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The Return of Shemitta:



             A New Era in Jewish History





                                     Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein


      The ideal                                                          the degree of mitzvot ha’teluyot ba’Aretz
                                                                         that we can fulfill in our current state.
             he Jewish people and the Land                               These mitzvot will deepen our connec-
             of Israel have a symbiotic rela-                            tion to the Land and breathe new life
             tionship. The mission of the                                into our souls. Slowly, with time, we
      TJewish people is to create a                                      will regain faith in ourselves, the Land
      G-d-infused society in which wherever                              and, most importantly, in the beauty
      we turn – be it agriculture, business,
      culture or politics – we see and experi-                           and splendor of a life connected to G-d
                                                                         that results from the People–Land con-
      ence G-d. The desire and ability to live   A wedding in Gush Etzion (PHOTO: DONI COHEN)
      all of life in the pleasantness of G-d’s                           nection (Orot HaTechiyah, chapter 33). If
      presence is innate to the Jewish soul.   severed our people from our land and   we allow these mitzvot to impact us, G-d
      However, this inner nature can only   both suffered as a result. Our people   will grant us the ability to fulfill even
      be actualized when the Jewish people   could no longer infuse the mundane   more of these land-oriented mitzvot
      are in their natural place – the Land   world with sanctity and retreated to   (Igrot HaRe’iyah, letter 208).
      of Israel. “The land impacts the people to   the oases of the synagogue and study   Simultaneously, we must delve deeply
      reveal their inner characteristic of desiring   hall. Correspondingly, the Land of   into the laws of the Land. Throughout
      a life completely infused with divinity.”  Israel hid its uniqueness. Controlled   the long exile, when the spiritual con-
                                       by one foreign invader after another,
      Similarly, the Land of Israel is a phys-  it remained desolate for close to two   nection between the People and the
      ical land that brims with the Divine   millennia.                  Land was sublimated, the laws of the
      Presence. Even in its natural state,                               Land and its produce were a neglected
      the Land itself is holy and wherever   Writing in 1909, Rav Kook posited that   topic of study. Now, however, as we
      one turns in it, one is close to G-d (Orot   his generation was the beginning of   feel a renewed connection to Eretz
      HaTechiyah, chapter 28). But this sanc-  an historical pivot. The Jewish people   Yisrael, we must actively deepen our
      tity can only be experienced when the   were experiencing a powerful yearn-  relationship with the Land through the
      Jewish people are present and living   ing for the land, and for the first time   study of its laws. In addition to being
      righteously in the Land. “The people   since the Roman exile, were beginning   practically important, studying these
      impact the Land such that the seed of G-d   to return to the Land en-masse. Before   laws will deepen our awareness of the
      can be revealed.”                their eyes, the Land was responding   Land’s holiness and help us actualize
                                       to the presence of its children and   the Torah’s ultimate vision (Introduction
      The synthesis of the Jewish people and   agriculture was beginning to flourish
      the Land is apparent during the Shem-                              to Mishpat Kohen).
      itta year when the Land experiences a   once again.                Though we have made great strides
      “Shabbat to G-d,” and His active owner-  But Rav Kook understood that this was   in the ensuing century, Rav Kook’s
      ship of the Land is clear to all. All food   only the beginning of a process. The   message still rings true today. We are
      that grows in G-d’s land is automatically   ideal vision of a G-d-permeated society   delighted by the increase in our connec-
      imbued with sanctity. People cannot   in the Land remained a distant goal.   tion to the Land and our ability to keep
      engage in competitive commerce nor   While Jews felt a deep connection to   the mitzvot ha’teluyot ba’Aretz. However,
      lord over their fellow Jews as all are   the Land, many misinterpreted their   we cannot be satisfied with our current
      equal before G-d. These values, once   souls’ signals and tried to excise G-d   situation. We must deepen our connec-
      imbibed during the Shemitta year, can   and His Torah from the People–Land   tion to the Land and its mitzvot until
      be drawn into the following six years of   relationship. Unfortunately, we are not   G-d permeates every corner of the Land
      work, creating a Jewish society that is   yet able to actualize the full promise of   and our lives. May that day come soon!
      vibrant, accomplished, and G-dly.   Shemitta.

      The real                         Returning to the ideal
      This grand vision can only be actual-  But this gap between the real and the   Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein is a faculty member
      ized when the Jewish people dwell in   ideal should not lead to despair. Instead,   of Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim and
      their land. Tragically, the long exile   we should joyfully throw ourselves into   Yeshiva University.

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