Shemitta

(1) Anything that the land produces on the seventh year is all permissible for eating from the Torah, as it is stated (Leviticus 25:6), "And the sabbatical produce of the land shall be for you for food": Whether it is from a seed that fell into it before the seventh year or whether it was from the roots that had been cut earlier but grew back and produced [food] – and both of those are called, "aftergrowth – or whether it is from the herbs and vegetables that grew on their own and do not have seeds. And even a field which had been improved upon in the seventh year and brought out its produce – that [too] is permissible for eating. And that which it is stated (Leviticus 25:5), "and the grapes of your untended vines you shall not reap," is that one not reap [them] in the way he reaps every year. And if he reaps in the way of reapers – for example, he reaps all of his field and places it on the threshing floor and has the oxen thresh it; or he reaped for work on the land, as we explained – he receives lashes. Rather he must reap a little bit at a time, pound [it] and eat.

It is a positive commandment to annul [ownership of] everything that comes out of the ground in the seventh year as it says "and in the seventh [year], annul it and forsake it" and anyone who locks up his vineyard or fences in his field in the seventh year has violated a positive commandment, and similarly someone who harvest all his fruits and brings them inside. Rather everything should be seen as ownerless and everyone has equal claim as it says " and the destitute of your people will eat it." [The owner] may bring in small amounts the way one does from ownerless property e.g. five pitchers of oil or fifteen of wine and if he brought in more it is permitted.

(4) As to the precepts enumerated in the laws concerning the year of release and the jubilee (Hilkot shemittah ve-yohel) some of them imply sympathy with our fellow-men, and promote the well-being of mankind; for in reference to these Precepts it is stated in the Law, "That the poor of thy people may eat" (Exod. 23:11); and besides, the land will also increase its produce and improve when it remains fallow for some time.

(2) It is from the roots of this commandment to affix in our hearts and make a strong impression in our minds [about] the matter of the world having been created. As (Exodus 20, 11) "in six days did God make the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day" - in which He did not create anything - He imposed rest on Himself. And in order to remove and uproot and eradicate from our thoughts the idea of the eternity [of the world] - which the deniers of the Torah believe in, through which they destroy all its principles and break through its walls - did the requirement come upon us to expend all our time, day by day and year by year, for this matter, by counting six years and resting on the seventh so that this matter will never depart from between our eyes for all time. And this is similar to the manner in which we count the days of the week [by dividing them] into six days of work and the seventh is a day of rest. Therefore, He, blessed be He, did command to render ownerless all that the land produces in this year - in addition to resting during it (i.e. during the year) - so that a person will remember that the land which produces fruits for him every year does not produce them by its [own] might and virtue. For there is a Master over it and over its master - and when He wishes, He commands him (i.e. the master of the land) to render them (i.e. the fruit) ownerless.

(Exodus 23:11) "And the seventh year it shall lie fallow" — with respect to working it; "and you shall leave it" — with respect to eating from it. This tells me only of fruits. Whence do I derive the same for herbs? From "and you shall leave it" — in all respects. Variantly: "And the seventh … and you shall leave it": So that you not say: Why did the Torah institute this? Is it not so that the poor shall eat it? I shall gather it in and distribute it to the poor! It is, therefore, written "And the seventh … and you shall leave it," whereby we are taught that he (must "leave it" even to the extent of) allowing breaches in the fence; but the sages allowed repairs to be made for the general good.

(1) "And They called to Moshe" (Vayikra 1:1) -"Heroes of power, performers of Their word" (Tehillim 103:20) - about what does the verse speak? Rabbi Yitzchak says, about those who keep shmitah [sabbatical] year the verse is speaking. In the normal custom of the world, a person performs a mitzvah [commandment] for a one day, one week, one month - but not for the whole rest of the year! And here, they guard their field [בָּיְרָה] and their vineyard [בָּיְרָה], and pay their taxes and are silent - is there a greater hero than this?