The ideal of an entire society basically shutting down its economy for an entire year so that everyone, rich and poor alike, can spend the year focusing on spiritual matters and on social equality is apparently still beyond our reach. It is for that reason that halacha gives us the loopholes, so that we can continue to function. But that doesn’t mean we should reduce Shemita to a series of legal procedures. If we can’t yet observe this mitzvah in its fullest, we can at least take a few steps in that direction.
For those of us here in Israel, that means making the effort to eat vegetables and fruits that are endowed with Kedushat Shvi’it (the special sanctity of the Shemita year) available through the Otzar Bet Din system. More on that, b’ezrat Hashem, in the second post. For Jews everywhere, though, the values of Shemita – taking time off to focus on our relationship with God and with each other, are still applicable. And the imperative to help others financially even more than we do in other years, including lending money and forgiving debts when possible [6] also applies to all Jews everywhere.
I recently saw a fascinating website (in Hebrew) called “Shnat HaSheva”. The organization behind this is pushing for the general public (with an emphasis on the non-observant sectors) to embrace the values of Shemita as a national social and spiritual imperative.
As we enter Rosh HaShana and begin this holy Shemita year, we should all be thinking about what each of us can do to help enhance the Jewish People’s observance of these commandments and to strengthen the fundamental values they embody.
Shana Tova and Shabbat (Ha’Aretz) Shalom!
[1]According to most authorities, contemporary observance of this law is based on a rabbinic ordinance and not Biblical law. However, the rabbinic enactment is based on a Biblical idea.
[2]A friend of mine who lives near Kibbutz Shaalvim told me seven years ago that they held a cute little ceremony in the late afternoon on Erev Rosh HaShana. The entire Kibbutz walked down to the fields in order to wish them “Shabbat Shalom!”
[3]This is an expansion of a theme inherent also in the weekly Shabbat. Compare the two versions of the Fourth Commandment, Shemot 20:7-10 and Devarim 5:11-14. Note the differences in the reason given for observing the law!
[4] This insight has powerful implications in our contemporary post-industrial economy. Whereas in ancient times over 80% of people were affected by the agricultural restrictions, today only a miniscule percentage of the public works in these fields. However, the mitzvah of Shemitat Kesafim applies to all Jews, even outside of Israel!
[5] See The Kosher Consumer’s Guide to Shemita for an explanation of Heter Mechira and the various other loopholes. Although devices like Otzar Bet Din are much closer to actual observance of the laws then the Heter Mechira is, in its contemporary manifestation it is still far from the ideal described in the Torah.
[6] The pruzbul gives us the ability to lend money without having the debt cancelled by Shemita. But there is no obligation to use it on every loan! When lending money to a person with genuine financial need, it is praiseworthy to observe the mitzvah of Shemitat Kesafim in its most literal sense.