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The Fiftieth Year

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

he yovel year, when Jewish majority of Jews reside in Israel gives cycles; we do not count a “blank year”
slaves are freed and prop- the Land a deeper holiness, and the in between.
erty returned to its original laws of yovel then apply. Similarly,
Towners, is observed every 50 since Israel is considered our national Although the Rambam disagrees
with this view in theory and holds
years, following seven Shemitta cycles. homeland, it accomplishes a tziruf that the yovel year should continue
However, there is a debate among the (combination) of the Jews living there, to be reckoned before commencing
rabbis concerning the counting of who are then considered the primary the next seven-year Shemitta cycle, he
the yovel year, as to whether the 50th congregation of Klal Yisrael. This is in maintains that in practice, we should
year is considered a “blank” year, not contrast to the Jews residing in exile, act in accordance with the opinion of
belonging to any seven-year Shemitta who are only classified as individuals. the Ge’onim of Israel, who had contin-
cycle.
David Ben Gurion used to say, “Who- uously observed the laws of Shemitta,
Rebbi Yehudah holds that the yovel year ever does not live in the land of Israel is because “tradition and practice are
is also counted as the first year of the not Jewish.” Since his concept of Juda- great pillars in the determination of
next seven-year Shemitta cycle, which ism failed to recognize the individual practical law.” The Ra’avad writes that
means the year after yovel is already Jew’s holiness and consisted only of we should follow the Rambam’s opin-
the second year of the next cycle. This the idea of Jewish nationhood, he was ion in this case.
contrasts with the Chachamim, the correct to state that the Jew in exile is The Tanna’im in the Sifra (quoted
accepted opinion that holds that the “not Jewish.” We, however, who believe by Rashi, Gittin 36a) further dispute
yovel year is not part of any cycle; the in a twofold holiness – the holiness whether the condition regarding the
next Shemitta cycle commences after of the nation and the holiness of the observance of yovel, ָהי ֶל ָע ָהי ֶב ְ ׁש ֹוי ל ָּ כ,
the “blank” yovel year. individual – recognize that the indi- affects the Shemitta year as well. Rebbi
vidual Jew’s holiness remains intact
The Gemara (Arachin 32b) tells us that and obligates him in Torah and mitzvot, maintains that Shemitta and yovel are
towards the end of the first Beit HaMik- regardless of his location. interrelated, such that the observance
dash period after Sancheiriv exiled the of Shemitta can only be d’oraita (bibli-
shevatim of Reuven, Gad, and half of The Gemara continues to explain that cally binding) when it leads up to a yovel
year. If we know in advance that yovel
Menashe, the observance of the dinim even though the laws of yovel were no
of yovel were annulled. This is based longer applicable at the end of the first will not be observed because we lack
the condition of ָהי ֶל ָע ָהי ֶב ְ ׁשֹוי ל ָּ כ, then the
ֹ
on ָהי ֶב ׁשי ל ָכ ְל ץ ֶר ָא ָּב רֹור ּ ְד ם ֶתא ָר ְקּו, “And you Beit HaMikdash period, following the observance of Shemitta can only be a
ְ
shall proclaim liberty throughout the opinion of the Chachamim above, “they d’rabbanan (rabbinically binding).
land unto all its inhabitants” (Vayikra [continued to] count the yovel years
25:10, later inscribed on the Liberty [as blank years] to sanctify the Shem- The Gemara alludes to this debate,
Bell), which teaches that the laws of itta years [at their proper time].” The indicating in several places that the
yovel are to be observed only when לָּ כ Rambam (Hilchot Shemitta VeYovel 10:3– accepted opinion is in accordance with
ָ הי ֶל ָע ָהי ֶב ְ ׁשֹוי, “all its inhabitants are on 4) cites the opinion of the Ge’onim that Rebbi (Mo’ed Katan 2b, Gittin 36a). This
[the Land],” and not after some of them even though this was the case at the is the opinion of the majority of author-
have been exiled. The majority of the end of the first Beit HaMikdash period, ities – that Shemitta in our time is only
world’s Jewish population must be in this is not the practice to be followed rabbinically binding.
currently, after the destruction of the
Israel, and each tribe must be in its  Adapted from Rav Schachter on the Parsha II.
A member of respective territory. second Beit HaMikdash (or during the 70
the Mizrachi years of the exile in Babylonia). Nowa-
Speakers Bureau The Jewish nation and Israel enjoy a days, the yovel year should be totally Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh Yeshiva
mizrachi.org/ symbiotic relationship, each positively ignored and we only recognize a con- and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan
speakers affecting the other. The fact that the tinuous series of seven-year Shemitta Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.

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