AUGUST 5 • 2021 | 39

I

n the Land of Israel now,
there is a feeling of purpose-
ful and reverent determi-
nation. From the Galil to the
Negev, farmers are preparing to
observe shemitah, the Biblical
command outlined
in this week’s Torah
portion not to work
the field in the seventh
year.
It’s not for nothing
that farming is referred
to as husbandry, as
tending to the land is a
consummate, lifelong
mission, paralleling the
way we continuously
work on our relation-
ships at home.
Every seventh year,

the Jewish farmer relaxes, con-
fident that his field (and his
bottom line) will be OK without
his efforts. Why? Because God
assures us that there is nothing
to worry about. He will send
enough blessings in the years
preceding shemitah to tide us
over until we can again enjoy
the bounty from our farms.
So, we know that the farm-
ers don’t work the land in
the seventh year. But what
do they do? Our sages tell
us that this year and the free
time it affords are to be allo-
cated toward Torah learn-
ing and increased spiritual
involvement. We can each
take the lessons of shemi-
tah and the example of our

farming brethren in the Holy
Land and apply them to our
own lives.
We can live with a faith so
real that we are prepared to lose
an entire year’s revenue without
compunction. And we can use
every free minute to serve God,
recognizing that every moment
is a gift that we dare not squan-
der.
Our dear mentor and teacher,
the Rebbe, of righteous memory,
pointed out an anomaly in the
text in which we are introduced
to shemitah: “The earth shall
rest a Sabbath unto God. Six
years shalt thou plant thy field.”
Now, the six years take place
before the seventh year of rest,
so why does the Torah mention
them afterward? The answer,
the Rebbe explains, is that in
essence shemitah comes first,
and it influences and uplifts all
the six years that come before

it. From year one, the farmer is
preparing for shemitah, excited
to be able to rely on God and
His kindness for an entire year.
Thus, the entire cycle is elevated
and made holy.
We can apply this to our lives
as well. There are the shemitah
moments like Shabbat (which
comes after six days of work),
when we attend synagogue or a
Torah class, or otherwise con-
nect with our souls.
The lesson is to make the
mundane spiritual, injecting
holiness and godliness unto
every aspect of our lives.
Consider packing Shabbat
essentials to celebrate wherever
you may be when the sun sets
on Friday. Or start each morn-
ing with a moment of gratitude,
Modeh Ani.

Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov is spiritual direc-

tor of The Shul in West Bloomfield.

A Plan to Boost
Our Spirituality

Rabbi Kasriel
Shemtov

Parshat Reeh:

Deuteronomy

11:26-16:17; I

Samuel

20:18-42.

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