Shabbos Parashas Behar - 5778

Shabbos Parashas Behar - 5778

Rabbi Hal Miller

Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, when you will come to the land

which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath to the Lord. [Vayikra 25:2]

We know that our verse serves to introduce and explain the importance of observing

the Shemittah year. In fact, the entire parsha is built around this topic. But our

verse has a couple of interesting linguistic twists, from which we ought to be able

to learn something else in addition.

"When you will come to the land" is in the future tense. "Which I give you" is in

present tense. "Then shall the land keep a Sabbath to the Lord" is again in future

tense. What do these changes mean?

Most commentators discuss the first part, defining it as when Israel will cross the

Jordan with Joshua, not when Moshe conquers the lands to the east of it. All well and

good, but why does the Torah tell us that G-d is giving us the land in the present?

Further, it seems that the land is somehow not able to 'keep' a Sabbath until Israel

does cross over the Jordan. How do we understand the land's ability to keep a

Sabbath, and how does Israel's geographic location impact that?

Some commentators say that this particular land lies dormant unless the Jews are

living in it. When Israel is dispersed, the land is resting. It awakens when the Jews

come home, and the inherent holiness needs regular renewal while the nation is there.

Kli Yakar teaches that this is not directed to the land, rather to the Jews so they will

not have the impression that upon entry into the land, everything will be taken care

of for them. They still must keep the Shemittah, even after taking up their inheritance.

According to Sefer HaChinuch, our verse tells us that upon our entry into the land,

and upon our beginning to live a natural life, even though G-d will not be supplying

the manna in the desert any longer, He is still supplying us our needs. We should not

think that has changed merely because we are now growing food. Observing the

Shemittah is placing trust in G-d, in a way the people could not do in the desert.

Thus, "when you will come to the land" is to tell us that G-d is with us, whether in

the desert or in the land. "The land shall keep" is actually directed to us, that we

place our trust in G-d. So why the present tense about giving the land?

G-d told the patriarchs that He was going to give the land. He told Joshua to take

the people across the Jordan into the land that He is giving them, present tense.

Here we see the actual giving. Our verse is the point where He grants title to the

land. The people in the desert have a home to enter, the Canaanites are no longer

to inhabit there, as of this point. The reason G-d gives the land now is intimately

tied to Shemittah, to the idea of the people placing trust in Him even though they

may think that once in their own land they will be masters of their own destiny.