14. Let the Land Rest: Lessons from Shemita, the Sabbatical Year

This material was prepared by Rabbi Yonatan Neril and Evonne Marzouk of Canfei Nesharim, as part of the Jewcology project.

This source sheet was created in collaboration with Canfei Nesharim, Jewcology, Jewish Nature and the ROI Community.

The Sefaria Source Sheet was collated and edited by Rachel Kelman, a 2022 summer inchworm.

Outline of Topics
I. Hidden Light
II. The Shemita Commandments in the Torah
III. Making the Land Ownerless
IV. Living Securely on the Land
V. Appeasing the Land
VI. To let the Land Rest

I. Hidden Light

חגיגה י״ב א:ט׳-י״ב

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, אָדָם צוֹפֶה בּוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּסְתַּכֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּבְדוֹר הַפְּלַגָּה וְרָאָה שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מְקוּלְקָלִים — עָמַד וּגְנָזוֹ מֵהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם״. וּלְמִי גְּנָזוֹ — לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב״, וְאֵין ״טוֹב״ אֶלָּא צַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹר שֶׁגְּנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים שָׂמַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אוֹר צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמָח״. כְּתַנָּאֵי: אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, אָדָם צוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט בּוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: הֵן הֵן מְאוֹרוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא נִתְלוּ עַד יוֹם רְבִיעִי.

Chagigah 12a:9-12

as Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was not that of the sun but a different kind of light, through which man could observe from one end of the world to the other. But when the Holy One, Blessed be He, looked upon the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion and saw that their ways were corrupt and that they might misuse this light for evil, He arose and concealed it from them, as it is stated: “And from the wicked their light is withheld” (Job 38:15). And for whom did He conceal it? For the righteous people in the future, as it is stated: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (Genesis 1:4), and “good” is referring to none other than the righteous, as it is stated: “Say of the righteous that it shall be good for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10). When the light saw that it had been concealed for the righteous, it rejoiced, as it is stated: “The light for the righteous shall rejoice” (Proverbs 13:9). The Gemara comments: This is like a dispute between tanna’im: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was so profound that man could observe through it from one end of the world to the other; this is the statement of Rabbi Ya’akov. And the Rabbis say: This light is the very same as the lights created on the first day, but they were not suspended in their designated places in the firmament until the fourth day.

The Gaon of Vilna, Aderet Eliyahu, Bereshit Aleph, al derekh ha’remez, p. 37 old editions. Translation by Rabbi Avraham Sutton
The light that was created on the first day was the light with which Adam saw from one end of the creation to the other. This original light is the light of consciousness (ohr ha’sekhel), the light which illumines the mind. It is through this that Adam perceived and grasped the entirety of the universe.

ספר הבהיר - המיוחס לרבי נחוניא בן הקנה ז"ל
קס. ישב ר' ברכיה ודרש מאי האי דאמרינן כל יומא העולם הבא, ולא ידעינן מאי קאמרינן, העוה"ב מתרגמינן עלמא דאתי, מאי עלמא דאתי, מלמד שקודם שנברא העולם עלה במחשבה לבראות אור גדול להאיר, ונברא אור גדול שאין כל בריה יכולה לשלוט בו, צפה הקב"ה שאין יכולין לסובלו, לקח שביעית ושם להם במקומו והשאר גנזו לצדיקים לעתיר לבוא, ואמר אם יזכו בזה השביעי וישמרוה אתן להם זה לעולם אחרון והיינו עולם הבא שכבר בא מקודם ששת ימי בראשית הה"ד (תהלים ל"א כ) מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליראיך וגו :'

The Bahir. Attributed to Rabbi Nehunia ben Hakaneh. Translated by R’ Aryeh Kaplan. York Beach, ME: Red Wheel/Weiser, 1979, Section 160, page 58
Rabbi Berachiah sat and expounded: Each day we speak of the World to Come. Do we then understand what we are saying? In Aramaic, the "World to Come" is translated "the world that came." And what is the meaning of "the world that came"? We learned that before the world was created, it arose in thought to create an intense light to illuminate it. He created an intense light over which no created thing could have authority. The Blessed Holy One saw, however, that the world could not endure [this light]. He therefore took a seventh of it and left it in its place for them. The rest He put away for the righteous in the Ultimate Future. He said, "If they are worthy of this seventh and keep it, I will give them [the rest] in the Final World." It is therefore called "the world that came," since it already came [into existence] from the six days of creation. Regarding this it is written (Psalm 31:20), "How great is Your good that You have hidden away for those who fear You.""

