Difference between revisions of "Duration of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce/2"
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<p>Hashem is reassuring the nation that the crops planted in the beginning of the sixth year will suffice to nourish them for a two year period, or one more year than usual.  This twenty-four month period extends across parts of three different years of the Shemittah cycle and thus overlaps with the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth year.</p> | <p>Hashem is reassuring the nation that the crops planted in the beginning of the sixth year will suffice to nourish them for a two year period, or one more year than usual.  This twenty-four month period extends across parts of three different years of the Shemittah cycle and thus overlaps with the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth year.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="SifraVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Sifra Vayikra #1</a><a href="SifraVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">25:20-22</a><a href="Sifra Vayikra" data-aht="parshan">About the Sifra Vayikra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,<fn>Rashi's position is also adopted by <multilink><a href="ShadalVayikra25-21-22" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalVayikra25-21-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:21-22</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> and the <multilink><a href="HoilMosheVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:21</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>.</fn> <multilink><a href="RalbagVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Ralbag #2</a><a href="RalbagVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>,<fn>Ralbag also brings the opinion that the verses might refer to a case in which Yovel follows Shemittah.</fn> <multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="SifraVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Sifra Vayikra #1</a><a href="SifraVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">25:20-22</a><a href="Sifra Vayikra" data-aht="parshan">About the Sifra Vayikra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,<fn>Rashi's position is also adopted by <multilink><a href="ShadalVayikra25-21-22" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalVayikra25-21-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:21-22</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> and the <multilink><a href="HoilMosheVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:21</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>.</fn> <multilink><a href="RalbagVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Ralbag #2</a><a href="RalbagVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>,<fn>Ralbag also brings the opinion that the verses might refer to a case in which Yovel follows Shemittah.</fn> <multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>"וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים"</b> – These sources understand the phrase "שְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים" to refer to parts of three years of the Shemittah cycle, though not three full years.  Even though the produce will feed the people for only twenty-four months, these are spread across three years.<fn>Crops planted in the first half of the sixth year are eaten in the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth | + | <point><b>"וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים"</b> – These sources understand the phrase "שְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים" to refer to parts of three years of the Shemittah cycle, though not three full years.  Even though the produce will feed the people for only twenty-four months, these are spread across three years.<fn>Crops planted in the first half of the sixth year are eaten in the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth year.</fn>  This option is viable specifically because of the definite article; had the verse said merely "שלש שנים" (without the ‏ה'‏), this interpretation would be more difficult.<fn>Alternatively, this approach could have explained that even though the blessing is really needed for only one extra year, Hashem is promising to bestow even greater blessings than are necessary.  Cf. the Netziv below regarding the blessing lasting until the ninth year.</fn></point> |
<point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – This verse is difficult for these sources since they claim that the nation can eat from the new harvest already in the second half of the eighth year, while this verse implies that they will first do so only in the ninth year.<fn>See Abarbanel who raises this question.</fn>  There are a few possible approaches:<br/> | <point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – This verse is difficult for these sources since they claim that the nation can eat from the new harvest already in the second half of the eighth year, while this verse implies that they will first do so only in the ninth year.<fn>See Abarbanel who raises this question.</fn>  There are a few possible approaches:<br/> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
− | <li>Rashi explains that even though some crops can be eaten earlier, there is some produce that is not yet been brought into the house until Sukkot of the ninth year.<fn>See the Hoil Moshe who points to the grape and olive crops which | + | <li>Rashi explains that even though some crops can be eaten earlier, there is some produce that is not yet been brought into the house until Sukkot of the ninth year.<fn>See the Hoil Moshe who points to the grape and olive crops which ripen only at the very end of the year.</fn>  According to him, "עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" refers not to the harvest (קציר) of the eighth year but to its gathering (אסיף) into the home.</li> |
<li><multilink><a href="NetzivVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Netziv</a><a href="NetzivVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink>, instead, suggests that the verse is simply saying that even though it is unnecessary, the harvest will be abundant enough to last until the ninth year.<fn>That way the people can allow their grains to dry out in their granaries without the pressure to eat immediately from the harvest.</fn> </li> | <li><multilink><a href="NetzivVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Netziv</a><a href="NetzivVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink>, instead, suggests that the verse is simply saying that even though it is unnecessary, the harvest will be abundant enough to last until the ninth year.<fn>That way the people can allow their grains to dry out in their granaries without the pressure to eat immediately from the harvest.</fn> </li> | ||
