Page 25 - HaMizrachi Tu BiShvat 5782 - USA

of our Shabbat and Shabbat haAretz – a seven years, he closes his business The Talmud Yerushalmi explains that
little time off to recharge our batteries down while he and his staff take a Shabbat provides ideal time for Torah
(in an eco-friendly manner) and return year’s sabbatical. In his TED Talk, he study:
to greater productivity. The Torah explains that his decision to take a ם ֶה ָּ ב דֹמ ְל ִל א ָּ ל ֶא םי ִבֹוט םי ִמָי ְו תֹות ָּ ב ַ ׁש ּונ ְת ָנ אל ֹ
promises that the shevitah of the she- year off to focus on personal projects .ה ָרֹו ּ ת
vi’it year will provide untold benefits was initially done to shake off stale-
to society and individuals. It is a year ness, but he says it actually was better “Shabbatot and holidays were only given
to deactivate to enable a much more financially: “Financially, seen over the in order to learn Torah.” (Yerushalmi,
powerful reactivation at the year’s end. long term, it was actually successful. Shabbat 15:3)
Maybe our difficulty understanding its Because of the improved quality, we The Torah’s longest description of the
need is another proof of its necessity. could ask for higher prices.” 5 sabbatical year is described as being
While the sabbatical has not been taught at Har Sinai, the mountain
From Sabbath to Sabbatical adopted universally, the concept of a where the Torah was received by the
to Sabbath of the Land weekend “Shabbat” has been embraced Jewish nation. Much of this seventh
by most countries. The seven-day work- year connects us to the glorious moun-
But it is not only the break from our week has been replaced by a five or six- tain and the acceptance of the Torah.
routine that can be so important and day one, as people realize that life is not Like Shabbat, the sabbatical break from
effective; it is also the question of what simply a race to the finish line. We can farming provides a year-long opportu-
we opt to do with our time.
live life rather than race through it. The nity to re-engage with Har Sinai and
The weekly Shabbat marks the day realization has begun to set in that time learn Torah. In modern-day Israel,
that Hashem rested when creating the is a currency worth more than money. there are a number of yearlong learn-
world, and it is the day when we rest Many would opt for a job with lower ing programs for farmers who let their
from our physically creative pursuits. It pay but more leisure time. land rest for the entire year of shevi’it.
is a time when we disconnect from the Not everyone could immediately think They describe it as a wonderful oppor-
world around us in order to connect to of a project to devote oneself to for a tunity and recommend it to others.
bigger things – to Hashem, our family, sabbatical year. But shevi’it calls for a For those who do not work in agri-
and our community. Essentially, it is a sabbatical that impacts all of agricul- culture, it is necessary to rethink our
time to do the things that our weekly tural society simultaneously. Since approach to rest and the sabbatical
routine makes difficult. Besides the lei- no one is working the land, the entire year. Dr. Jeremy Benstein describes
sure time, one who observes Shabbat agrarian society moves from focusing how shevi’it should be viewed as a solu-
gets to disconnect from the routine on the crops and land to concentrat- tion for contemporary society, rather
that prevents connecting to broader ing on individuals and relationships. than a problem:
goals. Imagine if one could do that for The sabbatical is a once-in-seven-
an entire year! year opportunity to give our minds What if we looked at Shemitta not as a prob-
lem, but as a solution, and then considered
The concept of a sabbatical, standard- and bodies a much-needed restart, what problems it’s meant to solve? In that
ized in academia and some other fields, to reconnect with long-term goals, light, Shemitta becomes a political state-
is built on the understanding that pro- reinforce our sense of self and ensure ment of social and environmental import,
viding individuals with a year off to that ethical concerns will guide our raising deep questions about the nature of a
think and pursue their intellectual and decision-making. healthy and sustainable life, for individuals,
other interests and dreams, will actu- society and the land.
ally enhance productivity. The term is Maximizing society’s sabbatical
a direct derivative of the rest of Shabbat Besides the mindfulness that comes For instance, currently only academics
have a sabbatical year. Why? Our “affluent”
haAretz once every seven years, which
allows for an inspiring, purposeful, with a year that is not driven by strict society actually decreases leisure and family
time, as more people not only choose to work
deadlines or dependent on the weather
and creative rest time. But does it work
beyond the field of academia? or society-imposed norms, the year of to fulfill what they want to be, but feel com-
rest gives the inner soul the chance to pelled to work in order to afford what society
Designer Stefan Sagmeister (known come back to life. On the simplest level, says they should have. Consumerism neces-
for creating album covers for famous shevi’it guides us to take a break from sitates “producerism” to keep both supply
musicians) suggests that it does. Every the physical and enjoy the spiritual. and demand high. Yet as Shemitta hints,

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