The entire Torah can be viewed as a collection of teachings and stories for a wandering people, a diverse collection of tribes, about to enter a land they will call home, where they will settle and build societal structures for generations to come. Within the vast collection of laws, a pattern emerges around the cycle of seven, beginning with the seven days of creation. This is a personal rhythm, as well as a collective one, for the entire nation to share in together. Today, while the weekly seven day cycle of Shabbat is widely celebrated, the yearly cycle of seven is less known. In this section are the core Biblical texts which elucidate the cultural tradition known as Shmita. Have you heard of this before? Is this something that has personal meaning for you? If so, perhaps these texts will enable you to think more deeply about this tradition. We hope these texts will introduce a whole new way of considering time, community, property, land, and food—during the Shmita Year and all years.
1. Vision for a Just Society
This is the first introduction to Shmita in the Torah, and it comes in Parshat Mishpatim, which presents a set of moral codes to live by, received directly after the revelation at Sinai.
(א) לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא אַל־תָּ֤שֶׁת יָֽדְךָ֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע לִהְיֹ֖ת עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס׃ (ס) (ב) לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת׃ (ג) וְדָ֕ל לֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ (ס) (ד) כִּ֣י תִפְגַּ֞ע שׁ֧וֹר אֹֽיִבְךָ֛ א֥וֹ חֲמֹר֖וֹ תֹּעֶ֑ה הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֶ֖נּוּ לֽוֹ׃ (ס) (ה) כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ֖ מֵעֲזֹ֣ב ל֑וֹ עָזֹ֥ב תַּעֲזֹ֖ב עִמּֽוֹ׃ (ס) (ו) לֹ֥א תַטֶּ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט אֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ (ז) מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע׃ (ח) וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃ (ט) וְגֵ֖ר לֹ֣א תִלְחָ֑ץ וְאַתֶּ֗ם יְדַעְתֶּם֙ אֶת־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַגֵּ֔ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְרַ֣ע אֶת־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃ (יא) וְהַשְּׁבִיעִ֞ת תִּשְׁמְטֶ֣נָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּ֗הּ וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ אֶבְיֹנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְיִתְרָ֕ם תֹּאכַ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה כֵּֽן־תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְכַרְמְךָ֖ לְזֵיתֶֽךָ׃
Questions for discussion:
What is the overarching concern that links these laws together? Is there a common, shared theme?
Why do you think this list would transition into a law describing a societal period for leaving agricultural land fallow? What is the connection between this and all the previous verses?
According to this text, what is the main intention and purpose of this time period? Who benefits most from Shmita?
2. Shabbat of the Land
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהוָֽה׃ (ג) שֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃ (ד) וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗ת שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהוָ֑ה שָֽׂדְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִזְרָ֔ע וְכַרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִזְמֹֽר׃ (ה) אֵ֣ת סְפִ֤יחַ קְצִֽירְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִקְצ֔וֹר וְאֶת־עִנְּבֵ֥י נְזִירֶ֖ךָ לֹ֣א תִבְצֹ֑ר שְׁנַ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן יִהְיֶ֥ה לָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ו) וְ֠הָיְתָה שַׁבַּ֨ת הָאָ֤רֶץ לָכֶם֙ לְאָכְלָ֔ה לְךָ֖ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וְלַאֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ֙ וּלְתוֹשָׁ֣בְךָ֔ הַגָּרִ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ׃ (ז) וְלִ֨בְהֶמְתְּךָ֔ וְלַֽחַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאַרְצֶ֑ךָ תִּהְיֶ֥ה כָל־תְּבוּאָתָ֖הּ לֶאֱכֹֽל׃ (ס)
(1) The LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the land shall observe a sabbath of the LORD. (3) Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the yield. (4) But in the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath of complete rest ("shabbat shabbaton"), a sabbath of the LORD: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. (5) You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untrimmed vines; it shall be a year of complete rest for the land. (6) But you may eat whatever the land during its sabbath will produce—you, your male and female slaves, the hired and bound laborers who live with you, (7) and your cattle and the beasts in your land may eat all its yield.