Discussion Questions:

How do you understand this idea of hidden light intended for the righteous?
Have you ever experienced a moment of recognizing this light?
How does this light relate to Shabbat and Shemita?

II. The Shemita Commandments in the Torah

שמות כ״ג:י׳-י״א

(י) וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְרַ֣ע אֶת־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃ (יא) וְהַשְּׁבִיעִ֞ת תִּשְׁמְטֶ֣נָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּ֗הּ וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ אֶבְיֹנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְיִתְרָ֕ם תֹּאכַ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה כֵּֽן־תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְכַרְמְךָ֖ לְזֵיתֶֽךָ׃

Exodus 23:10-11

(10) Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; (11) but in the seventh you shall let it rest and lie fallow. Let the needy among your people eat of it, and what they leave let the wild beasts eat. You shall do the same with your vineyards and your olive groves.

רש"י על שמות כ״ג:י״א

(א) תשמטנה. מֵעֲבוֹדָה: (ב) ונטשתה. מֵאֲכִילָה אַחַר זְמַן הַבִּעוּר. דָּ"אַ, תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה – מֵעֲבוֹדָה גְמוּרָה, כְּגוֹן חֲרִישָׁה וּזְרִיעָה, וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ – מִלְּזַבֵּל וּמִלְּקַשְׁקֵשׁ (סוכה מ"ד): (ג) ויתרם תאכל חית השדה. לְהַקִּישׁ מַאֲכַל אֶבְיוֹן לְמַאֲכַל חַיָּה, מַה חַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת בְּלֹא מַעֲשֵׂר, אַף אֶבְיוֹנִים אוֹכְלִים בְלֹא מַעֲשֵׂר; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ אֵין מַעֲשֵׂר בַּשְּׁבִיעִית (מכילתא): (ד) כן תעשה לכרמך. וּתְחִלַּת הַמִּקְרָא מְדַבֵּר בִּשְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ תִּזְרַע אֶת אַרְצֶךָ:

Rashi on Exodus 23:11

(1) תשמטנה THOU SHALT LET IT REST — by not tilling it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:11:1), (2) ונטשתה AND THOU SHALT ABANDON IT — by not eating of its produce (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:11:1) after “the time of removal” of the produce has arrived. Another explanation is: תשמטנה THOU SHALT LET IT REST, from what is real work, as, for example, ploughing and sowing, ונטשתה AND LEAVE IT ALONE — not even to manure and to hoe it. (3) ויתרם תאכל חית השדה AND WHAT THEY LEAVE THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD (the wild animals) SHALL EAT — This cannot be a command that the wild animals shall eat it, viz., that you shall permit them to eat it. No such command is necessary since you have no control over wild animals; it intends by juxtaposition with the preceding words to place in the same category (more lit., to compare) the food of the poor with that of the beast. For how is it in the case of the wild animal? It eats food without the tithe having been separated from it! So too, the poor may in the seventh year eat food without the tithe having been separated from it. From this juxtaposition they (the Rabbis) derived the rule that the law of tithe is not to be observed in the seventh year (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:11:3). (4) כך תעשה לכרמך IN LIKE MANNER THOU SHALT DO WITH THY VINEYARD — The first member of the verse, however, speaks of a “white field” (i. e. a bright, shadeless field — a grain field or a vegetable field — in contrast to a שדה אילן which casts shade), as it is said above, (v. 10) “thou shalt sow thy land”.

