shmitah- the sabbatical year

[alon]

Shmitah (Sh’mitah- Shemittah)

Deuteronomy 15:1 "At the end of every seven years you are to have a sh'mittah.”… “4 In spite of this, there will be no one needy among you; because ADONAI will certainly bless you in the land which ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess - 5 if only you will listen carefully to what ADONAI your God says and take care to obey all these mitzvot I am giving you today. 6 Yes, ADONAI your God will bless you, as he promised you - you will lend money to many nations without having to borrow, and you will rule over many nations without their ruling over you.”

The year just started is a year of Shmitah, a Sabbatical Year. According to Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein of the IFCJ, the purpose of this year is to emphasize that all we have is not ours, but Gods’. It is one of the meanings of Shabbath and the moedim. Even our time is His, and we are to carve out these blocks of time and dedicate ourselves to YHVH, to His pursuits.

Deuteronomy 15:2 Here is how the sh'mittah is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community -he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because ADONAI's time of remission has been proclaimed. 3 You may demand that a foreigner repay his debt, but you are to release your claim on whatever your brother owes you.

This is “shemittat kesafim” or “release of money /debts.” The Shmitah year waives all outstanding debts between Jews. There is an (as far as I know) unbiblical halachic device known as pruzbul gets around this requirement. It’s simply a contract which specifies that the debt can be collected in and after a Shmitah year.

Leviticus 25: 2 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'When you enter the land I am giving you, the land itself is to observe a Shabbat rest for ADONAI. 3 Six years you will sow your field; six years you will prune your grapevines and gather their produce. 4 But in the seventh year is to be a Shabbat of complete rest for the land, a Shabbat for ADONAI; you will neither sow your field nor prune your grapevines. 5 You are not to harvest what grows by itself from the seeds left by your previous harvest, and you are not to gather the grapes of your untended vine; it is to be a year of complete rest for the land. 6 But what the land produces during the year of Shabbat will be food for all of you …

“Shemittat karka” or “release of the land.” is just what it sounds like. Residents of the Land of Yisro’el must completely stop cultivation of fields. Furthermore whatever produce grows on its own is considered communal property, free for anyone to take. (Deu 15:4-6, above) So in the Sabbatical year it is emphasized that the land belongs to Elohim.

There is more to this Shmitah year, which I’ll continue to look into. Feel free to read scripture and browse the net and post findings here as well.

Dan C

[alon]

As an aside, I don't think this requirement is binding outside ha'eretz (the land of Yisro'el). However I intend to observe a shmitah of sorts with my little garden plot. I'm not planting, but I will continue to mulch as well as work on the fence when I can. Does anyone here plan to observe shmitah?

Dan C

[jimmie]

I don't think this requirement is binding outside ha'eretz (the land of Yisro'el).

Read more: theloveofgod.proboards.com/post/new/3517#ixzz3Eo0znGzA

.

This is the first feast of the LORD's that I kept. Then I grew into the others. Although it appears I am out of step as far as timing is concerned. I just started from the time that I acquired my land and have been boing so since 1989.

If this only applies to the land of Israel, then is it okay to keep an brother in bondage through the year of rest outside of Israel? Since I am grafted into the true vine of Israel, anything that I have is also grafted in.

[alon]

Sept 30, 2014 5:34:38 GMT -8 jimmie said:

I don't think this requirement is binding outside ha'eretz (the land of Yisro'el).

Read more: theloveofgod.proboards.com/post/new/3517#ixzz3Eo0znGzA

.

This is the first feast of the LORD's that I kept. Then I grew into the others. Although it appears I am out of step as far as timing is concerned. I just started from the time that I acquired my land and have been boing so since 1989.

If this only applies to the land of Israel, then is it okay to keep an brother in bondage through the year of rest outside of Israel? Since I am grafted into the true vine of Israel, anything that I have is also grafted in.

So then you've probably already done more research on the topic. Anything to add?

As to keeping a brother in bondage, I never loaned at usury. If I couldn't trust them to repay as soon as possible, I didn't loan. And this is all before becoming Meshiachim. I don't see myself starting now. I've made "loans" I knew couldn't be repaid to help a brother and let him keep his dignity, and have forgiven loans or lost/damaged items. So if a brother owed me anything right now, I don't think I'd have any problem forgiving the debt.

However I've heard some interpret the passage saying "When you enter the land" as meaning the shmitah is only binding in Yisro'el. But I think your point about being grafted into Yisro'el has more merit.

Dan C