Shemitta - The Seventh Year

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1. Shemitta of Loans and Shemitta of the Land

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   What is the relationship between the two commandments of Shemitta - allowing the lands rest and the settling of debt? Does settling debt necessarily mean an annulment, or merely a postponement?

2. Between Sabbath and Sanctuary (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 18 minutes

   This shiur explores the striking “shabbat” motif in Vayikra's presentation of the Shemitta year (as opposed to the Shemitta laws in other books), in Parshat Behar and in the punishment section in Bechukotai, and reveals how the Seventh Year expands on and fuses together the themes of “holiness of time” and “holiness of space.”

3. Shemitta: Three Aspects in the Torah

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 minutes

   This shiur takes a comparative look at the various descriptions of the Shemitta year in the Torah. We look at the different aspects of the mitzvoth as they appear in Shemot, Vayikra and Devarim.

4. The Unique Perspective of Parashat Behar

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   What links Shmitta with Mt. Sinai? This lesson will discuss the unique perspective of Parashat Behar on a number of mitzvot that are also discussed elsewhere in the Torah.

5. You Shall Dwell in the Land in Security

   Rabbi Yair Kahn

   The Torah begins the parsha with the laws of Shmitta, noting that they were given at Har Sinai. This prompts the commentators to ask the famous question: “Mah inyan shemitta etzel Har Sinai?” Why is shemitta found alongside Har Sinai? By examining the nature of the laws of shemitta and yovel, we can understand that they describe a religious ideal of human faith reciprocated by divine providence. They contain a promise of a relationship between God and Am Yisrael. Shemitta and yovel are more than just commandments – they are a context for attaining the blessings of the covenant of Sinai. 

6. You Shall Dwell in the Land in Security (Audio)

   Rabbi Yair Kahn | 11 minutes

   The Torah begins the parsha with the laws of Shmitta, noting that they were given at Har Sinai. This prompts the commentators to ask the famous question: “Mah inyan shemitta etzel Har Sinai?” Why is shemitta found alongside Har Sinai? By examining the nature of the laws of shemitta and yovel, we can understand that they describe a religious ideal of human faith reciprocated by divine providence. They contain a promise of a relationship between God and Am Yisrael. Shemitta and yovel are more than just commandments – they are a context for attaining the blessings of the covenant of Sinai. 

7. Between Sabbath and Sanctuary

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   This shiur explores the striking “shabbat” motif in Vayikra's presentation of the Shemitta year (as opposed to the Shemitta laws in other books), in Parshat Behar and in the punishment section in Bechukotai, and reveals how the Seventh Year expands on and fuses together the themes of “holiness of time” and “holiness of space.”

8. The Harmony of Shemitta

   Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

   How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

9. The Harmony of Shemitta (Audio)

   Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish | 13 minutes

   How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

10. Hakhel, Shmitta, and the Story of Devarim

    Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler

    תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |

    We analyze the connection between Hakhel, Shemitta, in the context of Sefer Devarim as a continuation of the Revelation at Sinai. A major idea emphasized in Sefer Devarim is the preparation of Am Yisrael for entering Eretz Yisrael. There is going to be a need to restate the messages in Sefer Devarim and reenact the experience of revelation at Sinai when re-entering the Land of Israel, played out through Hakhel. We explore the imperative of staying connected to the Revelation at Sinai always, and relate to concepts such as conversion to help us understand the messages of Devarim and how to keep vibrantly connected to the covenant.

11. Mishpatim: Shemitta and Modernity

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 19 minutes

    We take two pesukim as jumping off points for discussion. We look at the verse introducing the concept of Shemitta (the Sabbatical Year) and ask - how do we relate to Shemitta today? We also examine the verse promising that there will eventually be no more widowhood or sickness in the Land. How do we relate to this statement? How can we look at these concepts in the light of modern technology in a way that elevates our relationship with God?

     

12. The "Supplement" to Ma'amad Har Sinai

    Prof. Jonathan Grossman

    Parshiot Behar and Bechukotai contain a supplement to the covenant at Sinai, which, alongside the deep, spiritual motivation and voluntarism associated with entering into a covenant with the Almighty, adds the reward and punishment, which both encourage and threaten, seeking to preserve the integrity of this special covenant. If parashat Mishpatim presents the side of "ahavat Hashem," parashat Bechukotai adds "yir'at Hashem," without which the covenant is not complete.