− | <li>Ralbag, in contrast, claims that this part of the verse refers to a year in which Yovel follows Shemittah, in which case the old grains must sustain the nation through the ninth year.<fn>Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor and R. Wessely above who | + | <li>Ralbag, in contrast, claims that this part of the verse refers to a year in which Yovel follows Shemittah, in which case the old grains must sustain the nation through the ninth year.<fn>Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor and R. Wessely above who similarly suggest that parts of the verses in the unit might refer to a regular Shemittah year while other parts refer to a Shemittah year which is followed by Yovel.</fn>  In contrast to Rashi and Netziv, he understands "עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" to refer to the crops of the ninth year and not the eighth.  Abarbanel questions this splitting apart of the verses, writing: "איך יפרשהו לשעורין חלק לשמטה וחלק ביובל?"</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Context</b> – Abarbanel questions why, according to this approach, the verses do not follow the discussion of Shemittah but rather interrupt the unit relating to Yovel.</point> | <point><b>Context</b> – Abarbanel questions why, according to this approach, the verses do not follow the discussion of Shemittah but rather interrupt the unit relating to Yovel.</point> | ||
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<category>Two Plus One | <category>Two Plus One | ||
<p>Hashem is promising that the produce from the sixth year will provide not only food for two full years but also the seeds needed to sow the land for the third year.</p> | <p>Hashem is promising that the produce from the sixth year will provide not only food for two full years but also the seeds needed to sow the land for the third year.</p> | ||
− | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RashbamVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>,<fn>This understanding of Rashbam follows the text of his commentary preserved in the original 1705 printing which followed MS Breslau 103.  It is | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RashbamVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamVayikra25-20-22" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:20-22</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>,<fn>This understanding of Rashbam follows the text of his commentary preserved in the original 1705 printing which followed MS Breslau 103.  It is supported by Rashbam's use of the introductory phrase "לפי הפשט", which comes to indicate that he is differing with Rashi's position, and it is also how Prof. Meir Lockshin interprets Rashbam in the footnotes of both his English and Hebrew editions. <br/>For unclear reasons, D. Rosin assumed that Rashbam's position should match Rashi's (see also Moses Mendelssohn's note in the Biur).  Thus, in his edition, he incorrectly emended the text by inserting "[ובשמינית]" after the word "ושמינית".  Rosin's proposed emendation also forces a repunctuation of the sentence, effectively transforming Rashbam into Rashi.  Unfortunately, Rosin's mistaken textual emendation has been incorporated by several subsequent editions.</fn> <multilink><a href="HaKetavVeHaKabbalahVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">HaKetav VeHaKabbalah</a><a href="HaKetavVeHaKabbalahVayikra25-21" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:21</a><a href="R. Yaakov Mecklenburg (HaKetav VeHaKabbalah)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg</a></multilink></mekorot> |
<point><b>"וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים"</b> – These sources read  "לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים" as referring to three full years.  Even though the crops need to suffice for only two years to feed the nation, they must also be used for planting in the third year.  As such, with both of these being taken together, the crop must provide (directly and indirectly) for three full years.</point> | <point><b>"וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים"</b> – These sources read  "לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים" as referring to three full years.  Even though the crops need to suffice for only two years to feed the nation, they must also be used for planting in the third year.  As such, with both of these being taken together, the crop must provide (directly and indirectly) for three full years.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"וּזְרַעְתֶּם אֵת הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִת"</b> – This phrase comes to highlight the extent of the blessing, that there will be enough, not only to eat in the sixth and seventh, but also to plant in the eighth year.</point> | + | <point><b>"וּזְרַעְתֶּם אֵת הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִת"</b> – This phrase comes to highlight the extent of the blessing, that there will be enough, not only to eat in the sixth and seventh, but also to plant in the eighth year.<fn>Cf. Ralbag above.</fn></point> |
<point><b>"וַאֲכַלְתֶּם מִן הַתְּבוּאָה יָשָׁן"</b> – This position would likely reread the word "וַאֲכַלְתֶּם" in this verse to mean "and you shall subsist" from the old grain (since by harvest time they will no longer need to eat of it.)  Alternatively, it could understand the verse to mean that "you shall eat from [what grows from the seeds] of the old grain".</point> | <point><b>"וַאֲכַלְתֶּם מִן הַתְּבוּאָה יָשָׁן"</b> – This position would likely reread the word "וַאֲכַלְתֶּם" in this verse to mean "and you shall subsist" from the old grain (since by harvest time they will no longer need to eat of it.)  Alternatively, it could understand the verse to mean that "you shall eat from [what grows from the seeds] of the old grain".</point> | ||
<point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – These sources understand this phrase to mean "until the ninth year" (not "through the ninth year"), and that the verse is saying that in the ninth year the people will plant from new grains.</point> | <point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – These sources understand this phrase to mean "until the ninth year" (not "through the ninth year"), and that the verse is saying that in the ninth year the people will plant from new grains.</point> |
Version as of 03:16, 20 May 2016
Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators differ in their understanding of the "three year" blessing promised by Hashem in anticipation of the Sabbatical year. Several sources maintain that Hashem is indeed promising that the harvest will provide sufficient food for three entire years. One opinion in the Sifra explains that this is necessary because the verses are speaking of the exceptional scenario of the seventh Shemittah cycle in which the Sabbatical year is followed by the Jubilee year and sowing is prohibited for two years in a row. A Karaite opinion, in contrast, asserts that even in a regular Sabbatical year, a full three year blessing is required. It claims that the Sabbatical year begins in Nisan with the reaping season, which results in two consecutive years without a harvest.