Questions for discussion:
How does this text add to our understanding of Shmita from the previous source?
According to this text, what is the main intention and purpose of this time period? Who benefits most from Shmita?
What are the agricultural activities that are not practiced in the seventh year? What types of food can be harvested and what cannot be harvested? What questions does the text leave unanswered about this?
What is the significance of allowing a land to ‘rest’? Why would such a period also be considered a ‘Shabbat of the Lord’?
(17) To Adam He said, “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life: (18) Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; (19) By the sweat of your brow Shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground— For from it you were taken. For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
Question for discussion:
How might the period of Shmita connect back to Adam & Eve’s exile from the Garden of Eden?
(א) בהר סיני. מָה עִנְיַן שְׁמִטָּה אֵצֶל הַר סִינַי? וַהֲלֹא כָל הַמִּצְוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ מִסִּינַי? אֶלָּא מַה שְּׁמִטָּה נֶאֶמְרוּ כְלָלוֹתֶיהָ וּפְרָטוֹתֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ מִסִּינַי אַף כֻּלָּן נֶאֶמְרוּ כְלָלוֹתֵיהֶן וְדִקְדּוּקֵיהֶן מִסִּינַי
(1) בהר סיני [THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES] ON MOUNT SINAI — What has the matter of the Sabbatical year to do with Mount Sinai that Scripture fell compelled to expressly state where it was commanded? Were not all commandments given on Sinai? But this statement is intended to suggest the following comparison: How is it in the case of the law of Shemittah? Its general rules, [its specific prescriptions] and minute details were ordained on Mount Sinai! So, also, were all commandments with their general rules and their minute details ordained on Mount Sinai.
Shmita is the only mitzvah in the Torah that is directly linked with Har Sinai, the place of revelation. Rashi’s question of "Ma Inyan Shmita Eytzel Har Sinai? What has the matter of the Sabbatical Year to do with Mount Sinai?" — has evolved into a phrase in modern Hebrew that is widely used outside of this context to mean 'What does one thing have to do with the other?' an expression of surprise and curiosity.
Question for discussion:
Why would the Torah specifically use Shmita to prove this point, and not Shabbat, or dietary laws, or charity, or any other commandment? Why Shmita in particular? What do you think Shmita has to do with Mount Sinai?
3. Shabbat of the Week
Questions for discussion:
In what ways is Shmita an extension of the weekly Shabbat: How are they similar? How are they different?
In Shabbat and Shmita, what does the symbol of ‘seven’ represent? What is the significance of this number?
How do cycles play a role in your own life? What is the significance of using the rhythm of cycles to mark time?
In Leviticus 25.4 (quoted above), the Shmita Year is also referred to as “Shabbat Shabbaton”, translated as the ‘Sabbath of Sabbaths’, a term meant to imply a level of depth beyond the weekly Shabbat. This term is also used in the Torah to describe Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16.31). How might Shmita be connected to the day of Yom Kippur, and why might these times be considered a 'Shabbat Shabbaton'?
Throughout the Torah, the pattern of seven appears frequently, with significance in ritual and life cycles. Below are a few examples, other than Shabbat and Shmita.
- 7 weeks in the counting of the Omer before Shavuot (Leviticus 23.15)
- 7 days of Pesach and Sukkot (Leviticus 23.6, 34)
- Rosh Hashana falls on the first day of the 7th month (Leviticus 23.24)
- 7 branches on the Menorah in the Temple (Exodus 25.31)
- 7 celebrated species of produce of the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8.8)
- 7 days of preparation before initiating the Mishkan service (Leviticus 8.35)
- The period of Tumah (uncleanliness) lasts 7 days (Leviticus 13)
Where else in Jewish tradition and culture does this pattern appear?