13. Erev Shabbat Behar-Behukkotai: The Sabbatical Year and Social Justice

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 minutes

    What is the 50-year Yovel counting cycle about? The commandment of counting the 50 yeras helps guide us toward the implementation of freedom and equality for all - not only in the Sabbatical (Seventh "Shemitta" year) and Yovel (Jubilee) year, when the Torah commands that land and people shall be released, but that throughout the cycle, we should be helping people to stand on their own two feet.  

    What is important about he Shemitta and Yovel cycle is not only whether the land lies fallow, but whether the social justice system behind the "Shabbat of the years" is being fulfilled. If that system is failing to be fulfilled, mass exile will be the consequence (as detailed in Yirmiahu's castigating those who freed the slaves -but then immediately forced them to return).

    It is only on the basis of social justice that the Mikdash and its significance can survive - and we can dream of the restoration of Jerusalem's former glory only if we build a just and kind society.

14. Behar: The Price of Tea in China

    Rabbi Elli Fischer

15. Shemitta, Shabbat, and the Land of Israel

    Rabbi Aytan Kadden

16. Background of Shivat Tzion

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Yirmiyahu predicted that within just seventy years the Babylonian Empire would be humbled and the Jews restored to their homeland.  However, Yirmiyahu alluded to multiple counts of seventy, underscoring the utter opacity of the prophet’s prediction.

    Cyrus was the king who finally fulfilled Yirmiyahu’s prophecy – at least the first count of seventy. Still, the mystery shrouding the end of the seventy years heightens the dramatic irony in the opening of Ezra. The people who had been expelled to Babylonia had not fully anticipated the destruction, preferring to believe the conveniently optimistic message of the false prophets. Those who did arrive were traumatized and had little meaningful hope of redemption. While Yirmiyahu had predicted that the Temple would be rebuilt in relatively short order, it wasn’t entirely clear when exactly it would be rebuilt, by whom and how. There was no meaningful plan in place for a return to Zion. The Jews were just becoming comfortable in their new surroundings as they received news of Cyrus’ proclamation. And so when Cyrus did issue his proclamation, relatively few heeded the call. Those who did return were reproached by Chagai and Zekharia for their apathy, and required constant goading and emphatic leadership to finally complete the Temple.

    It is against this backdrop of unanticipated trauma, unmitigated disaster, renewed comfort and prophetic uncertainty that the period of Shivat Tzion was ushered in. These challenges, and the overall sense of ambivalence, continued to plague the returnees.

17. The Oath

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Nechemia chapter 10, perhaps the climax of the nation’s renewed commitment to Torah, summarizes the binding oath accepted by the community.

    In many instances, the oath seems to supersede the obligations that are set forth explicitly in the Torah. The commentators struggle with a fundamental question: to what extent was the oath a renewed commitment to the ancient laws of the Torah, albeit with some novel interpretations, and to what extent are these new, proto-Rabbinic laws? As we have seen, it is most likely that our chapter presents a mix of the two views. On any view, our chapter – and, indeed, the entire period of Shivat Tzion – exemplifies a careful balance between commitment to tradition and an understanding that specific commandments require additional emphasis or even innovation at particular moments in history.

18. Why Does Land Have To Rest?

    Parshat Behar

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    We talked last week about seeing shabbat in different worlds. But how do we understand, conceptually, what this means? In this week's video, we look at Pesach, Shmita and Yovel and ask, where do we see Shabbat, and why does it matter?

     

     

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19. Parshat Behar Part 1: Shemitah & Shabbat

    Shani Taragin | 33 minutes

    This podcast relates to the beginning of Parshat Behar, discussing the connection between Har Sinai, Shmitta, Yovel, and Shabbat, and their significance in our relationship with God.

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

20. Parshat Behar

    Dr. Yael Ziegler | 5 minutes

    Why do the mitzvot of Shmitta and Yovel appear at the end of Sefer Vayikra? What is the significance of their placement? By exploring this question we can gain a deeper understanding into the nature of Sefer Vayikra.

21. And Now For the Dark Side...

    Avidan Freedman