Parshat Behar; Leviticus 25:1-26:2 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

Our brief parasha this week, Behar, begins with a discussion of the shmittah year, the sabbatical year for the land. The laws of the sabbatical year, applicable only in the land of Israel, describe a Sabbath year, or year of rest for the land. In the shmittah year, the land lies fallow and may not be planted nor harvested. However, spontaneous produce, that which grew despite the fact that the farmer did nothing to urge it out of the earth, may be eaten for the use of ones’ household.

This Sabbath cycle for the land echoes the weekly Sabbath. Just as we have one day each seventh day, dedicated to God, we have one year every seventh year dedicated to God. Just as the Sabbath day teaches humanity that we are not masters over time and space and that Shabbat is a day devoted to God so too, the shmittah year reminds us that we are not owners nor masters of the earth. As the Psalmist’s writes, ‘The Earth is Adonai’s and all that fills it, the world and all who dwell there. (Psalm 24).”

This is further reinforced in this week’s torah portion by the next important cycle that is discussed which is the Jubilee Year or Yovel. The Jubilee year is figured by counting seven cycles of sabbatical years and the fiftieth year is the Jubilee. Although there is some Talmudic disagreement whether it was the 49th or 50th years. Nevertheless the Yovel does act as a shmittah year, allowing the land to rest and also a gift of land returns to its original owner-redistributing wealth that goes with land and property ownership. “Proclaim freedom throughout the land to all the inhabitants (25:10).” This word for freedom or often-translated liberty specifically refers to the emancipation of slaves and the release of landed properties from mortgages. This system prevents a feudal economic program from developing in the land of Israel. Since the Israelites are each granted specific lands, this Yovel year will ensure that the land remains within families even if some economic or other disaster befalls them.

In our own day and time we quickly develop and devour the land often selling off farmlands to build houses, malls and buildings. But the Torah comes to teach us that ultimately the land is not ours to own according to Jewish belief but the earth, the land belongs to God. And it is God’s to distribute not ours. Thus the Jubilee year was an important safety net in the ancient world in the land of Israel. The Jubilee release prevented poverty from encompassing yet another generation as ancestral lands returned to their original owners.

This is an important reminder of that poverty should hold no place in our society. And each time we dismantle the safety net of our society, we not only do a disservice to the poor but to ourselves and God. This teaching from the Jubilee year should remind us of our obligations to care for the impoverished and to lift up their dignity as was done in the Jubilee year.

Posted by Lee at May 18, 2005 10:44 AM