4. Release of Debt
(א) מִקֵּ֥ץ שֶֽׁבַע־שָׁנִ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה שְׁמִטָּֽה׃ (ב) וְזֶה֮ דְּבַ֣ר הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ שָׁמ֗וֹט כָּל־בַּ֙עַל֙ מַשֵּׁ֣ה יָד֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַשֶּׁ֖ה בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹֽא־יִגֹּ֤שׂ אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ וְאֶת־אָחִ֔יו כִּֽי־קָרָ֥א שְׁמִטָּ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃...
(ז) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶה֩ בְךָ֨ אֶבְי֜וֹן מֵאַחַ֤ד אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֑ךְ לֹ֧א תְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֗ וְלֹ֤א תִקְפֹּץ֙ אֶת־יָ֣דְךָ֔ מֵאָחִ֖יךָ הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (ח) כִּֽי־פָתֹ֧חַ תִּפְתַּ֛ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ ל֑וֹ וְהַעֲבֵט֙ תַּעֲבִיטֶ֔נּוּ דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃ (ט) הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־הַשֶּׁבַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃ (י) נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙ ל֔וֹ וְלֹא־יֵרַ֥ע לְבָבְךָ֖ בְּתִתְּךָ֣ ל֑וֹ כִּ֞י בִּגְלַ֣ל ׀ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדֶֽךָ׃ (יא) כִּ֛י לֹא־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אֶבְי֖וֹן מִקֶּ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּ֠תֹחַ תִּפְתַּ֨ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֜ לְאָחִ֧יךָ לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּאַרְצֶֽךָ׃ (ס)
(1) Every seventh year you shall practice remission of debts. (2) This shall be the nature of the remission: every creditor shall remit the due that he claims from his fellow; he shall not dun his fellow or kinsman, for the remission proclaimed is of the LORD....
(7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. (9) Beware lest you harbor the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt. (10) Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. (11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.
Questions for discussion:
Why do you think forgiving debt and extending credit is linked with agricultural release in the full observance of the Shmita Year? How do you think economy and agriculture are directly related to one another?
This text seems to understand that canceling debt is both an ideal and a challenge. What do you think about this tension? How can you understand this from the perspective of the giver? Of the receiver?
5. Shmita and Faith
The text relates to the agricultural cycle of annual crops, such as grains, which take about 8 months to mature. Taking one year off from seeding directly affects three year’s worth of food supply:
- Year 6 needs an abundant harvest to also cover the next year;
- Year 7 is a fallow period;
- Year 8 (or Year 1 in the Shmita Cycle) begins without a replenished harvest from the 7th Year...in which case, there will not be available fresh food until the first planting of the 8th Year is harvested.
Questions for discussion:
What does this text tell us about how the people might have felt about the rules of Shmita?
If you were preparing for the arrival of Shmita, what types of emotions do you think would arise for you? Would you be concerned that your most basic needs might not be met? Or might you have faith these needs would indeed be met?
What meaning, if any, do you find in connecting the bounty or scarcity of natural resources to God’s will?
How might ‘having faith’ fit into the paradigm of ‘release’ that Shmita activates? In this source, what are we releasing? How does this release connect to feelings of satisfaction and security (verse 18)?
6. Hakel: Community Gathering
Hakhel literally means ‘assemble’ and is linguistically related to the word Kehila, which means ‘community.’ During the times of the Temple, the Hakhel would happen during the Sukkot holiday after the Shmita Year, at which point the people would gather together and the king would read aloud selections from the Torah.
