|
INNER ASPECTS OF THE EIGHTH YEAR
[An essay by Rabbi Yosef Marcus, adapted and summarized from the
writings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.]
"At the end of each seven years, at the time of the Sabbatical
year, on the festival of Sukkos…you must read from this Torah before
all Israel….Gather the nation, men, women, children and proselytes…"
[Deut. 31:10-13]
The mitzvah of Hakhel-"Gather"-is observed on
the second day of Sukkos on the year following the Sabbatical year of
Shemitah. Men women and children gathered in the Holy Temple
where they would listen as the king read various sections of the Torah.
An obvious question arises when reading the Torah's description of Hakhel
as occurring at the "end of seven years." The purpose of Hakhel
is to inspire the nation. Shouldn't such inspiration be provided at the
beginning of the seven year cycle? The answer is that the Shemitah
year serves as a prelude to Hakhel, and without which the message of Hakhel
cannot truly be absorbed. This relationship is apparent from the sections
of the Torah read during the Hakhel ceremony, Shema, Vihaya and
Ahser Ti'ahser.
These three sections mirror the three aspects of respite experienced
during Shemitah:
Human respite--The person must not work the fields at all and
must rather spend his time in prayer and Torah study. This emphasizes
the fact that man is "owned" by G-d. He is reminded of his raison
d'?tre, which is to serve his Creator, a notion easily forgotten during
the six years working the field.
Respite of the land--This emphasizes G-d's ownership over the
land, including its natural properties, since the produce of the sixth
year must miraculously provide for three years.
Respite of the fruits--During the year of Shemitah all produce
is deemed ownerless, hefker. Nobody has any claim on it. It is free for
all. This brings home the notion that all of man's possessions essentially
belong to G-d. The Jew carries this thought with him throughout the six
years when his produce ostensibly does "belong" to him, realizing
that he is merely a caretaker of G-d's possessions and that he must appropriate
them accordingly.
These three lessons are reiterated in the three sections of the Torah
read by the king in the Hakhel ceremony:
Shema--This section corresponds to the respite of the
person and addresses the enhancement of his spiritual life that ensues:
acceptance of the yoke of Heaven; study of Torah; fulfillment of mitzvos
(tefillin, mezuzah).'
Vihaya--This section emphasizes G-d's control over nature
("If you listen…I shall give the rain of your land in its time…and
you shall gather your grain…[But if you stray,] there will not be
rain…and the earth will not yield its fruit…").
Ahser T'iahser--This section speaks of the mitzvah of
tithing, giving of one's possessions to charity. This emphasizes that
man is merely a caretaker of his possessions and that he must channel
them towards G-dly ends.
The year of Shemitah, then, serves to condition the Jew and enable him
to absorb the message that would be reiterated to him by the king of Israel
at the gathering of Hakhel.
|
