Parashat B’Har / B’Chukotai

Shalom , in the beginning of the parasha , the Torah teaches us about the misva of Shemita. On this year we must not work in the field and let the land rest. The first verse is some what different than the other verses similar to it because the word ” In the Mountain of Sinai ” is added and commentators try to understand what the meaning of this is. A person might think that he will lose as a result of observing the laws of shemita , not planting , not harvesting and tending the field , not for a week not for a month or two but ONE WHOLE YEAR … On this the Torah writes : ” The Shabat produce of the land should be yours to eat for you , for your slave…your animal …should all its crop be to eat “(vayikra 25:5,6). Even if you don’t work the land , you will have what to eat , not only you , even your employees and even animals , more over , the Shemita will bring abundance of blessing for the other six years as it says :” I will command my blessing for you …”(21). That is why the Shemita is called Shabat , just as the whole week is blessed from the Shabat so are the years in the cycle blessed from the Shemita. The same was true for Mount Sinai. Of all the mountains Hashem chose it to bestow upon us the holy Torah and through that bring blessings to the world. The misva of Shemita is a clear proof that the Torah is divine and GD forbid not man made. Who would dare tell people not to work in the fields for a year and expect them to follow based on his promise of blessings ? Only The Blessed Be His Holy Name can and that command was given on Mount Sinai ! Shabat Shalom.​

Rabbi Shlomo Zargari

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