(י) וַיְצַ֥ו מֹשֶׁ֖ה אוֹתָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים בְּמֹעֵ֛ד שְׁנַ֥ת הַשְּׁמִטָּ֖ה בְּחַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ (יא) בְּב֣וֹא כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֵרָאוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֑ר תִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את נֶ֥גֶד כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאָזְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (יב) הַקְהֵ֣ל אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְהַנָּשִׁים֙ וְהַטַּ֔ף וְגֵרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֨עַן יִשְׁמְע֜וּ וּלְמַ֣עַן יִלְמְד֗וּ וְיָֽרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְשָֽׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ (יג) וּבְנֵיהֶ֞ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדְע֗וּ יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ וְלָ֣מְד֔וּ לְיִרְאָ֖ה אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֤ם חַיִּים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (פ)
(10) And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, the year set for remission, at the Feast of Booths, (11) when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place that He will choose, you shall read this Teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel. (12) Gather the people—men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities—that they may hear and so learn to revere the LORD your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching. (13) Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the LORD your God as long as they live in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.
Questions for discussion:
What role do you think public Torah readings serve? What might be the connection between a public reading of the Torah, leaving land fallow, and debt release?
Why do you think the culmination of the Shmita Year is marked by such a wide-spread community gathering? What is the role of community relationships within the Shmita Year itself?
Why do you think the text insists on the children being in attendance?
7. Cycles of Shmita: The Jubilee
After counting 49 years through 7 individual Shmita Cycles, the 50th, and final, year of the complete Sabbatical cycle is known as the Jubilee. Jubilee in Hebrew is Yovel, literally translated as a ram horn. Because of the nature of return that is activated this year, biblical scholar Everett Fox translates this period as the ‘Year of Homebringing.’
When the tribes of Israel first entered into the land of Israel, after traveling in the wilderness for forty years, the land was divided among 12 tribes, with each tribe receiving a certain region. It is this land which the biblical text is referring to when it mentions in verse 10: “...each of you shall return to his holding and each of you shall return to his family."
After the Jubilee year, the 50 year cycle begins again, from year 1.
(8) You shall count off seven weeks of years—seven times seven years—so that the period of seven weeks of years gives you a total of forty-nine years. (9) Then you shall sound the horn loud; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month—the Day of Atonement—you shall have the horn sounded throughout your land (10) and you shall hallow the fiftieth year. You shall proclaim release throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: each of you shall return to his holding and each of you shall return to his family.
Questions for discussion:
What might be the significance of marking the culmination of seven complete Shmita Cycles with one extra, celebratory year? How might this cycle of 50 years resemble Sefirat Ha’Omer, the custom of counting 50 days between Pesach and Shavuot, marking the journey from slavery in Egypt towards revelation at Mount Sinai?
Why do you think the Jubilee Year begins on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement? What is the significance of the shofar as marking the start of the Jubilee year?
If land had been kept through the generations with one family, tribe, or culture, what connections do you think would develop over the years?
Is there one place that you might consider your own true home, the place you would hope to which you and your children would always be able to return?
8. Personal Freedom
In most instances, slavery in the Bible referred to individuals who sold themselves or were sold into servitude based on financial poverty or debt burdens. Slaves were to be considered as part of the Master’s household, and there were strict codes of conduct regarding physical treatment, work, and rest.
(לט) וְכִֽי־יָמ֥וּךְ אָחִ֛יךָ עִמָּ֖ךְ וְנִמְכַּר־לָ֑ךְ לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֥ד בּ֖וֹ עֲבֹ֥דַת עָֽבֶד׃ (מ) כְּשָׂכִ֥יר כְּתוֹשָׁ֖ב יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֑ךְ עַד־שְׁנַ֥ת הַיֹּבֵ֖ל יַעֲבֹ֥ד עִמָּֽךְ׃ (מא) וְיָצָא֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ ה֖וּא וּבָנָ֣יו עִמּ֑וֹ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ וְאֶל־אֲחֻזַּ֥ת אֲבֹתָ֖יו יָשֽׁוּב׃
(39) If your kinsman under you continues in straits and must give himself over to you, do not subject him to the treatment of a slave. (40) He shall remain with you as a hired or bound laborer; he shall serve with you only until the jubilee year. (41) Then he and his children with him shall be free of your authority; he shall go back to his family and return to his ancestral holding.
