Shmitta is the agricultural sabbatical year in Israel.
Also known as Shevi'is, meaning the seventh. It comes
every seven years. And here it is: it began on Rosh
Hashanah. It will end next Rosh Hashanah. Wow, one year of
Sabbath for the land of Israel. You are invited to have a look
at this directory: in English and Hebrew. See our
videos, web newsletters, Ask the Rabbis section, parade plans
around Israel after shemitta to honor the farmers who sacrificed
to observe shmitta on the holy land, 'for women only concerts'
around the world to raise awareness about shmittah and get
donations for shmitta charities. What Fun!
Please assist me in making this a directory that will inspire
all Jews in Israel to keep shmitta and all Jews world over to
donate money for shmitta farmers, and other related shmitta
charities. I request your approval of this project. Reach me
directly chanatovasokol2000@yahoo.com
From Nineteen Letters, Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, translated by Karin Paritzky, Feldheim Publishers, Jerusalem, 1995, page. 134.
Quote: Yisrael's failure was particularly reflected in the
non-observance of shemittah. As pointed out previously, this
mitzvah expresses the fact that Eretz Yisrael belongs to G-d
("for the land is Mine" Vayikra 25: 23); that it was granted to
the Jewish people only so that it would live a life of Torah
("He gave to them the lands of the nations…in order that they
should guard His ordinances and observe His teachings" (Tehillim
105:44-45); and that the Jews' material well-being on their soil
would be assured if they fulfilled their task, but that if they
failed to do so the land would revert to its Owner.
Hence, the
non-observance of shemittah would necessarily bring about the
exile of the Jewish people—and the Babylonian exile lasted
exactly seventy years, the number of shemittah years that had
not been observed during the preceding centuries.
Moreover, just as the people felt that the land was their very
own, they felt the same way about their other possessions,
including their Hebrew slaves, to whom they refused to grant
freedom after six years, as the Torah requires. Hence, when the
Babylonians were already at the gates of Jerusalem, the freeing
of these slaves was made the test of whether the Jews were
worthy to be saved from the hands of the enemy; and their
failure to comply made the fall of the kingdom and the
destruction of the Temple inevitable (Yirmeyah 34).
So sit back and relax and enjoy
www.ShmittaDirectory.com.
This project of observing and teaching about shmitta will unite all Jews
and lead us to keep more mitzvos like modesty and observing the Sabbath
day and family purity and laws of speech (loshon hora) and more!
Then we will see that the full redemption is ushered in from our love
and devotion to shmitta and all mitzvos!