ויקרא כ״ה:א׳-ז׳

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) שֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃ (ד) וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗ת שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהֹוָ֑ה שָֽׂדְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִזְרָ֔ע וְכַרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִזְמֹֽר׃ (ה) אֵ֣ת סְפִ֤יחַ קְצִֽירְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִקְצ֔וֹר וְאֶת־עִנְּבֵ֥י נְזִירֶ֖ךָ לֹ֣א תִבְצֹ֑ר שְׁנַ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן יִהְיֶ֥ה לָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ו) וְ֠הָיְתָ֠ה שַׁבַּ֨ת הָאָ֤רֶץ לָכֶם֙ לְאׇכְלָ֔ה לְךָ֖ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וְלַאֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ֙ וּלְתוֹשָׁ֣בְךָ֔ הַגָּרִ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ׃ (ז) וְלִ֨בְהֶמְתְּךָ֔ וְלַֽחַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאַרְצֶ֑ךָ תִּהְיֶ֥ה כׇל־תְּבוּאָתָ֖הּ לֶאֱכֹֽל׃ {ס}

Leviticus 25:1-7

(1) יהוה 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 יהוה. (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, a sabbath of יהוה: 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.

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:כ״א:א׳

(א) לשלש השנים. לִקְצָת הַשִּׁשִּׁית — מִנִּיסָן וְעַד רֹ"הַ, וְלַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְלַשְּׁמִינִית, שֶׁיִּזְרְעוּ בַשְּׁמִינִית בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְיִקְצְרוּ בְנִיסָן:

Rashi on Leviticus 25:21:1

(1) לשלש השנים [IT SHALL BRING FORTH INCREASE] FOR THE THREE YEARS — i. e. for a part of the sixth year — from Nisan till the New Year of the seventh — for the whole seventh year and for part of the eighth year, for in the eighth year they will sow in Marcheshvan but will harvest only in Nisan (so that they will have to depend on the harvest of the sixth year in the eighth too).

Discussion Questions:

What specific rules are given regarding the Sabbatical Year?
What affect would these rules have on society and its hierarchies?
What does it mean for land to rest?

III. Making the Land Ownerless

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:ה׳

(א) את ספיח קצירך. אֲפִלּוּ לֹא זְרַעְתָּהּ וְהִיא צָמְחָה מִן הַזֶּרַע שֶׁנָּפַל בָּהּ בְּעֵת הַקָּצִיר וְהוּא קָרוּי סָפִיחַ: (ב) לא תקצור. לִהְיוֹת מַחֲזִיק בּוֹ כִּשְׁאָר קָצִיר, אֶלָּא הֶפְקֵר יִהְיֶה לַכֹּל:

Rashi on Leviticus 25:5

(1) את ספיח קצירך THAT WHICH GROW OF ITS OWN ACCORD OF THY HARVEST — i. e. even if you have not sown it but it grew from the seed which fell into it (into the ground) at the time of the last harvest — and that is what the term ספיח denotes. (2) לא תקצור THOU SHALT NOT REAP [IT] — to take it as your exclusive property as you do with other harvests (with the harvest in another year) but it shall be free (הפקר) to all and then thou also may reap of it.

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:ו׳:א׳

(א) והיתה שבת הארץ וגו'. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁאֲסַרְתִּים עָלֶיךָ, לֹא בַאֲכִילָה וְלֹא בַּהֲנָאָה אֲסַרְתִּים, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא תִנְהֹג בָהֶם כְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל יִהְיוּ שָׁוִים בָּהּ, אַתָּה וּשְׂכִירְךָ וְתוֹשָׁבְךָ:

Rashi on Leviticus 25:6:1

(1) 'והיתה שבת הארץ וגו‎‎‎‎ AND THE SABBATH OF THE LAND SHALL BE [FOOD FOR YOU] — Although I have forbidden them (the fruits of the sabbatical year) to you by stating “thou shalt not harvest etc.”, I do not mean to forbid them to you as food or to be used for any other beneficial purpose but what I meant was that you should not comport yourself in respect of them as the exclusive owner but all must be equal as regards it (the Sabbatical year’s produce) — you and your hired servant and your sojourner.

