Difference between revisions of "Nature of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce/2"
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<p>Hashem promised that, in the sixth year, the land would bring forth more grain than usual, enough to sustain the people for thee years.</p> | <p>Hashem promised that, in the sixth year, the land would bring forth more grain than usual, enough to sustain the people for thee years.</p> | ||
<mekorot>Standard interpretation</mekorot> | <mekorot>Standard interpretation</mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>Shemittah as a source of faith</b> – This position would likely view the mitzvah of Shemittah less as a test of faith (since the people are given food in advance) and more as a tool to instill it.  The gift of a threefold harvest teaches the nation how Hashem cares for them always.  See <a href="Purpose of Shemittah" data-aht="page">Purpose of Shemittah</a> for other ways that the year instills recognition of Hashem.</point> | + | <point><b>Shemittah as a source of faith</b> – This position would likely view the mitzvah of Shemittah less as a test of faith (since the people are given food in advance) and more as a tool to instill it.  The gift of a threefold harvest<fn>The verses speak of sustaining the people for three years, even though a blessing for two years would seem to have have sufficed since by then the nation should be able to eat of the new harvest.  For a variety of approaches as to how to understand this "three year" blessing , see <a href="Duration of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce" data-aht="page">Duration of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce</a>.</fn> teaches the nation how Hashem cares for them always.  See <a href="Purpose of Shemittah" data-aht="page">Purpose of Shemittah</a> for other ways that the year instills recognition of Hashem.</point> |
<point><b>Purpose of blessings</b> – According to this approach, unlike many other blessings in Tanakh, the blessing of increased produce serves not as a reward for observance, but as a facilitator to ensure it.<fn>Contrast this with the blessings in Vayikra 26 and Devarim 28 which are all contingent on keeping Hashem's commandments.  For several of many more examples, see also Shemot 23:25, Devarim 11:27 or Malakhi 3:10.</fn></point> | <point><b>Purpose of blessings</b> – According to this approach, unlike many other blessings in Tanakh, the blessing of increased produce serves not as a reward for observance, but as a facilitator to ensure it.<fn>Contrast this with the blessings in Vayikra 26 and Devarim 28 which are all contingent on keeping Hashem's commandments.  For several of many more examples, see also Shemot 23:25, Devarim 11:27 or Malakhi 3:10.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>Parallel to manna</b> – This approach views the double portion of grain as similar to the double portion of manna that fell before Shabbat.  In both cases, needs are provided before the absence is felt, and a blessing is given before, rather than after, the people keep Hashem's commandment.</point> | <point><b>Parallel to manna</b> – This approach views the double portion of grain as similar to the double portion of manna that fell before Shabbat.  In both cases, needs are provided before the absence is felt, and a blessing is given before, rather than after, the people keep Hashem's commandment.</point> | ||
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<point><b>"וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ" – Who will ask?</b> As Seforno maintains that Hashem decides what type of blessing to give (quality or quantity of the sixth's year's crops)  based on whether or not the people doubt, he must maintain that the people express their concerns before the crops are reaped in the sixth year.</point> | <point><b>"וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ" – Who will ask?</b> As Seforno maintains that Hashem decides what type of blessing to give (quality or quantity of the sixth's year's crops)  based on whether or not the people doubt, he must maintain that the people express their concerns before the crops are reaped in the sixth year.</point> | ||
<point><b>"מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת"</b></point> | <point><b>"מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת"</b></point> | ||
− | <point><b>Nature of the blessing</b> – It seems that according to Seforno, the qualitative blessing is a reward for faith,<fn>See verse 18 which prefaces the blessing of "וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשֹׂבַע" with "וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי", suggesting a causal relationship.</fn> while the quantitative blessing is an incentive to facilitate observance. | + | <point><b>Nature of the blessing</b> – It seems that according to Seforno, the qualitative blessing is a reward for faith,<fn>See verse 18 which prefaces the blessing of "וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשֹׂבַע" with "וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי", suggesting a causal relationship.</fn> while the quantitative blessing is an incentive to facilitate observance.</point> |
<point><b>Evaluating the question</b> – This position views the question of "what shall we eat" somewhat negatively, as a show of lack of trust. Hashem, however, does not view this disbelief as worthy of punishment, but rather as a sign of what the people need.</point> | <point><b>Evaluating the question</b> – This position views the question of "what shall we eat" somewhat negatively, as a show of lack of trust. Hashem, however, does not view this disbelief as worthy of punishment, but rather as a sign of what the people need.</point> | ||
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Version as of 00:02, 10 June 2016
Nature of the Pre-Shemittah Blessing of the Produce
Exegetical Approaches
Increased Production
Hashem promised that, in the sixth year, the land would bring forth more grain than usual, enough to sustain the people for thee years.
Alternatively, the people in Israel could be question at the beginning of the sixth year before they have seen the results of their sowing.
- It might say, like the Minchat Yehuda, that the people are questioning not what they will eat the entire year, but what they will eat in the second half of the seventh year, by which point they would normally be harvesting the food grown the season before.
- Alternatively, it could explain like Abarbanel who proposes to repunctuate the verse, placing a pause after the words, "מַה נֹּאכַל" rather than after "בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת".3 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!?'"
Produce Goes Further
Although the amount harvested in the sixth year would be no different than in any other year, Hashem promised that it would last longer. The same amount of grain would nourish the people for three years instead of the usual one.
- Ramban suggests to understand the verse as if its order was rearranged (מקרא מסורס) so that it reads: "And if you will say in the seventh year: 'What shall we eat [in subsequent years]'." The Keli Yekar points out that Ramban's reading of the verse only works if one assumes that the blessing was hidden and related not to the quantity of the food but how long it was to last. Otherwise by the seventh year people would already know that they were cared for and never come to question.
- Alternatively, the Keli Yekar suggests that already in the sixth year, the people would be concerned about the seventh year. Knowing that they could not plant and would have nothing saved for the next year would make it difficult to be satisfied even when they had food (אינו דומה מי שיש לו פת בסלו למי שאין לו).
Dependent on Faith
The blessing differed in line with the amount of faith held by the people. Hashem promised that if the nation had enough trust, He would ensure that a regular sized harvest would be of such quality that it could nourish the nation for three years. However, if the people had doubts, He would increase the quantity of the harvest so they could see with their own eyes how it would suffice.