Page 30 - HaMizrachi Tu BiShvat 5782 - USA

JEWS

with
VIEWS Rabbi Gideon Rabbanit Sharon

Shloush Rimon

I once heard Senator Joe Lieberman say: “G-d n a near-daily basis, farmers feel depen-
was the first Zionist. Our job is to continue dent upon Hashem. Agriculture depends
His work.” And what a job Am Yisrael has done on many uncontrollable factors, such
over the past 120 years. With little blue tze- as the climate, rain and pests. This is
Idakah boxes around the world, they raised Otrue primarily in Eretz Yisrael, which is
We asked five the money needed to redeem the ancestral dependent on rainfall and where, even more so,
one feels a connection to G-d.
homeland of the Jewish people. The return of the
The Torah commands us to stop working the
accomplished Jewish people and the establishment of Medinat land during Shemitta and to be utterly depen-
Yisrael after 2,000 years of exile is an absolute
miracle; that half the Jews in the world live here dent on G-d: “And should you ask, ‘What are we
Jews from today is breathtaking. to eat in the seventh year?’... I will command
Shemitta is a year of profound faith, when
My blessing for you in the sixth year” (Vayikra
the miracle of our people’s return and the 25:20–21).
around the holiness of our nation are amplified. Traveling farmers during Shemitta. However, most people
This dependence is still felt today by Israeli
around Israel, it is remarkable to see farmers who
are careful not to work their fields, confident today are not farmers. Additionally, in the
world to reflect that G-d will provide for them. It is mesmerizing modern world, we try to control everything in
to see signs in the fields – ה ָטי ִמ ְש םי ִר ְמו ש ןא ָכ – our lives, particularly when it comes to financial
on how we can “Here, we keep Shemitta” and signs in front of matters. To a certain extent, we prevent our-
selves from feeling dependent on Hashem.
schools – ה ָטי ִמ ְש םי ִד ְמו ל ןא ָכ – “Here, we learn
about Shemitta.” But the truth is that we all depend on G-d,
make Shemitta itta years will we get to experience? How can at every moment, in any place and in any field.
We must ask ourselves: How many Shem-
Shemitta invites us to become aware of our
we absorb its lessons of faith and trust in G-d? dependence and encourages us to think fur-
meaningful Let us be inspired by the Jews who have made ther: At what points in our lives do we feel most
their way back home, demonstrating faith in the
dependent on G-d? How can we extend this feel-
for Jews Torah, in the words of the Prophets and choos- ing to other aspects of our lives?
Can we feel our existential dependence on
ing to be a part of the unfolding destiny of the
Jewish People. G-d even when our finances are stable?
today – both of us who are not farmers can tap into the power
By considering these questions, even those
of Shemitta!
in Israel and

the Diaspora Rabbi Gideon Shloush is the Director of the Depart-
ment of Jewish Heritage at Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael
in Jerusalem. He and his family made Aliyah to
Israel this past summer after serving for the past
25 years as the rabbi of Congregation Adereth El
in Manhattan. Rabbi Shloush previously served as Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach and is
Executive Vice President of RZA–Mizrachi. Content Editor for the HaTanakh website.

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