Escape to the Mundane!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week’s parsha of Behar begins with the mitzvah of Shmita. What does Har Sinai have to do with the mitzvah of Shmita in particular, unique from any other of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah? Rashi explains that just as the mitzvah of Shmita was given both in its generalities at Arvos Moav and then again in all its specifics at Har Sinai so too every mitzvah was received from Har Sinai with its generalities and in all its particulars. The Rebbe points out that there are many other mitzvos that can be used to illustrate this point, and actually there are many reasons to disqualify Shmita. Shmita is so limited. It’s only once in seven years and only when there is a Yovel year in effect and Yovel has mostly not been in effect throughout our history. Also, it’s only kept in Eretz Yisroel not the rest of the world. Why is a mitzvah so limited in both time and place should be the one used to represent the entire Torah?
When Shmita is followed by the Yovel year the land lies fallow for an extra year. The Torah entertains a question that may be asked about the extended period of time that the land lies fallow; If you will ask what will we eat etc. The Torah then answers by saying that; “I will command my blessing for the three years, from the 6th until the 9th year”. What is the question that we would ask? We have a mitzvah to do. Hashem will enable us to keep the mitzvah! And even if the Torah wants to reveal to us a doubt, why not answer the question in general by saying that Hashem will provide? What necessity is there in mentioning the details of the three years from the 6th until the 9th? We find clearly in another place that Hashem rebuked Moshe Rabbenu for asking questions and praised in comparison Avraham Avinu for not having asking questions about Hashem’s instructions. Why is the Torah by the mitzvah of Shmita seemingly entertaining skeptics?
Lastly why does the Torah tell us first to work for six years and then keep the Shmita year? Do we need permission to work for six years? If there is no prohibition against working, obviously we will know to work by ourselves, we need it to survive. Therefore it must be that the six years are also somehow a part of the mitzvah of Shmita.
Chassidus explains the concept of dira b’tachtonim- to make a dwelling place for Hashem in this world. We cannot do this only when we daven, learn and do mitzvos. We also need to get involved in daily mundane physical routines of business and worldly involvement similar to what we see by all of mankind. To make a dira b’tachtonim- a dwelling place in this world is all about living the right way according to the Torah as a Jew during the six days of the week, and so too working the land in the six allowable years of the Shmita cycle. If we are like the Jews in the desert we would prefer to just live simply with emunah, receive manna from heaven and push the gashmius away. What do we need it for? To make a dira b’tachtonim requires a soul in a body not just a belief in what is beyond nature. It requires being aware that the nature itself is G-dly. Hashem is giving the bracha for the three years in order that it should be done according to and within nature. Although I go through the motions within nature, I plant the seeds in the ground; nevertheless the bracha comes from Hashem, not from me. The Gemara says that the 1st order in the Mishna corresponds to emunah (the six orders are paralleled to the six words of the pasuk “Emunas etiecha etc”, the first order Zeroim then corresponds to emunah). Tosfos explains by saying; Maamin b’chai olamim v’zoreah- we place our faith in Hashem, the life of the world and then we plant. A non-Jew also throws down the seeds, but when we throw down the seed, we do so because nature is a miracle, it works because Hashem said that the earth should give forth grasses- tadshe ha’aretz, and therefore it grows. Also, our whole involvement in this world in general is because of emunah, because Hashem has commanded us to work within nature, otherwise we wouldn’t be motivated, we’d stay above it. We spend our time in the six years, involved in the world and not aloof in the desert because “Emunas etiecha- Maamin b’chai olamim v’zoreah. The bracha is in the land, it’s not in the form of manna, but within nature, and is revealed by plowing, planting and cultivating etc.
That’s why Shmita and all the Torah and mitzvos in general are done within nature. How can we do this? By listening to Hashem’s instructions from Har Sinai. It requires us to work within our circumstances and then it all works out. Business is not the only way to provide the parnassa. It is one way and we look at it as a shlichus. It’s a vessel within nature which Hashem puts his bracha, and it too is G-dly. A Good Shabbos.