Discussion Questions:

According to these sources, what does it mean for the land to be ownerless?
What is the difference between ownership and value?
How does Shemita help us distinguish between these two ideas?

IV. Living Securely on the Land

ויקרא כ״ה:י״ח-כ״א

(יח) וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֹתָ֑ם וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח׃ (יט) וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ פִּרְיָ֔הּ וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֖ם לָשֹׂ֑בַע וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לָבֶ֖טַח עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (כ) וְכִ֣י תֹאמְר֔וּ מַה־נֹּאכַ֖ל בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑ת הֵ֚ן לֹ֣א נִזְרָ֔ע וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱסֹ֖ף אֶת־תְּבוּאָתֵֽנוּ׃ (כא) וְצִוִּ֤יתִי אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ לָכֶ֔ם בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֑ית וְעָשָׂת֙ אֶת־הַתְּבוּאָ֔ה לִשְׁלֹ֖שׁ הַשָּׁנִֽים׃

Leviticus 25:18-21

(18) You shall observe My laws and faithfully keep My rules, that you may live upon the land in security; (19) the land shall yield its fruit and you shall eat your fill, and you shall live upon it in security. (20) And should you ask, “What are we to eat in the seventh year, if we may neither sow nor gather in our crops?” (21) I will ordain My blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it shall yield a crop sufficient for three years.

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:י״ח:א׳

(א) וישבתם על הארץ לבטח. שֶׁבַּעֲוֹן שְׁמִטָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָז תִּרְצֶה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ, וְהִרְצָת אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ" (ויקרא כ"ו), וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁל גָּלוּת בָּבֶל כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שְׁמִטּוֹת שֶׁבִּטְּלוּ הָיוּ:

Rashi on Leviticus 25:18:1

(1) וישבתם על הארץ לבטח [WHEREFORE YE SHALL DO MY ORDINANCES] AND YE SHALL ABIDE IN THE LAND IN SAFETY — It states this because as a punishment for the sin of neglecting the laws of ”Shemittah” Israel becomes exiled, as it is said (Leviticus 26:33, 34) “(And I will disperse you among the nations…] Then shall the land makeup for the Sabbatical years… even then make up for her Sabbatical years that she has not observed” (Shabbat 33a). The seventy years of the Babylonian exile were indeed a punishment corresponding to the seventy Sabbatical years which they had neglected (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 26:35).

ויקרא כ״ו:ל״ג-ל״ה

(לג) וְאֶתְכֶם֙ אֱזָרֶ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י אַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם חָ֑רֶב וְהָיְתָ֤ה אַרְצְכֶם֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְעָרֵיכֶ֖ם יִהְי֥וּ חׇרְבָּֽה׃ (לד) אָז֩ תִּרְצֶ֨ה הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתֶ֗יהָ כֹּ֚ל יְמֵ֣י הׇשַּׁמָּ֔הֿ וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אָ֚ז תִּשְׁבַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִרְצָ֖ת אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (לה) כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י הׇשַּׁמָּ֖הֿ תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־שָׁבְתָ֛ה בְּשַׁבְּתֹתֵיכֶ֖ם בְּשִׁבְתְּכֶ֥ם עָלֶֽיהָ׃

Leviticus 26:33-35

(33) And you I will scatter among the nations, and I will unsheath the sword against you. Your land shall become a desolation and your cities a ruin. (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.

Discussion Questions:

According to these sources, what does it mean to live securely?
What do these sources teach us about the consequences of our actions?
How do these sources illuminate the relationship between good behavior and environmental outcomes?

