Sorry this is going to be a quick Dvar Torah, but I didn’t have a chance to finish learning the Parsha and compile a Dvar Torah with my Chavruta.

וְהַשְּׁבִיעִת תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְיִתְרָם תֹּאכַל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכַרְמְךָ לְזֵיתֶךָ:

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר:

Six years you may sow your land and gather in its produce.

But in the seventh [year] you shall release it and abandon it; the poor of your people shall eat [it], and what they leave over, the beasts of the field shall eat. So shall you do to your vineyard [and] to your olive tree[s].

(Exodus 23:10-11)

This week’s Parsha, has the first mention of the commandment of Shemitta - the Sabbatical year. During the Shemitta year in the Land of Israel, one is not allowed to work the land.

Science has shown that a sabbatical year has many agricultural benefits, but surely, this is not the primary reasoning behind the law. 

The Land of Israel itself, is a test in faith. Unlike Egypt where there was a constant, predictable water source (the Nile), the Land of Israel was reliant on rain. Farmers in the Land of Israel were required to rely on their faith in G-d and prayer for a successful season.

The Shemitta year, is a further test of faith. Jewish farmers (even today), are forbidden to work their land, they must allow it to rest for a year. The Shemitta year has traditionally been a year, for one to relax and focus on his personal connection to G-d.

Recently, I heard a story about a Jewish banana farmer in Tiberias. He wasn’t very observant, but at the beginning of the last Shemitta year, he decided to observe it and not work. That December, there was a frost which completely destroyed all of the produce of the surroundings farmers. However, the bananas of this one farmer who kept Shemitta, were fine, unlike the produce of the farmers who didn’t observe the Shemitta year.

Observance of the Shemitta year is essentially a proclamation by the Jewish Nation, the the Land of Israel belongs to G-d. And because the Land of Israel belongs to G-d, He can do with it, whatever He wants.

And what did G-d do with the Land of Israel?

He gave it to the Jewish People.

Our observance of Shemittah every seven years, is affirming that fact.

Our observance of Shemitta, affirms that G-d is the Creator of the Universe and the Guardian of the Land of Israel.

Yishuv Ha’aretz, Rock On!

Shabbat Shalom.