Book of “And He Warned”

The Holy One instructed the people of Israel to let their fields lie fallow for the seventh year and to allow the land to rest from sowing, plowing, planting vines, mowing, and pruning, as it is written in this weekly reading: The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying [Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath to the Lord] (Leviticus 25:1). What is the connection between the sabbatical year and Mount Sinai? Were not all the commandments said on Mount Sinai? Rather, just as both the general principles and the particulars of the sabbatical year are from Sinai, so too, all of the commandments, their general principles and their particulars, were said at Sinai.

When you enter into the land [that I give you] (Leviticus 25:2), perhaps this applies from when they cross the Jordan River. The Torah therefore says into the land—the special land. This could mean Ammon and Moab. The Torah therefore says that I give you—not Ammon and Moab.

From when? Perhaps they were obligated from the time of conquering, prior to dividing it; or when they had divided it, but they had not yet allocated land to each family; or when they had allocated land to each family, but not everyone was familiar yet with his land; perhaps they were obligated to observe the sabbatical year [at that time]. Therefore, the Torah says your field (Leviticus 25:3)—every individual must be familiar with his field; your vineyard (Leviticus 25:3)—every individual must be familiar with his vineyard.

The result is that, when Israel crossed the Jordan, they became obligated in the laws of ḥallah, ‘orlah, and ḥadash.¹ When the sixteenth of Nisan arrived, they became obligated concerning the ‘omer. They waited fifty days, and they became obligated concerning the two loaves [and the showbread]. After fourteen years, they became obligated in tithes and began to count toward the sabbatical year. In the twenty-first year, they observed the sabbatical year. In the sixty-fourth year, they observed the jubilee. Therefore, the people of Israel are obligated to let the land lie fallow every seven years, as it says: the land shall rest (Leviticus 25:2).

It is forbidden to sow the land and to cut down its trees, because digging resembles sowing, as it is written: Six years you may sow your field, and six years you may prune your vineyard [and gather in the yield]. But in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest (Leviticus 25:3–4). It is forbidden to do any work on the land, as the sages taught: The land shall observe a Sabbath (Leviticus 25:2)—this could mean [not] to dig holes, pits, caves, and pools. Therefore, the Torah says: Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune (Leviticus 25:4). This refers only to sowing and pruning. How do we know not to plow or till or weed or cut down or split wood? The Torah says your field . . . and your vineyard to include everything in your field and any kind of work in your vineyard. How do we know that it is forbidden to fertilize, to let leaves fall, and to smoke a tree and its leaves? The Torah says your field . . . and your vineyard—any work in your field and any work in your vineyard. Since it says your field . . . and your vineyard, how do we know that it is forbidden to trim or to snip or to spread the branches of a tree? The Torah says your field . . . and your vineyard—any work in your field and any work in your vineyard. Since it says your field . . . and your vineyard, it is possible that you may be able to dig under the olive trees, fill the furrows under them, or make moats around the vines and between the trees. The Torah says your field . . . and your vineyard.

Sowing and pruning are included in the prohibition; why were they mentioned explicitly? So that one may make a comparison to them. Just as sowing and pruning are distinguished as work on the land and a tree, so, too, any other work on the land or on a tree [is prohibited]. Perhaps the jubilee year should be counted among the seven-year sabbatical cycles; therefore, the Torah says: Six years you may sow your field(Leviticus 25:3). Years of sowing are included in the seven-year sabbatical cycles, but the jubilee year is not included in the years of the cycles of seven.