This weeks Parsha is Behar-Bechokotai. In Leviticus 25:1, the question for when we talk about the shmita year, is that what does the shmita year even have to do with Har Sinai? Weren’t all the commandments given on Har Sinai? The Torat Kohanim writes about Rashi’s answer. He says that the pasuk tries to tell us that just as the shmita year both its general rule and the small details were commanded on Har Sinai, so too with all of the commandments the general rules and down to the details it was commanded/ decreed on Har Senai.
What are other possible reasons that the shmita year has a connection with Har Senai?
According to the Kli Yakar, the connection between the two ideas is that Moshe went up to Har Sinai after seven weeks since Bnei Yisrael counted seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot. This is the length of the time of Yovel which is the time of freedom and hear is the time that Hashem told Moshe about Shemita and Yovel.
ReplyDeleteThe Mitzvah of Shmitah is referred to as the "Shabbat of the land" and through working the land for 6 years and letting the land rest on the 7th we are remembering that God is the creator that the world belongs to Him and that He runs the world. Isn't this, in fact, then just a broader part of the Mitzvah of Shabbat, the 4th commandment we received at Har Sinai.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Aish.com Shmita represents the start of a new cycle. It symbolizes starting over after seven years. Similarly, the event at har Sinai represents a new start for Bnei Yisroel. They had officially become the Jewish nation who had accepted the Torah. They were starting their own cycle as a unit and a nation. Both Shmita and har sinai represent the start of something new.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rabbi Krantz the connection between shmitah and har Sinai has to do with the connection between the physical and spiritual aspects of the land. During Shmitah the land becomes spiritual because hashem command us certain laws on it. And at har Sonia the mountain becomes spiritual because hashem appears.- Rachel malek
ReplyDeleteThe Beit Yisrael explains that the fundamental principle underlining shemmitah is that one must never ask what will I eat. Rather, he has to recognize that G-d will provide us with all our needs. This concept is true of the Torah as well. One must never ask how will I be able to sustain myself if I devote myself to Torah, we have to have faith in Hashem that He will provide for us.
ReplyDeleteYeshiva.co says that the connection between shmita and har Sinai is that we accepted all the mitzvot at har Sinai and now during the shmita year of resting and not working the land our emunah is tested
ReplyDeleteThe Sefat Emet writes that since the Torah links Har Sinai, where we received the whole Torah, to this mitzvah, it implies to us that all the commandments are dependent upon this one. It is in some way the foundation for our relationship with Torah. By letting go of our need to control the physical world, we are leaving that in HaShem's hands, that is the foundation of the entire Torah. Both Shmita and Matan Torah require our belief in HaShem and willing to let him be in control
ReplyDeleteThe Ibn Ezra and Rashbam both agree on the same explanation, that the reason it's said like this is because this part of the Torah is not in chronological order; rather this was before Vayikra.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that had Sinai is mentioned next to shmitah is because at hat Sinai hashem gave us rules, and showed us that he loves us. So to with shmitah we have to remeber that it is not about the details, it's about the numbers. It matters that they get food, and that everyone is accounted at matan Torah. This is from parsha.net
ReplyDeleteThe reason that har sina and shmita are together is because at Har Sinai Bnei Yisrael got the torah. Before this they had no set rules. Once the had the torah that's when they had to begin following the commandments, including shmita
ReplyDeleteOu.org says The mitzva of Shmita teaches us that Hashem is concerned with mundane things. He cares about us and our fields and trees. And He exists, not only in the heavens, but His Essence fills the world. G-d’s choice of lowly Har Sinai as the venue for giving us the Torah, was meant to teach us the same idea.
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