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TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

Returning to
Gan Eden

T here is only an obligation of Shemita

in Israel. Why?
Let’s start at the beginning. The
original world was Gan Eden, where
there was a direct connection between the
earth’s produce and man’s recognition of
G-d. In this world, G-d allowed man to enjoy
every tree, prohibiting him from eating from
just one tree – Eitz HaDa’at. This prohibition
expressed the Garden’s belonging to G-d –
man must recognize that the Garden is not
his, and therefore he must follow the Own- However, there is one place which retains returns to his original state, as he was in
er’s rules. When he ate from the tree, man the special connection between earth and Gan Eden, when he enjoyed G-d’s blessing
expressed his rebellion against the Garden’s G-d – Eretz Yisrael. In Israel, the agricultural directly. When Am Yisrael feel this special
Owner, as if saying: “Everything belongs produce is dependent on the nation’s spiri- connection, keep Torah and mitzvot, and
to me, and I can use anything as I wish.” tual level – without rain there is no produce, understand they are not the owners of the
Because of this, several changes took place and the rain in Israel is dependent on our Land, expressing so through keeping Shem-
in the world. We will address two of them: behavior and spiritual status. Therefore, ita, the Land acts as it is G-d’s and gives forth
the connection between avodat Hashem and its fruits.
1. The ground was cursed because of avodat haAdama continues in Israel. In other
man’s sin. When we do not comprehend words, Israel is a microcosm of Gan Eden in But when Am Yisrael do not understand
that the earth belongs to G-d, we cut this world. the meaning of the Land and do not keep
it off from its source of blessing, the Shemita, G-d’s blessing is automatically cut
blessing of G-d. Thus, a curse befalls The Shemita year expresses Israel’s unique- off and so the Land does not act as G-d’s,
the ground, and it does not give forth its ness in an extraordinary way: for an entire and does not give forth its fruits. When the
fruits without toil and hardship. G-d’s year, we do not work the Land, and thus Land does not function as G-d’s and as Isra-
earth does not answer to anyone who we return to our original state, as we were el’s source of blessing, the Land becomes
does not recognize it belongs to Him. in Gan Eden. Yet how can we be sustained desolate and results in exile. And as long
during this year if we do not work the Land? as Am Yisrael do not return to it, it remains
2. G-d expelled man from Gan Eden “And should you ask, ‘What are we to eat desolate.
because he was no longer worthy of in the seventh year, if we may neither sow
living there. Without avodat Hashem, there is no possi-
nor gather in our crops?’ I will ordain My
Gan Eden is the source of the direct connec- blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it bility of growing anything in Israel. Israel
flourishes only in a reality when Am Yis-
tion between G-d, the earth, and man, in shall yield a crop sufficient for three years” rael are in their Land and feel the special
which the latter can enjoy the earth without (Vayikra 25:20–21). ownership G-d displays over the Land. The
toil, since G-d planted the Garden for him. Existence during Shemita is Gan Eden-type expression of this is in keeping Shemita,
All that is left for him to do is to pick the existence: G-d commands His blessing, and through which G-d’s existence expresses
fruits. The exile from Gan Eden divorced the the Land grows produce, from which man itself in its ultimate form and Eretz Yisrael
earth from its connection to G-d, so to speak. can benefit without effort. The produce is transformed into a reflection of Gan Eden.
From here on, the earth is handed to man, which comes from G-d’s blessing is not just
who must now work very hard to make any- a reward or gift, but a result of performing
thing grow. The exile from Gan Eden is the a mitzvah. The blessed produce is G-d’s bless- Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach
result of the disconnection between working ing sent to man as a result of his connection and is Content Editor for the HaTanakh
the ground and humanity’s spiritual state. to G-d. By eating the blessed produce, man website.

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