עד שנת היבל. אִם פָּגַע בּוֹ יוֹבֵל לִפְנֵי שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים הַיּוֹבֵל מוֹצִיאוֹ:
עד שנת היבל [HE SHALL SERVE WITH YOU] ONLY UNTIL THE JUBILEE YEAR — This implies that if the Jubilee happens to come (lit., happens to meet him) before the six years of his servitude are at an end, it frees him.
According to Rashi, freeing slaves is a "whichever comes first" situation - 7 years or jubilee.
Questions for discussion:
Did you know the verse on the US Liberty Bell is from the section of the Torah that speaks of the Jubilee: “And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land...” (Leviticus 25.10)? Liberty is the English translation used for the Hebrew word, dror, which also means freedom. What is the connection between the ideals of liberty and freedom with the Shmita? In what ways does Shmita make us free? Why do you think the entire Shmita Cycle culminates with this specific manifestation?
What is the connection between the release of slaves and the return to ancestral lands?
9. Land Value
(יד) וְכִֽי־תִמְכְּר֤וּ מִמְכָּר֙ לַעֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ א֥וֹ קָנֹ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד עֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ אַל־תּוֹנ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אָחִֽיו׃ (טו) בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שָׁנִים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַיּוֹבֵ֔ל תִּקְנֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת עֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁנֵֽי־תְבוּאֹ֖ת יִמְכָּר־לָֽךְ׃ (טז) לְפִ֣י ׀ רֹ֣ב הַשָּׁנִ֗ים תַּרְבֶּה֙ מִקְנָת֔וֹ וּלְפִי֙ מְעֹ֣ט הַשָּׁנִ֔ים תַּמְעִ֖יט מִקְנָת֑וֹ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר תְּבוּאֹ֔ת ה֥וּא מֹכֵ֖ר לָֽךְ׃ (יז) וְלֹ֤א תוֹנוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עֲמִית֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃...
(כג) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ לֹ֤א תִמָּכֵר֙ לִצְמִתֻ֔ת כִּי־לִ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֧ים וְתוֹשָׁבִ֛ים אַתֶּ֖ם עִמָּדִֽי׃ (כד) וּבְכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶ֑ם גְּאֻלָּ֖ה תִּתְּנ֥וּ לָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס) (כה) כִּֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָכַ֖ר מֵאֲחֻזָּת֑וֹ וּבָ֤א גֹֽאֲלוֹ֙ הַקָּרֹ֣ב אֵלָ֔יו וְגָאַ֕ל אֵ֖ת מִמְכַּ֥ר אָחִֽיו׃ (כו) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־לּ֖וֹ גֹּאֵ֑ל וְהִשִּׂ֣יגָה יָד֔וֹ וּמָצָ֖א כְּדֵ֥י גְאֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ (כז) וְחִשַּׁב֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י מִמְכָּר֔וֹ וְהֵשִׁיב֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֹדֵ֔ף לָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָֽכַר־ל֑וֹ וְשָׁ֖ב לַאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃ (כח) וְאִ֨ם לֹֽא־מָֽצְאָ֜ה יָד֗וֹ דֵּי֮ הָשִׁ֣יב לוֹ֒ וְהָיָ֣ה מִמְכָּר֗וֹ בְּיַד֙ הַקֹּנֶ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיּוֹבֵ֑ל וְיָצָא֙ בַּיֹּבֵ֔ל וְשָׁ֖ב לַאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃
(14) When you sell property to your neighbor, or buy any from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. (15) In buying from your neighbor, you shall deduct only for the number of years since the jubilee; and in selling to you, he shall charge you only for the remaining crop years: (16) the more such years, the higher the price you pay; the fewer such years, the lower the price; for what he is selling you is a number of harvests. (17) Do not wrong one another, but fear your God; for I the LORD am your God....
