Behar Behukotai

I want to be a farmer.

Nothing is perhaps more defined in the Torah than the Shabbat. It’s compared to a covenant between HaShem and Bnei Israel. It’s discussed to be a sign whereby Israel leads among nations. It’s defined as a blessing towards Am Israel. And it’s also seen, simply, as a day of rest. Because after all HaShem rested on the same day. Let us see the Shemitah, the Shabbat for the Land, in the same light. Only, there are huge differences between our Sages and Rabbinic Commentators as to how far we can go in defining Shemitah. “…then shall the land keep a Shabbath to the Lord.” (25:2)

Here’s a list of various commentators (Sages from various times) as to how to understand the above.
1‐ Alshikh: “Since mankind has a strong feeling of proprietorship, the Shemitah puts him in place. As to remind him that the Land is created by and of HaShem.”
2‐ Maimonides: “…it (the Shemitah) implies sympathy with our fellow men and promotes the well‐being of mankind; for in reference to these precepts it is stated in the Torah: That the poor of thy people may eat.” (Ex‐23:11)
3‐ Maimonides again: “…the land will also increase its produce and improve when it remains fallow for some time.”
4‐ Abravanel: disagreeing with Maimonides: “The truth is that this is not so” – His argument: “If the Torah is concerned about the natural weakening of the land in consequence of working year after year, how then is it going to yield produce for three years?”
5‐ Keli Yakar: also disagreeing with Maimonides: “…If the purpose of the Torah had been to avoid the weakening of the soil, why should violating this law be punished by exile? ...Furthermore, in this case the Shemitah year would not be –Shabbat L’El‐ but for the benefit for the Land.”
6‐ The Akidat Yitzhak: “…that the seven years of work and the suspension of work in every seventh year causes us to realize that our mission on earth is not to be slaves to the soil but a much higher and nobler one.”
7‐ Ibn Ezra sees it as a year in which mankind should raise his spirituality.
8‐ Rav Kook agrees with Ibn Ezra but adds that in the quest for sustenance of commercial activities, even the cancellation of debts, man is given the chance to purify his soul and of uncovering and activating the Divine treasure which dwells in the soul of the nation.

On one hand most commentators aren’t willing to define the Shemitah year as a year to let the Land rest for biological reasons; so that the soil can somehow restore itself. No, most are looking for a much grander meaning. It is also the only time that a specified time is named as Shabbath to the Lord. No other festival or day, not even Yom Kippur has been given that status.

It is only the Shemitah that has been given the same status and therefore gravity and importance as the Shabbat. And it comes with a severe punishment for not abiding by its rules: exile.

For a farmer reading this, and I don’t believe there are any among you, the word exile should send shivers down his or her spine. That’s losing your land, status and occupation. For a farmer giving up the land for one whole year meant also the mandatory sharing of the crops with your servants and with strangers.

Shemitah is a way to literally stop being slaves to materialism. To step back and leave your possessions behind, in order to reflect, to study and to share (tzedakah). Keli Yakar explains the Shemitah of the land against the Shemitah (cancellation) of debts: …”since no sowing or planting is allowed, the poor may eat freely and none may store produce and treat it as his own, this undoubtedly creates favorable conditions towards peace, because all strife originates from the attitude of ‘mine is mine’ and people claiming their rights. But in the seventh year all are equal – this can indeed generate peace.”

Now what to do if you’re not a farmer? What if you’re a hedge fund manager? Leave your fund unattended the seventh year? Open it up to everyone while studying Torah? Share the crop with the poor?

If you’re a banker and you’re wondering how this affects you, the answer is easier: all loans are supposed to be cancelled every seventh year. Good for you. But seriously, besides being interested in vineyards that uphold the Shemitah rules for kashrut (eating laws) reasons, many of us aren’t affected by any of this. What a pity. Unless of course we remind ourselves how lucky the Jewish farmer and landowner actually are to be able to follow the rules of Shemitah and take mandatory time off to study the Torah, reflect on life and do Tzedakah (charity) all at the same time.

Makes you rethink agriculture as a career. Doesn’t it?