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Who’s Counting? The Shemittah Year is Coming

By Toby Janicki | Comments (5) | Posted on August 22, 2007

The Torah commands that every seventh year is a Shemittah year:

Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the LORD. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD. (Leviticus 25:2-4)

Shemittah literally means “remission” and is usually translated in English as the Sabbatical Year. It is a year in which the land lies fallow and all debts are cancelled. Although the agricultural laws are only in force in the Land of Israel, the cancellation of debts is observed by many world wide. Here’s a list of the traditional 613 commandments as codified by Rambam that are related to the Shemittah:

1. N220 Prohibition of not cultivating the soil

2. N221 Prohibition of not pruning trees

3. N222 Not to harvest fields

4. N223 Not to gather fruit

5. N230 Cancellation of debts

6. N231 Prohibition of not loaning money because of Shemittah year cancellation

This is still kept track of and observed today, and the next Shemittah year begins this fall. One of the biggest issues that is faced in Israel is where do they get their produce from. This has created a number of different halachic rulings, with their accompanying controversies. Here’s an article that explains some of them that are popping up this year.

On a spiritual note I will leave you with the words of two famous Rabbis and their comments on the impact of the Shemittah year:

“Dutifully laying the whole territory at His Feet, the inhabitants have to consider themselves as mere strangers and sojourners, as tolerated tenants of the land, and stripped of all haughtiness and pride of possession, retire before God in complete equality and equal rights with the poorest inhabitant and the animals of the wild.” (Rabbi Hirsch)

“The same effect that the Shabbat has over the individual, the Shemittah has over the entire nation. It is essential that this nation that is founded on a Divine ideal should have regular opportunities and set times to reveal the Divine light in all its glory.” (Rabbi Kook, Shabbat Ha’aretz)

Anybody have ideas of how you will personally implement this this year?

About the Author: Toby Janicki is a teacher, writer and speaker for FFOZ. He is also a writer for messiah magazine and the author of the Restoration Workbook and a new book on the Mezuzah.

Visitor Comments

I'm going to call the bank and ask if the president of the bank is an observant Jew. Maybe I'll get lucky and my house will be payed off.. ;)

Posted by: jay | August 22, 2007 11:27 AM

Just the thought of actually keeping this mitzvah in all of its details and implications is incredibly intimidating.

Kodesh, kodesh, kodesh...

Posted by: Crispin | August 23, 2007 9:33 AM

Would you say that we are required to forgive debts from money that was, essentially, stolen (from a family member)? If the person wishes to pay it back anyway, can we accept the payment?

***Toby response: It's tough when I don't know the details, but I would say it's a good time to forgive.

Posted by: CM | August 29, 2007 4:43 PM

Shalom Toby,
I appreciate the insight, thank you. We did not plant a garden this year, because it would have been our seventh year, so not being sure of the "actual" Smittah, we figured we'd "just do the seventh year" and walk in obedience the best we could until we received better instruction. We recently met another couple within 35 miles who are beginning to walk towards understanding and obedience and "what do you know", they did not plant a garden this year either, hummm coincidence? I had prayed concerning a large debt that was owed me ($10,000+, large to me) and forgiven the man before HaShem, and called him to forgive the debt, his response was to make restitution in equipment and materials! ...my point, as we attempt to walk in obedience, HaShem will "lead us like a little child". Baruch HaShem! Shalom, Ed R.

Posted by: Ed Rowley | August 30, 2007 5:53 AM

bs"d

Please read my comments to the Jewish Press article by Dvora Waysman entitled "The Seventh Year". It suggests a novel approach. Please visit Shemittah Rediscovered.

http://shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com/2007/08/article-on-seventh-year.html

Posted by: Robin Ticker | August 31, 2007 5:41 AM

With this all new Hebrew learning resource you can get started in learning Hebrew and drawing ever nearer to the Jewish Messiah as you master the Hebrew alphabet

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Who’s Counting? The Shemittah Year is Coming

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