(23) But the land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me. (24) Throughout the land that you hold, you must provide for the redemption of the land. (25) If your kinsman is in straits and has to sell part of his holding, his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his kinsman has sold. (26) If a man has no one to redeem for him, but prospers and acquires enough to redeem with, (27) he shall compute the years since its sale, refund the difference to the man to whom he sold it, and return to his holding. (28) If he lacks sufficient means to recover it, what he sold shall remain with the purchaser until the jubilee; in the jubilee year it shall be released, and he shall return to his holding.
Questions for discussion:
How might such a land-market, based on a 50-year cycle, have been integral to the possibility of keeping Shmita every seventh year?
How does this relate to our modern day real estate market? What is your sense of ‘land worth’ and ‘land value’? How might you personally measure this?
Do you agree, as verse 23 states, that we “are but strangers resident with [God]” upon the earth? How might this change the relationship you have with the land you live on now? How would such an awareness of transience also fit into a societal system founded on long-term tribal land relationships?
10. Jubilee in Urban Settings
Questions for discussion:
How is a private residential house different than agricultural land, in terms of the Jubilee release? Would one be easier or harder to release back to its original owner after 50 years?
Why do you think the Jubilee release would not take effect in a walled town, but would take effect in a city without walls? What is the significance of a wall surrounding a city?
The Shmita/Yovel system emerged out of a very agrarian based society. As a culture becomes more urbanized and further removed from its natural surroundings, how do you think this would affect the societal and personal relationship with Shmita/Yovel?
11. The Divine Blessings of Shabbat/Shmita/Yovel
(ב) אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ (ס) (ג) אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃ (ד) וְנָתַתִּ֥י גִשְׁמֵיכֶ֖ם בְּעִתָּ֑ם וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִתֵּ֥ן פִּרְיֽוֹ׃ (ה) וְהִשִּׂ֨יג לָכֶ֥ם דַּ֙יִשׁ֙ אֶת־בָּצִ֔יר וּבָצִ֖יר יַשִּׂ֣יג אֶת־זָ֑רַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם לַחְמְכֶם֙ לָשֹׂ֔בַע וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לָבֶ֖טַח בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם׃ (ו) וְנָתַתִּ֤י שָׁלוֹם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֞י חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְחֶ֖רֶב לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם׃...
(יב) וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי֙ בְּת֣וֹכְכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֥י לְעָֽם׃ (יג) אֲנִ֞י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֤אתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִֽהְיֹ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם עֲבָדִ֑ים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר֙ מֹטֹ֣ת עֻלְּכֶ֔ם וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ אֶתְכֶ֖ם קֽוֹמְמִיּֽוּת׃ (פ)
(2) You shall keep My sabbaths and venerate My sanctuary, Mine, the LORD’s. (3) If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, (4) I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit. (5) Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and your vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your fill of bread and dwell securely in your land. (6) I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land....
(12) I will be ever present in your midst: I will be your God, and you shall be My people. (13) I the LORD am your God who brought you out from the land of the Egyptians to be their slaves no more, who broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.
Questions for discussion:
What are the specific points of the blessing that comes with observing the Shabbat moments in time?
What connections might this text imply by juxtaposing our history as slaves in Egypt and our tradition of a Sabbatical practice in the land we called home? How might this connection affect our perspective and understanding of Shmita?
Why do you think the text mentions Shabbat in the plural? Can the full ‘impact’ and potential of Shabbat only be felt if the Shabbat, Shmita, and Yovel cycles are celebrated together?
Do you understand the nature of this blessing as a ‘reward’ or a ‘consequence’? What is the difference?
