Page 12 - HaMizrachi #32 RH-YK 2021 USA
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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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