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Releasing Debts,

Restoring Dignity

Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

he laws of Shemitta that teaches us that the people of Israel are The economic impact is significant as
garner most of our attention meant to be servants of G-d and not of well. People who are mired in debt and
are those that relate to the man. A loan is a form of a lien. When forced to hand over all of their earnings
T“resting” of the land of Israel. a poor man borrows money, he grants to lenders will often lose the motivation
However, a less frequently discussed the lender significant power over him. to work and create, further impairing
aspect of Shemitta – debt relief – also A lender can seize his salary or prop- their economic rehabilitation. On the
deserves our attention: erty, pressure him and demand that he other hand, a society can only function
“Every seventh year, you shall release work harder to earn money. if its members meet their obligations
and repay debts to lenders. And so the
your debts. This shall be the nature of Although the lien is justified because Torah offers a balance – while bor-
the release: every creditor shall remit the money belongs to the lender, the rowers are generally required to repay
the due he claims from his fellow; he Torah states the lender’s lien must be their loans, every seventh year, they
shall not exact it from his neighbor are given a respite and the freedom to
or his brother, for the release pro- limited in scope to emphasize that the decide how and when to repay them.
claimed is of Hashem” (Devarim 15: borrower is also a servant of G-d, so it
1–2). Although debt relief only takes is inappropriate for him to be a slave The Rabbis teach that even during
effect at the end of the Shemitta year, to another. Shemitta, borrowers should repay their
the meaning of this fascinating law is debts when possible. But if a borrower
bound up together with the other laws is crushed by his loan and unable to lift
of Shemitta. himself out of poverty, the lender must
relinquish the debt. A Torah economy
Whether money, land, or fruit, all requires a delicate balance of compet-
property ultimately belongs to G-d The cancellation of debts during ing values and only functions properly
and not to human beings. Once every the Shemitta year also causes when society maintains a high moral
seven years, during Shemitta, we are a realignment of society. standard and borrowers do not use the
reminded that the property is not debt waiver to make easy money at the
ours. We are commanded to abandon expense of others.
the fruits in our field and allow every- For the same reason, every seven years, The key to maintaining this delicate
one to use them as they please, for the G-d commands the lender to release all balance of values is to remember the
fruit belongs to G-d. Along the same debts owed to him. In releasing the bor- ultimate purpose of Shemitta and the
lines, we are commanded to release the rower from the lien bonds, the lender cancellation of loans. The objective,
debts that others owe us. The money testifies that G-d is the ultimate Owner of course, is not to benefit one person
we have accumulated is a gift from G-d, and that the borrower is “enslaved” not at the expense of another but rather
and if G-d wills it, it must pass over to to the lender but only to G-d. to remind the entire nation that all
someone else. The cancellation of debts during the property ultimately belongs to G-d.
Debt relief also has another layer of Shemitta year also causes a realignment The Shemitta year offers an extraordi-
spiritual significance which can be of society. One who has fallen into debt nary opportunity for human beings to
learned from the mitzvah to release is in a socially inferior position from achieve social and economic equality
slaves during the Yovel year: “For it is to which it can be difficult to break free. and highlights the spiritual signifi-
Me that the Israelites are servants: they As anyone in financial distress under- cance of each human being’s dignity in
are My servants, whom I freed from the stands, it can be very challenging to society. All human beings are created in
land of Egypt, I am Hashem your G-d” break the debt cycle and return to the image of G-d and worthy of serving
(Vayikra 25:55). Bnei Yisrael should be normal life. Consequently, when bor- G-d and G-d alone.
enslaved only to Hashem and not to rowers are released from their debts,
other human beings.
they are given an opportunity to start
Like the commandment to release over and reestablish their place in Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach and
slaves, the obligation to cancel debts society. is Content Editor for the HaTanakh website.

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