12. The Divine Warning Against Neglecting Shabbat/Shmita/Yovel
(יח) וְאִ֨ם־עַד־אֵ֔לֶּה לֹ֥א תִשְׁמְע֖וּ לִ֑י וְיָסַפְתִּי֙ לְיַסְּרָ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם שֶׁ֖בַע עַל־חַטֹּאתֵיכֶֽם׃ (יט) וְשָׁבַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־גְּא֣וֹן עֻזְּכֶ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־שְׁמֵיכֶם֙ כַּבַּרְזֶ֔ל וְאֶֽת־אַרְצְכֶ֖ם כַּנְּחֻשָֽׁה׃ (כ) וְתַ֥ם לָרִ֖יק כֹּחֲכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תִתֵּ֤ן אַרְצְכֶם֙ אֶת־יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֣ץ הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יִתֵּ֖ן פִּרְיֽוֹ׃...
(לד) אָז֩ תִּרְצֶ֨ה הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתֶ֗יהָ כֹּ֚ל יְמֵ֣י הֳשַׁמָּ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אָ֚ז תִּשְׁבַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִרְצָ֖ת אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (לה) כָּל־יְמֵ֥י הָשַּׁמָּ֖ה תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־שָׁבְתָ֛ה בְּשַׁבְּתֹתֵיכֶ֖ם בְּשִׁבְתְּכֶ֥ם עָלֶֽיהָ׃
(18) And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you sevenfold for your sins, (19) and I will break your proud glory. I will make your skies like iron and your earth like copper, (20) so that your strength shall be spent to no purpose. Your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit....
(34) Then shall the land make up for its sabbath years throughout the time that it is desolate and you are in the land of your enemies; then shall the land rest and make up for its sabbath years. (35) Throughout the time that it is desolate, it shall observe the rest that it did not observe in your sabbath years while you were dwelling upon it.
Questions for discussion:
Why do you think the text uses ‘proud glory’ as the characteristic that might cause people to neglect the Shmita Cycle?
What might be the connection between Shmita and the extension of punishment 'sevenfold' times?
Similar to the language surrounding the blessings of keeping Shmita, do you understand the nature of these curses as a 'consequence' or as a 'punishment'? What is the difference?
We might read this text in terms of contemporary environmental and agricultural challenges: soil erosion, overgrazing, pollution, acid rain, climate change, etc. Do you think the sustainability movement could find strength in a text like this? Why or why not?
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Translation | Location |
| שְּׁבִיעִ֗ת | Shvi’it | Seventh |
Exodus 23.11, Leviticus 25.4 |
|
תִּשְׁמְטֶ֣נָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּ֗הּ |
Tishm’tena U'nitashta | Release & Lie Fallow, Let It Go & Let It Be |
Exodus 23.11 |
| שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהוָֽה | Shabbat Lado’nay | Shabbat for God | Leviticus 25.1 |
| שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ | Shabbat Shabbaton | Shabbat of Shabbats | Leviticus 25.4 |
| שַׁבַּ֨ת הָאָ֤רֶץ | Shabbat Ha’aretz | Shabbat of the Land | Leviticus 25.6 |
| שְׁמִטָּֽה | Shmita | Release, Remission | Deuteronomy 15.1 |
Closing questions for discussion:
The word Shmita literally means ‘release’. What is the ‘release’, on a personal and societal level, that we are being asked to participate in, physically, emotionally, and spiritually? How easy or challenging might it be to release objects or patterns we are accustomed to?
The early Israelites lived in a largely rural, agrarian society, vastly different than our modern culture. What do you think the Shmita Year would look like if we observed it now? Agriculturally? Economically? Comunally? Personally?
Have you felt the hectic rush before Shabbat begins, of cooking, cleaning, wrapping up the work week? Or the rush before leaving to college, planning a wedding, going on vacation… anything that is a drastic shift from your day-to-day activities? Just as you would have a hard time suddenly deciding to step into these moments minutes before it starts, how (if at all) would you (and the collective culture) begin to prepare for a year-long Shabbat?
In what ways is Shmita a restful experience, and in what ways might it be the opposite? How do you think life would be different if there was a recurring, multi-year cycle of collective rest embedded in our culture?
The discussion continues in section 2!