Shemittah, bitachon, and renewed strength

בפסוק ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם. כבר כתבתי לעיל הפי' להיות השפע דבוק בשורש.

On the pasuk "And I will give your rains in their time (b'itam)" (Vayikra 26:4) — I have already written above the explanation, that the abundance (shefa) should be attached to its root.

Rain "in its time" means a flow of blessing that remains connected to its Divine source, rather than coming detached and merely natural.

ונסמך לפ' שמיטין ויובלות כי ע"י אלו המצות היה הברכה בארץ ישראל משורש העליון וכתיב אשריך ארץ שמלכך בן חורים והוא כשהיו בנ"י שולטין על הארץ שהם דביקות בחירות ונק' בן חורין מכח התורה כדכ' חז"ל אין לך ב"ח אלא העוסק בתורה.

And it is juxtaposed to the parsha of shemittah and yovel, for through these mitzvos the blessing in Eretz Yisrael came from the supernal root; and it is written, "Fortunate are you, O land, whose king is a free man (ben chorin)" (Koheles 10:17) — and this is when Bnei Yisrael ruled over the land, for they are attached to freedom and are called "free men" by the power of the Torah, as Chazal said, "there is no free man except one who occupies himself with Torah" (Avos 6:2).

Shemittah and yovel draw blessing from above because they express that the land's true "king" is a free man — one liberated through Torah. When Bnei Yisrael master the land rather than being enslaved to it, the blessing flows from its supernal root.

ושריך בעת יאכלו הוא כמ"ש בעתם.

And "your officers shall eat in due time (ba'eis)" (Koheles 10:17) is the same as what is written, "in their time (b'itam)."

The "due time" of eating in Koheles parallels the rains "in their time" — both describe blessing received in its proper, root-connected manner.

בגבורה ולא בשתי בגבורה של תורה כדכ' גבורי כח כו' דרשו חז"ל בשומרי שביעית.

"In strength (bigvurah) and not in drinking" — in the strength of Torah, as it is written, "mighty in strength (giborei koach)…" (Tehillim 103:20), which Chazal expounded as referring to those who observe the shemittah (the seventh year).

True strength is not physical indulgence but the gevurah of Torah; the verse "mighty in strength" is applied by Chazal to the shemittah-observers, who possess a special spiritual might.

שנמסר בידם כח מעשיו. והם כ"ח עתים שהוא הנהגתו ית' את כל העולם.

For there is handed over into their hands the "power of His works (koach maasav)" (cf. Tehillim 111:6), and these are the 28 "times" (kaf-ches itim) — which is His governance, may He be blessed, of the entire world.

The shemittah-keepers are entrusted with the "power of His works"; the numerical value of koach (28) hints at the "28 times" of Koheles ("a time for everything"), representing Hashem's full governance of the world, now placed in their hands.

וזה הכח נמסר לבנ"י.

And this power is handed over to Bnei Yisrael.

This governing power over the "times" of the world is given specifically to Bnei Yisrael through their observance of the shemittah.

ואיתא בזו"ח ע"פ וקוי ה' יחליפו כח שהוא בשמיטין ויובלות.

And it is brought in the Zohar Chadash on the pasuk, "those who hope in Hashem (v'kovei Hashem) shall renew their strength (yachlifu koach)" (Yeshayahu 40:31), that this refers to shemittah and yovel.

The Zohar Chadash connects "those who hope in Hashem renew their strength" to the shemittah and yovel years, when Bnei Yisrael draw a renewed strength from above.

פי' ששומרי שביעית נק' קוי ה' שבוטחין בו ית' בלבד ואין זורעין וחורשין.

The explanation: those who observe the seventh year are called "those who hope in Hashem (kovei Hashem)," for they trust in Him alone, may He be blessed, and do not sow and do not plow.

By refraining from working the land for an entire year, the shemittah-observers embody pure bitachon — they "hope in Hashem" alone for their sustenance.

ולכן מקבלין כח חדש ונשמה חדשה מלמעלה.

And therefore they receive a new strength and a new soul (neshamah) from above.

This complete reliance on Hashem draws down a renewed vitality and an added neshamah from on high — "they shall renew their strength."

כדאיתא בזוה"ק בכוחך זו נשמתא וכן בכל ש"ק ניתוסף בישראל נשמה יתירה והיא גם כן. בכלל קוי ה' יחליפו כח:

As it is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh, "with your strength (b'kochacha)" — this is the soul (neshama); and likewise, every Shabbos Kodesh an additional soul (neshamah yeseirah) is added to Yisrael, and this too is included in "those who hope in Hashem shall renew their strength."

The Zohar identifies "strength" with the neshamah, and just as the shemittah brings a renewed soul, every Shabbos brings the neshamah yeseirah — both expressions of the renewed strength granted to those whose trust rests in Hashem alone.

Summary: "Rains in their time" means a flow of blessing that stays connected to its supernal root, achieved through shemittah and yovel. These mitzvos express that Bnei Yisrael are "free men" through Torah, ruling over the land rather than enslaved to it. The shemittah-observers, who cease plowing and sowing to trust in Hashem alone, are the "mighty in strength" and "those who hope in Hashem"; into their hands is given the "power of His works," the governance of the world's "times." Their pure bitachon draws down a renewed strength and a new neshamah from above — the same gift of added soul that comes each Shabbos.