Others reinterpret the phrase "לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים" and claim that, in reality, Hashem is promising only two years' worth of food. Rashi explains that the produce will nourish the people during parts of three different years of the Shemittah cycle, i.e. the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth year. Alternatively, Rashbam posits that the sixth year's harvest will provide food for the sixth and seventh years, as well as the seeds needed to sow the land in the eighth year.
Three Full Years
Hashem is promising a blessing that the produce from the sixth year will feed the nation for three full years. This position subdivides regarding the situation spoken of in the verses:
Only Shemittah Followed by Yovel
The verses are speaking exclusively about the unique case of the seventh Sabbatical Year which is immediately followed by the Jubilee Year. Since in this scenario there are two consecutive years in which sowing is prohibited, Hashem is reassuring the people that the harvest of the sixth year will sustain them for three full years.
- R"Y Bekhor Shor and R. Wessely3 claim that, in reality, the verses are addressing both the regular scenario and the more exceptional Yovel year. Accordingly, the phrase "וּזְרַעְתֶּם אֵת הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִת" switches to speak of a normal cycle in which sowing is permitted in the eighth year.4 However, the obvious difficulty with this reading is that the verses betray no hint of any such abrupt switch in subject.
- Abarbanel, instead, suggests that the phrase is attached to the previous verse and means that, due to the blessing, it will be as if you planted in the eighth year.
- Alternatively, this position might assert that the Jubilee year is not counted among the years of the Shemittah cycle, and thus, the "eighth year" of the verse refers to the year after Yovel.
- Ramban and Abarbanel suggest to rearrange the order of the verse (מקרא מסורס) so that it reads: "And if you say in the seventh year: 'What shall we eat [in subsequent years]'."
- Abarbanel alternatively proposes to repunctuate the verse, placing a pause after the words, "מַה נֹּאכַל" rather than after "בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת".6 As such, the verse reads: "If you say: 'What shall we eat [in subsequent years]? [After all] in the seventh year we may not sow or harvest!?'"7
- R. Wessely, instead, posits that the people are asking: "How will we eat [with peace of mind] in the seventh year knowing that we will not be sowing or gathering [in the seventh year for subsequent years]?
All Shemittah Years
Although Rabbinic law rules that the Sabbatical years begin in Tishrei, this is not explicit in the Torah, and some Karaites maintain that the agricultural years begin in Nisan, during the harvest season. Accordingly, any crops planted in their sixth year cannot be harvested in the seventh year, and there is no harvest in the eight year as no crops can be planted in the seventh year. Thus, every Shemittah cycle results in two years without a harvest, and the harvest of the sixth year must sustain the nation for three full years.
- He points out that Sukkot is referred to as arriving "בְּצֵאת הַשָּׁנָה",11 suggesting that Tishrei (and not Nisan) marks the change from one year to the next. The Karaites, however, might respond that the verse refers to the end of an agricultural year, but not a ritual one.
- Ibn Ezra further notes that the shofar blast that marks the Jubilee year is blown on Yom HaKippurim, suggesting that the year begins in Tishrei.
- Finally, Ibn Ezra points to the order of the nation's words "הֵן לֹא נִזְרָע וְלֹא נֶאֱסֹף" to prove that, in the Sabbatical year, planting precedes sowing, in contrast to the claims of the Karaites.
Parts of Three Years
Hashem is reassuring the nation that the crops planted in the beginning of the sixth year will suffice to nourish them for a two year period, or one more year than usual. This twenty-four month period extends across parts of three different years of the Shemittah cycle and thus overlaps with the second half of the sixth year, the entire seventh year, and the first half of the eighth year.
- Rashi explains that even though some crops can be eaten earlier, there is some produce that is not yet been brought into the house until Sukkot of the ninth year.20 According to him, "עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" refers not to the harvest (קציר) of the eighth year but to its gathering (אסיף) into the home.
- Netziv, instead, suggests that the verse is simply saying that even though it is unnecessary, the harvest will be abundant enough to last until the ninth year.21
- Ralbag, in contrast, claims that this part of the verse refers to a year in which Yovel follows Shemittah, in which case the old grains must sustain the nation through the ninth year.22 In contrast to Rashi and Netziv, he understands "עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" to refer to the crops of the ninth year and not the eighth. Abarbanel questions this splitting apart of the verses, writing: "איך יפרשהו לשעורין חלק לשמטה וחלק ביובל?"
Two Plus One
Hashem is promising that the produce from the sixth year will provide not only food for two full years but also the seeds needed to sow the land for the third year.