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On Shmittah
> Less than 3 decades ago, only 200 farmers observed Shmittah; today, close to 5,000 farmers observe Shmittah! Many of these farmers spend their days learning in kollel, instead of working the fields.
> Just as the Shabbos day blesses the other 6 days of the week, the Shmittah year blesses the next 6 years.
– “Kli Chemdah,” Parshas Behar
> It says in the Mechilta (Parshas Beshalach), “From here Rabbi Shimon said, ‘The Torah can be expounded only by those who eat the mann.’”
The Jewish people were able to accept the Torah only when they lived in a situation that was beyond the normal boundaries of nature. Therefore, the giving of the Torah was preceded by the giving of the mann, to raise the people to a supernatural standard. Now, through the mitzvah of Shmittah, the Jewish people are removed from the regular limitations of nature. It is completely unheard of for a nation to collectively cease all agricultural activity for an entire year. Our nation only survives the year of Shmittah because Hashem gave a brocha to the Jewish people that they should survive the Shmittah year beyond the limitations of nature. The mitzvah of Shmittah was given to the Jewish people in order to raise them to the level of those who eat mann. In this way, they were able to conceive the depths of the Torah’s wisdom as did their ancestors at Har Sinai.
– “Dibros Kodesh” of the Strickover Rebbe
A Heavenly Investment
G-d made a huge investment in taking the Jews out of Mitzrayim – he sent the ten plagues, split the sea, changed the order of nature, etc. Was it really worth it?
One might think that maybe for the Jews of yesteryear it was worth the effort, but looking at the Jewish people today, was
G-d’s efforts worthwhile?
In the Haggadah it says: “B’Chol Dor V’Dor Chayav Adam Liros Es Atzmo K’Ilu Hu Yatza M’Mitzrayim” “In every generation, a person is obligated to regard himself as if he had left Egypt…”
It was not only our ancestors whom Hashem redeemed from Egypt; He redeemed us as well, as implied by the verse: ‘He brought us out from there, so that He might bring us to the land He swore to our fathers, and give it to us.’ (Deuteronomy 6:23) Yes, our Torah and mitzvos today are just as precious, if not more, to Hashem. So yes, Hashem’s investment in Yetzias Mitzrayim was well worth it… just for us!
Pesach Tidbits
> During the year, some Chassidim, including the followers of the Rebbe of Ropshitz and the Tzanzer Rebbe, have the custom to make the brocha “she’hakol” on potatoes, but when using potatoes for karpas at the Pesach seder, they make the brocha “ha’adamah.”
– The Ropshitz Haggadah
> Hydroponics is a popular method of growing large, insect-free plants – especially in places with poor soil conditions. There are many halachic questions and opinions regarding the use of hydroponics (especially in Israel), including: shmitta, brochos, terumos and maaseros, and using hydroponics at the Pesach sedarim. Ask your local Orthodox rabbi what opinion you should follow.
