Difference between revisions of "Duration of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce/2"
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<li>He points out that Sukkot is referred to as arriving "בְּצֵאת הַשָּׁנָה",‎<fn>See <a href="Shemot23-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:16</a> and <a href="Shemot34-22" data-aht="source">Shemot 34:22</a>.</fn>‎ 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. </li> | <li>He points out that Sukkot is referred to as arriving "בְּצֵאת הַשָּׁנָה",‎<fn>See <a href="Shemot23-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:16</a> and <a href="Shemot34-22" data-aht="source">Shemot 34:22</a>.</fn>‎ 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. </li> | ||
<li>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.</li> | <li>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.</li> | ||
− | <li>Finally, Ibn Ezra points to the order of the nation's words " | + | <li>Finally, Ibn Ezra points to the order of the nation's words "לֹא תִזְרָעוּ וְלֹא תִקְצְרוּ" to prove that, in the Sabbatical year, planting precedes sowing, in contrast to the claims of the Karaites.</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>"מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת"</b> – Asking about scarcity of food in the seventh year is logical according to this approach.  Already from the beginning of the seventh year, the people have nothing to eat, since in Nisan at the onset of the seventh year they are unable to harvest the food planted in the sixth year.<fn>According to all Rabbinic approaches, since the Shemittah year begins in Tishrei, almost all food planted in the sixth year can be harvested before the Shemittah year begins.  But since this Karaite approach begins the Shemittah year in Nisan (at the beginning of the harvest season), there is no opportunity to harvest the produce planted in the second half of the sixth year.</fn>  It is even possible that the nation would not plant crops in the sixth year, in the knowledge that it would be prohibited to reap them in the seventh year.<fn>One might claim that, according to this approach, the people's question should have really been, "what will we eat in the seventh and eighth years."  The Karaites might answer that the second year is assumed, even though only the imminent worry is verbalized.</fn></point> | <point><b>"מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת"</b> – Asking about scarcity of food in the seventh year is logical according to this approach.  Already from the beginning of the seventh year, the people have nothing to eat, since in Nisan at the onset of the seventh year they are unable to harvest the food planted in the sixth year.<fn>According to all Rabbinic approaches, since the Shemittah year begins in Tishrei, almost all food planted in the sixth year can be harvested before the Shemittah year begins.  But since this Karaite approach begins the Shemittah year in Nisan (at the beginning of the harvest season), there is no opportunity to harvest the produce planted in the second half of the sixth year.</fn>  It is even possible that the nation would not plant crops in the sixth year, in the knowledge that it would be prohibited to reap them in the seventh year.<fn>One might claim that, according to this approach, the people's question should have really been, "what will we eat in the seventh and eighth years."  The Karaites might answer that the second year is assumed, even though only the imminent worry is verbalized.</fn></point> | ||
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<point><b>"וּזְרַעְתֶּם אֵת הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִת"</b> – This verse presents no problem for this position, as crops are planted in the second half of the eighth year.</point> | <point><b>"וּזְרַעְתֶּם אֵת הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִת"</b> – This verse presents no problem for this position, as crops are planted in the second half of the eighth year.</point> | ||
<point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – According to this position, this verse means that the old grain will be eaten until (עד ולא עד בכלל) the ninth year, at which point the grains planted in the eighth year can be harvested ("עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" means until the harvest at the beginning of the ninth year of the grains sown in the eighth year.)</point> | <point><b>"עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכְלוּ יָשָׁן"</b> – According to this position, this verse means that the old grain will be eaten until (עד ולא עד בכלל) the ninth year, at which point the grains planted in the eighth year can be harvested ("עַד בּוֹא תְּבוּאָתָהּ" means until the harvest at the beginning of the ninth year of the grains sown in the eighth year.)</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Economic difficulties</b> – According to this approach, in every Shemittah cycle, the command imposes a huge economic burden on the people, as there are two full years with nothing to reap.  | + | <point><b>Economic difficulties</b> – According to this approach, in every Shemittah cycle, the command imposes a huge economic burden on the people, as there are two full years with nothing to reap.  And as Ibn Ezra notes, cases in which Yovel follows Shemittah would be almost unbearably difficult, with three consecutive harvest-free years.  Arguably, this would be an almost impossible commandment to fulfill.</point> |
<point><b>Context</b> – This approach does not explain why these verses interrupt a series of laws that relate to the Jubilee year rather than being placed amidst the discussion of the Shemittah year.  It could perhaps adopt a variation of R. D"Z Hoffmann's approach below.</point> | <point><b>Context</b> – This approach does not explain why these verses interrupt a series of laws that relate to the Jubilee year rather than being placed amidst the discussion of the Shemittah year.  It could perhaps adopt a variation of R. D"Z Hoffmann's approach below.</point> | ||
</opinion> | </opinion> |
Version as of 22:48, 21 May 2017
Duration of the 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. Wessely4 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.5 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.
- Ramban7 suggests to interpret the verse as if its order was rearranged (מקרא מסורס) so that it reads: "And if you will say in the seventh year:8 'What shall we eat [in subsequent years]'."
- R. Bachya and Abarbanel propose to repunctuate the verse, placing a pause after the words, "מַה נֹּאכַל" rather than after "בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת".9 As such, the verse reads: "If you say: 'What shall we eat [in subsequent years]? [After all] in the seventh year we will neither sow nor harvest!?'"10
- R. Wessely posits that the people are asking: "How will we eat [with peace of mind] in the seventh year, knowing that we will neither sow nor gather [in the seventh year for subsequent years]?
While this may come as no surprise to the modern reader for whom it is ingrained that "Rosh HaShanah" is celebrated at the beginning of Tishrei, it is noteworthy that nowhere does the Torah state explicitly that the first of Tishrei should be considered a New Year.13 Tishrei is always referred to as the "seventh month", and not the first month. Indeed, it is possible that what compelled the Rabbinic bestowing of the title of "ראש השנה" upon the first of Tishrei was, not any of the verses which discuss the character of the first of Tishrei itself, but rather these very laws of Shemittah and Yovel.
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",17 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 "לֹא תִזְרָעוּ וְלֹא תִקְצְרוּ" 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.27 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.28
- 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.29 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.