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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