V. Appeasing the Land

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ו:ל״ד:א׳-ב׳

(א) אז תרצה. תְּפַיֵּס אֶת כַּעַס הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּעַס עַל שְׁמִטּוֹתֶיהָ: (ב) והרצת. לַמֶּלֶךְ את שבתתיה:

Rashi on Leviticus 26:34:1-2

(1) אז תרצה means: then the land shall appease the wrath of the Omnipresent who was angry because of the neglect of the Sabbatical years. (2) והרצת — means, it will give satisfaction to the King as regards its Sabbatical years.

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ו:ל״ה:ב׳

(ב) את אשר לא שבתה. שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁל גָּלוּת בָּבֶל הֵן הָיוּ כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שְׁנוֹת הַשְּׁמִטָּה וְיוֹבֵל שֶׁהָיוּ בַּשָּׁנִים שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְצָם לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם — אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים שָׁנָה...וַעֲלֵיהֶם נִגְזַר שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שְׁלֵמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָמִים (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו), עַד רָצְתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתֶיהָ … לְמַלֹּאות שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה (סדר עולם):

Rashi on Leviticus 26:35:2

(2) את אשר לא שבתה BECAUSE IT DID NOT REST [IN YOUR SABBATHS] — The seventy years of the Babylonian exile exactly corresponded to the seventy Sabbatical and Jubilee years that were due in those years when Israel was provoking the anger of the Omnipresent whilststill in their land, i. e. in 430 years...And because of them (i. e. because of the neglect of these seventy years) exactly seventy years of exile were decreed against them. Thus, too, it is said in Chronicles, (II Chronicles 36:21) “[and them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon…] until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths [for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbaths] to fulfill three score and ten years” (Seder Olam).

דברים ל״א:י׳-י״ב

(י) וַיְצַ֥ו מֹשֶׁ֖ה אוֹתָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים בְּמֹעֵ֛ד שְׁנַ֥ת הַשְּׁמִטָּ֖ה בְּחַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ (יא) בְּב֣וֹא כׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֵֽרָאוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֑ר תִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את נֶ֥גֶד כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (יב) הַקְהֵ֣ל אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְהַנָּשִׁים֙ וְהַטַּ֔ף וְגֵרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֨עַן יִשְׁמְע֜וּ וּלְמַ֣עַן יִלְמְד֗וּ וְיָֽרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְשָֽׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

Deuteronomy 31:10-12

(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 your God יהוה in the place that [God] 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 your God יהוה and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching.

Discussion Questions:

What is the relationship between Shemita, the land, and G-d? How do you think G-d is appeased by our observance of Shemita?
How does appeasing the land affect our personal and communal success? What can this idea teach us today?
Why is the end if the Shemita year the time to gather everyone together to hear the Torah?

VI. To Let the Land Rest

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:ב׳:א׳

(א) שבת לה'. לְשֵׁם ה', כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּשַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית (עי' ספרא):

Rashi on Leviticus 25:2:1

(1) שבת לה׳ [THEN SHALL THE LAND KEEP) A REST ‎'לה‎ — This means a rest in honor of the Lord (not a rest for the Lord, as in v. 4: שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ, “there shall be a strict Sabbath for the land”, i. e. for the land to rest) in the same sense as these words are used in the case of the weekly Sabbath (lit., the Sabbath of Creation) (Exodus 20:10) where 'שבת לה‎ cannot mean “a day for God to rest” (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 1 2).

מורה נבוכים, חלק ג' ל״ט:ד׳

(ד) ואמנם כל ה'מצוות' אשר ספרנום ב"הלכות שמיטה ויובל" ... ושתוסיף הארץ תבואתה ותתחזק בעמדה שמוטה;

Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3 39:4

(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...and besides, the land will also increase its produce and improve when it remains fallow for some time.

Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations.

Continuum: London, 2002, p. 167-8
The Israelites were therefore commanded to conserve the soil by giving it periodic fallow years and not pursue short-term gain at the cost of long-term desolation.

Discussion Questions

According to these sources, what was the purpose of the Sabbatical Year?
What do you make of the apparent disagreement in our sources about the meaning of Shemita and the purpose of its rest?

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