Behar
25:2
2.דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהוָֽה׃
3.שֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖
אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃
Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the land shall observe a sabbath of the LORD.
Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the
Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the
yield.
What is the connection between Shabbat and shmeta? The Sforno says that just like on Shabbat you stop your work for the week to just serve Hashem so to shmeta you stop serving the ground and save a year to serve Hashem.
Questions:
- What do other commentaries say on why these two are connected ?
- What other mitzvot does shmeta or Shabbat connect to?
- Where else does it connect two mitzvot?
- What are other places where there is סמיכות פרשיות or סמיכות mitzvot or topics?
What is the connection between Shabbat and Shmeta? Similar to the Sforno, Rashi comments that just like every seventh day is a holy day of Shabbat, because Hashem rested on the seventh day, so too a person must not work on the seventh year, for the sake of Hashem and so that the land can gain fertility for the following year. I like this answer because it is very straightforward, but also connects two ideas that I would not have necessarily thought to put together.
ReplyDeleteThe Ibn Ezra says that an Isreali must not allow a foreign person to sow his field during Shemita just like we can’t allow him to work during Shabbos as long as hes under your control. I like this answer because its very simple and connects the ideas well and shows you can’t have someone not Jewish or foreign help you with your land or on Shabbos even if you need something because you have to trust Hashem that He will make everything work out.
ReplyDelete^^ ESTI FIELDS
DeleteWhat do other commentaries say on why these two are connected ?
ReplyDeleteRashi says the words “Shabbat LaHashem” mean a rest for Hashem in honor of Him. These words are also used in describing shabbos. Shabbat laHahsem doesn’t mean a day for gd to rest although it is a day for us to honor Him. So shmeta year is a year to honor Hashem and trust Him that the crops will survive and grow and no one will lose money or their jobs due to it.
I don’t really like this answer because it doesn’t really answer anything and kind of confusing and all over the place.
NEIMA FINE
ReplyDeleteThe Chizkuni quotes rashi who understand the phrase “שבת לה׳” to mean “a shabbas in honor of My name.” He continues to explain rashi’s understanding by saying that what he means by that is that you are not supposed to understand the law of shmitah as a way to teach you how to farm efficiently by giving your land a breather every seven years, rather it is to demonstrate that you observe hashem’s commandments.
Ashlich: By keeping shabbos you are showing the nations of the world that you are not thieves who stole the land which will be shown by keeping shmittah. This shows that the land belongs to Hashem and He can give it to who He wants.
ReplyDeleteWhat are other places where there is סמיכות פרשיות or סמיכות mitzvot or topics?
ReplyDeleteIn shmot Perek ג there is a pasuk where it says that Hashem gets mad at Moshe but there is not punishment. But they should be a punishment so rashbam uses the idea of סמיכות פרשיות t say the moshes punishment was almost dying because in the next section it’s the story where Moshe almost dies. I like titis answer because it makes sense
Haamek Davar says that it’s not for the good of the land to least every seven years. Rather it is because it’s the will of hashem.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good answer and a good reminder that sometimes we just do things because hashem said to even if it does not make sense to us.
-Ariella Vogel
In Bamidbar it talks about the laws of sotah and immediately after it talks about the laws of a nazir. According to Berakhot 63a; Sotah 2a the reason for this סמיכות פרשיות is to show us that anyone who sees a sotah in her disordered state should not drink any wine.
ReplyDeleteAnother instance in which סמיכות פרשיות is seen is in Bamidbar between Perek יב and יג. Rashi answeres that the reason יב, the section dealing with Miriam’s punishment is put in juxtaposition with Perek יג, which deals with the spies is to show the severity of the spies sin. Because despite the spies witnessing Miriam’s punishment after speaking Lashon Hara against her brother, they didn’t learn from her mistake.
ReplyDelete- Ayelet Schochet
In shemot, right after it talks about Moshe being a shepherd, the pasuk says the story of the burning bush. Rav Hirsch explains that this is not an accident since we know that all of our forefathers were shepherds. This is because in an agricultural society, people need to put all of their effort and thought into growing foods and inevitably think that they did it on their own-without Hashem. Furthermore, they will try to do anything they can that might make it rain, even bringing sacrifices to other gods. But a shepherd can watch sheep’s (Also a character trait needed for leading) and care for his flock while still considering Hashem.
ReplyDeleteSora Newmark