After the surprise letter in the Yated in which the Sefardi rabbonim seemed to be parting ways with Rav Ovadia's psak and their own personal halachic decisions in the past, it is important to clarify the retraction (not really a retraction, but for lack of better word).
The rabbonim signed on the new letter denouncing hetter mechira have denied that they ever signed such a letter. In their opinions, as they have stated, nothing has changed. The hetter mechira is a full-fledged hetter based on proper halachic process and has gedolei olam to rely upon. That being said, the rabbonim qualify their allowance of using hetter mechira by saying that that is proper for the general public, but "bnei torah" should buy mehadrin products, i.e. not rely on the hetter mechira, as they do every year, even spending a bit more money.
They issued a new letter printed in both Yated and Yom lYom. The letter was worked over so it would not mention anything about allowing the use of hetter mechria, but it talks about bnei torah consuming mehadrin produce as they always do.
I am happy to say that what I wrote the other day is no longer relevant, and they have remained consistent with their psak halacha of previous announcements, and consistent with Rav Ovadia's psak on the matter.
That being said, it is disturbing to me that those people who are working to denigrate the hetter mechira and influence people to not rely on it are resorting to using lies, forgeries and falsehoods instead of using halachic arguments.
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