. By doing so, he displayed until the prices dropped so that even Our Sages treated overpricing very courage and demonstrated great public the poor would be able to observe the seriously. Throughout the generations, leadership and responsibility, leading Shabbat. In the Mishnah Berurah, his they also practiced what they to a considerable decrease in the prices commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, preached. At various times, these of the nests. And indeed, the outcome the Chafetz Chaim also addressed leaders intervened in the free market was: “that same day nests were sold for the matter of Shabbat fish prices out and in commercial life. They even took a quarter.” In other words, the prices of of concern for the disadvantaged in steps to cut prices and lower the cost the nests dropped significantly. society. of living to protect the less fortunate and did not hesitate to issue special Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s Although we may be living in a free regulations. regulation pertaining to women after market era, it is nonetheless important childbirth was just one link in a chain to occasionally challenge the rules. One of the regulations introduced by of financial regulations instituted over A free market should be allowed for Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel pertained the years. established those commodities people can decide to overcharging. He was President the Prozbul, which enabled the whether or not to consume. But of the right before the wealthy to lend money to the needy when it comes to basic and essential destruction of the Temple. During without fearing they would lose their commodities, not a matter of choice, that period, the Sanhedrin convened investment. In a shemitta year, Shmuel free-market rules should not apply. in close to the shops on strongly advised myrtle merchants to the Temple Mount. Those were sell untrimmed myrtles at their actual The majority of Jews are not troubled times, characterized by riots, price because, if they failed to do so, he conversant in halacha but want to rebellions and infighting between the would rule that three trimmed myrtles observe Pesach properly; keeping Jews. could be used. And with regard to kosher is important to them. Our In those days, due to the many another matter, he warned cauldron spiritual leaders must see whether sacrificial offerings that had to be merchants that if they overcharged and how the costs can be contained made, the price of fowl skyrocketed. for their goods, he would issue a and prices reduced. That way the less For example, a woman who had regulation allowing the use of old fortunate will also be able to observe recently given birth was required to cauldrons after Pesach. Pesach properly and adhere to “and bring five nests as offerings. you shall rejoice in your festival.”. In later generations, we see many According to the Mishnah, “the price instances in which prominent of nests in Jerusalem stood at a gold rabbis issued regulations to prevent 1 Keritot 8a. dinar.”1 That meant each nest cost one profiteering. The most famous one gold dinar, which at the time was a is the regulation instituted by Rabbi Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman is Head of the lot of money. It made Rabban Shimon Menachem Mendel Krochmal, the Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora ben Gamliel very angry and he swore: author of Tzemach Tzedek, against at the World Zionist Organization and one “I will not sleep tonight until the price non-Jewish merchants who would of World Mizrachi’s representatives in the is just a silver dinar.” He refused to charge excessive prices. Because those National Institutions

60 |