Things were not looking good for Avraham Mavrach. It was already the first of the month of Av and the secretary would not let him pose his question to the Chief Rabbinate. The rabbis were in an important meeting, the secretary explained, and could not be disturbed.
The Poel Mizrachi Kitchen
Avraham was a founding member of the Poel Mizrachi, established in 1922 for religious pioneers and workers. One of the most important decisions made during the first assembly of the Poel Mizrachi was to open a kosher kitchen for new immigrants and workers. This was necessary since the religious workers could not eat in the Histadrut kitchens, where non-kosher food was served and Shabbat was desecrated.
As Avraham later described in an article in Hatzofeh newspaper:
"The religious pioneer suffered greatly. He could not afford to eat in a private restaurant and enjoy a hot meal, nor did he have access to a Jewish atmosphere on Shabbat. The kitchens of the Poel Mizrachi were therefore established to provide the religious workers not only inexpensive, tasty meals, but also to serve as a social center, where they could read, hold meetings, discuss, attend classes and lectures, and dance on joyous occasions. The kitchens were filled with singing; on Shabbat and the holidays, the songs were charged with sacred fervor. Unsurprisingly, many irreligious workers were also attracted to these kitchens."
Although the menu was limited, some of the diners chose not to eat all the items that were sold at cost. However, the meat dishes and soups were the staple of the hungry manual laborers.
The Problem of the Nine Days
At the approach of the Nine Days of Av, when eating meat is prohibited (an expression of mourning for the destruction of the Temple), the administrators of the Poel Mizrachi assembled to seek an alternative for the meat meals - especially for the manual laborers - but they could not think of one. Some of them despaired. 'Why should we assume responsibility?' they asked. They were on the verge of closing the kitchens for the duration of the Nine Days.
Avraham, however, did not give up. He suggested turning to the Chief Rabbinate; perhaps it would issue a lenient ruling permitting the newcomers to eat meat so that they would not fall to eating in the non-kosher kitchens. The other members laughed. "Do you really think that the Rabbinate will consent to the slaughter of sheep and oxen during the Nine Days in the holy city of Jerusalem?"
In fact, no one was even willing to accompany him to the Chief Rabbinate. So, on the first of Av, Avraham went alone to the Rabbinate. The Rabbinate secretary, however, refused to let him interrupt the meeting in order to speak with the rabbis.
'But it is an urgent question,' Avraham explained. 'I come as a representative of the Poel Mizrachi.' At Avraham's insistence, Rabbi Shemuel Weber, chief secretary of the Rabbinate, came out of the meeting and listened to Avraham's question. Rabbi Weber suggested arranging for the completion of a Talmudic tractate every day, and then serving meat at the se'udat mitzvah (a meal celebrating the fulfillment of a mitzvah). Avraham explained that this would be nearly impossible to arrange.
Rabbi Weber then disappeared into the Rabbinate chambers and, after a few minutes, invited Avraham to follow.
Rabbi Kook's Decision
As he entered, Avraham saw Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook sitting at the head of the table, with Rabbi Yaakov Meir to his right and other important rabbis seated around the table. Rabbi Kook asked Avraham to draw closer, and Avraham described to him the objectives of the kitchen and explained the enormous benefits reaped by the members of the Poel Mizrachi and all of those workers still faithful to their heritage.
'I am aware of the importance of the kitchen,' Rabbi Kook responded. He then sank into deep thought. The other rabbis waited silently for Rabbi Kook's decision.
"Do you think that some of the workers will end up going to the non-kosher kitchen?"
"Yes," Avraham answered, "They ate there beforehand."
"If so, then your kitchen is serving a se'udat mitzvah. 'The meek shall eat and be satisfied.'" (Psalms 27:22)
Avraham was astounded. He remained frozen to his spot. Rabbi Kook smiled, 'Do you have another question?'
Avraham explained that he was uncertain about the decision. Did this mean that everyone could eat meat there? Rabbi Kook repeated his words and said that everyone, including the religious workers, could eat meat in the kitchen because it would be serving a se'udat mitzvah. Though dumbfounded, Avraham managed to steal a glance at the other rabbis in the room. It seemed that they were no less surprised than Avraham at the rabbi's decision, but they made no objection.
A Se'udat Mitzvah for All
Rabbi Zvi Kaplan later wrote an article discussing this lenient position. For those who would have eaten in the non-kosher kitchen, it is clearly preferable that they disregard the custom of not eating meat during the Nine Days rather than violate the Biblical injunction against eating non-kosher food. But how could Rabbi Kook permit meat to those who would not have eaten non-kosher food?
Rabbi Kaplan explained that at a se'udat mitzvah during the Nine Days, all of the participants may partake of the meat along with the one who is performing the actual mitzvah, such as completing a tractate of Talmud. Clearly, every Jew is duty-bound to prevent another Jew from eating non-kosher food. A meal that accomplishes this purpose would certainly qualify as a se'udat mitzvah. Rabbi Kook therefore permitted all present to eat.
