The Mitzva of Shevi’it

There is a mitzva to rest from agricultural work in the seventh year. This mitzva is similar to the mitzva of Shabbat, except that on the seventh day we rest from all melakha, while in the seventh year we rest from agricultural work. Several mitzvot stem from the mitzva of resting: first, shemitat ha-perot – releasing the produce that grows during the Shemita year, that is, declaring it ownerless for all; second, care with Shevi’it produce, which is sanctified for eating, so that it is forbidden to waste it and forbidden to trade in it; third, similar to releasing the produce, there is a mitzva to release debts at the end of the seventh year, that is, to forgo debts that have not been repaid.

This is also clear from the wording of the Torah: the essence of the mitzva is to rest, and only from this follows the mitzva of declaring the produce ownerless and sanctifying it for eating. As it is stated: “When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall observe a Shabbat for the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its produce. But in the seventh year there shall be a Shabbat of solemn rest for the land, a Shabbat for the Lord; you shall not sow your field, nor prune your vineyard. That which grows of itself from your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your untended vine you shall not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. And the Shabbat of the land shall be for you to eat – for you, for your servant and for your maidservant, for your hired worker and for the resident who dwells with you; and for your livestock and for the wild animals that are in your land shall all its produce be to eat” (Vayikra 25:2-7).

Admittedly, some hold that the main purpose of Shevi’it is that everyone should eat equally of the produce. In practice, however, due to the prohibition of sowing and pruning, the yield of Shevi’it was very limited, since generally the great majority of field produce comes from annual crops of grain, legumes and vegetables, and these do not exist at all in Shevi’it due to the prohibition of sowing and planting. Even the quantity of fruit growing on the trees was reduced, since it is forbidden to prune or to perform labors that promote their growth. One can estimate that the yield that grew by itself in Shevi’it was about 20% of the yield of other years. Thus the essence of the mitzva is to rest (below 3:1).

The rest is for God. The Sages said (Sanhedrin 39a): “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Sow for six and release in the seventh, so that you will know that the land is Mine.” This was a very difficult test, for livelihood came mainly from agricultural work, and the Torah commanded Israel to trust in God that even though they would rest from working their fields for an entire year, they would merit blessing in the other years and their households would not hunger for bread. The Sages said that about those who observe Shevi’it it is stated: “Bless the Lord, His angels, mighty in strength, who do His word, hearkening to the voice of His word” (Tehillim 103:20). For throughout an entire year, day after day, month after month, they see their fields left ownerless and their gates breached, their trees ownerless and their fruit being eaten, and they conquer their inclination and remain silent (Vayikra Rabba 1:1; Tanḥuma there 1).

The rest of the seventh year should create in the consciousness of Israel an empty space that will be filled with faith in God – that the whole land belongs to Him – and from this, blessing will flow to the six years of work. For a significant portion of the time that is freed up is of course meant for Torah study, to fulfill what is stated: “This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may observe to do all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall succeed” (Yehoshua 1:8; below section 5). From the rest and the study, inspiration flows for the refinement and development of work during the following six years (below sections 7-8; 11:7-8).