(11) but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of thy people may eat; and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃
(ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַה'
(ג) שֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃
(ד) וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗ת שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַה' שָֽׂדְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִזְרָ֔ע וְכַרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִזְמֹֽר׃
(1) And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying: (2) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. (3) Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. (4) But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto the LORD; thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
(א) מצות עשה לשבות מעבודת הארץ ועבודת האילן בשנה שביעית שנאמר "ושבתה הארץ שבת לה'' ונאמר "בחריש ובקציר תשבות" וכל העושה מלאכה מעבודת הארץ או האילנות בשנה זו ביטל מצות עשה ועבר על לא תעשה שנאמר שדך לא תזרע וכרמך לא תזמור.
(1) It is a positive commandment to refrain from working the land and caring for trees in the seventh year, as it says, "and the land shall rest a Sabbath for the Lord" (Leviticus 25:2), and it says "in plowing and in harvesting you shall rest" (Exodus 34:21). Anyone who performs one of the forbidden labors from the working of the land or caring for trees in this year has abrogated a positive commandment and transgressed a negative commandment, as it says, "you shall not plant your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard" (Leviticus 25:4).
(א) מצות שמטת קרקעות - להפקיר כל מה שתוציא הארץ בשנה השביעית... ויזכה בפרותיה כל הרוצה לזכות, שנאמר (שמות כג יא) והשביעת תשמטנה ונטשתה ואכלו אביוני עמך ויתרם תאכל חית השדה כן תעשה לכרמך לזיתך.
The Mitzvah of Resting the Land- To make "ownerless" all that the land has produced in the seventh year...And all those who want to take its fruit (that have grown during the seventh year) are able to as it says (Shemot 23, 11) "but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of thy people may eat; and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard."
(תהלים קג): גבורי כח עושי דברו. במה הכתוב מדבר? אמר רבי יצחק: בשומרי שביעית הכתוב מדבר. בנוהג שבעולם, אדם עושה מצוה ליום א', לשבת אחת, לחודש א', שמא לשאר ימות השנה?! ודין חמי חקליה ביירה, כרמיה ביירה, ויהבי ארנונא ושתיק, יש לך גבור גדול מזה?!
“The mighty in strength that fulfill His word” (Psalms 103:20). To whom does
the Scripture refer? R. Isaac said, “To those who are willing to observe the
Sabbatical Year. In the way of the world, a man may be willing to observe a
commandment for a day, a week, a month, but is he likely to continue to do so
through the remaining days of the year? But throughout that year this mighty
man sees his field declared ownerless, his fences broken down, and his produce
consumed by others, yet he continues to give up his produce without saying a
word. Can you conceive a person mightier than such as he?”
(ג) כי שנת השמטה גורם ג"כ ההקהל והשלום ע"י שלא יזרע ולא יצמיח בו ואכלו אביוני עמו כי אינו רשאי להחזיק בתבואת שנת השבע כבעל הבית, וזה בלי ספק סיבת השלום כי כל דברי ריבות נמשכין ממדת שלי שלי זה אומר כולה שלי וכל זה אינו כל כך בשנה השביעית כי בקום ועשה אין הכל שוים אבל בשב ואל תעשה הכל שוין וזה באמת ענין השלום, ו
The year of Shmita...promotes a sense of fellowship and peace through the suspension of cultivation, even for the needy of your people, for one is not allowed to exercise private ownership over any of the seventh year produce. And this is undoubtedly a primary factor in promoting peace since most dissension originates from the attitudes of 'mine is mine,' one person claiming 'it is all mine' and the other also claiming 'it is all mine.' But in the seventh year all are equal, and this is the real essence of peace.
Rabbi Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550-1619) was a rabbi, poet and Torah commentator. He is best known for his Torah commentary, Kli Yakar.
Question: According to the Kli Yakar, what is the purpose or consequence of Shmita? Can you imagine it playing out in this way?
Rav Kook, Introduction to "Sabbath of the Land"
The treasure of the nation, the Divine blessing that is implanted in it, the order of the world, the righteous and good life, lived in harmony with justice and honesty, peace and tranquility, grace and courage, permeated by the all-embracing contemplation of the Divine purpose, as it exists in the national soul -- none call be activated in the day-to-day life. The very nature of this life obfuscates the spiritual majesty of the Divine soul (which dwells in the nation) and prevents its bright and shining light from penetrating the profane reality.
Life can only be perfected through the affording of a breathing space from the bustle of everyday life. The individual shakes himself free from ordinary weekday life at short and regular intervals -- every Sabbath... What the Sabbath achieves regarding the individual, the Shmita achieves with regard to the nation as a whole.
A year of solemn rest is essential for both the nation and the land, a year of peace and quiet without oppressor and tyrant...It is a year of equality and rest, in which the soul reaches out towards Divine justice, towards God who sustains the living creatures with loving kindness. There is no private property and no punctilious privilege but the peace of God reigns over all in which there is the breath of life.
Sanctity is not profaned by the exercise of private acquisitiveness over all this year's produce and the covetousness of wealth stirred up by commerse is forgotten. for food -- but not for commerce.
Avraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) was the first Ashkenzi Chief Rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine. He was a kabbalist, poet, legalist, and hugely influential religious leader.
Questions:
- Based on all of the above descriptions of Shmita practice, what might it have looked like to live in an agricultural "Shmita society" for an entire year? How might Shmita practice affect years 1-6?
- What would you say are Shmita's key values or themes, based on these texts?
- What feels most challenging about Shmita practice? What feels most liberating?