[Adapted from Celebration of the Soul, pp. 252-254; Moadei HaRe'iya pp. 539-543]
The Poel Mizrachi Kitchen
Avraham was a founding member of the Poel Mizrachi, established in 1922 for religious pioneers and workers. One of the most important decisions made during the first assembly of the Poel Mizrachi was to open a kosher kitchen for new immigrants and workers. This was necessary since the religious workers could not eat in the Histadrut kitchens, where non-kosher food was served and Shabbat was desecrated.
As Avraham later described in an article in Hatzofeh newspaper:
"The religious pioneer suffered greatly. He could not afford to eat in a private restaurant and enjoy a hot meal, nor did he have access to a Jewish atmosphere on Shabbat. The kitchens of the Poel Mizrachi were therefore established to provide the religious workers not only inexpensive, tasty meals, but also to serve as a social center, where they could read, hold meetings, discuss, attend classes and lectures, and dance on joyous occasions. The kitchens were filled with singing; on Shabbat and the holidays, the songs were charged with sacred fervor. Unsurprisingly, many irreligious workers were also attracted to these kitchens."
Although the menu was limited, some of the diners chose not to eat all the items that were sold at cost. However, the meat dishes and soups were the staple of the hungry manual laborers.
The Problem of the Nine Days
At the approach of the Nine Days of Av, when eating meat is prohibited (an expression of mourning for the destruction of the Temple), the administrators of the Poel Mizrachi assembled to seek an alternative for the meat meals - especially for the manual laborers - but they could not think of one. Some of them despaired. 'Why should we assume responsibility?' they asked. They were on the verge of closing the kitchens for the duration of the Nine Days.
Avraham, however, did not give up. He suggested turning to the Chief Rabbinate; perhaps it would issue a lenient ruling permitting the newcomers to eat meat so that they would not fall to eating in the non-kosher kitchens. The other members laughed. "Do you really think that the Rabbinate will consent to the slaughter of sheep and oxen during the Nine Days in the holy city of Jerusalem?"
In fact, no one was even willing to accompany him to the Chief Rabbinate. So, on the first of Av, Avraham went alone to the Rabbinate. The Rabbinate secretary, however, refused to let him interrupt the meeting in order to speak with the rabbis.
'But it is an urgent question,' Avraham explained. 'I come as a representative of the Poel Mizrachi.' At Avraham's insistence, Rabbi Shemuel Weber, chief secretary of the Rabbinate, came out of the meeting and listened to Avraham's question. Rabbi Weber suggested arranging for the completion of a Talmudic tractate every day, and then serving meat at the se'udat mitzvah (a meal celebrating the fulfillment of a mitzvah). Avraham explained that this would be nearly impossible to arrange.
Rabbi Weber then disappeared into the Rabbinate chambers and, after a few minutes, invited Avraham to follow.
Rabbi Kook's Decision
As he entered, Avraham saw Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook sitting at the head of the table, with Rabbi Yaakov Meir to his right and other important rabbis seated around the table. Rabbi Kook asked Avraham to draw closer, and Avraham described to him the objectives of the kitchen and explained the enormous benefits reaped by the members of the Poel Mizrachi and all of those workers still faithful to their heritage.
'I am aware of the importance of the kitchen,' Rabbi Kook responded. He then sank into deep thought. The other rabbis waited silently for Rabbi Kook's decision.
"Do you think that some of the workers will end up going to the non-kosher kitchen?"
"Yes," Avraham answered, "They ate there beforehand."
"If so, then your kitchen is serving a se'udat mitzvah. 'The meek shall eat and be satisfied.'" (Psalms 27:22)
Avraham was astounded. He remained frozen to his spot. Rabbi Kook smiled, 'Do you have another question?'
Avraham explained that he was uncertain about the decision. Did this mean that everyone could eat meat there? Rabbi Kook repeated his words and said that everyone, including the religious workers, could eat meat in the kitchen because it would be serving a se'udat mitzvah. Though dumbfounded, Avraham managed to steal a glance at the other rabbis in the room. It seemed that they were no less surprised than Avraham at the rabbi's decision, but they made no objection.
A Se'udat Mitzvah for All
Rabbi Zvi Kaplan later wrote an article discussing this lenient position. For those who would have eaten in the non-kosher kitchen, it is clearly preferable that they disregard the custom of not eating meat during the Nine Days rather than violate the Biblical injunction against eating non-kosher food. But how could Rabbi Kook permit meat to those who would not have eaten non-kosher food?
Rabbi Kaplan explained that at a se'udat mitzvah during the Nine Days, all of the participants may partake of the meat along with the one who is performing the actual mitzvah, such as completing a tractate of Talmud. Clearly, every Jew is duty-bound to prevent another Jew from eating non-kosher food. A meal that accomplishes this purpose would certainly qualify as a se'udat mitzvah. Rabbi Kook therefore permitted all present to eat.
[Adapted from Celebration of the Soul, pp. 252-254; Moadei HaRe'iya pp. 539-543]