Shemittah, bittul, and returning yesh to its Source

ענין שמיטין ויובלות להר סיני.

The matter of the Shemittin and Yovlos being connected to Har Sinai.

The Sefas Emes addresses Rashi's classic question (from the Toras Kohanim) on "Behar Sinai": why is Shemittah singled out as having been given at Sinai?

כתבנו כמה פעמים ע"פ המד' גבורי כח בשומרי שביעית הכ' מדבר.

We have written several times based on the Midrash: "the mighty in strength" — the verse speaks of those who keep Shevi'is.

The Midrash (on Tehillim 103:20) identifies the "mighty in strength who do His word" as those who observe the Sabbatical year, for it takes great strength to let one's field lie fallow.

אגב נבאר דברי הגמ' כתפוח בעצי היער למה נמשלו לתפוח מה תפוח פריו קודם לעליו אף ישראל הקדימו נעשה.

In passing, let us explain the words of the Gemara: "like an apple tree among the trees of the forest" — why were they compared to an apple tree? Just as the apple's fruit precedes its leaves, so too Yisrael placed "we will do" first.

The Gemara (Shabbos 88a) explains that Bnei Yisrael are likened to an apple tree, whose fruit emerges before its leaves, because they declared "na'aseh" (we will do) before "nishma" (we will hear) — action preceding understanding.

ומקשין הא הקב"ה נמשל לתפוח בפסוק.

And they ask: but Hashem is the one compared to the apple tree in the pasuk!

The difficulty: in the pasuk in Shir HaShirim it is Hashem ("my Beloved") who is the apple tree, not Bnei Yisrael — so how does the Gemara apply the image to Yisrael?

אכן ע"פ מדרש הנ"ל גבורי כח הם שומרי שביעית.

However, based on the above Midrash — "the mighty in strength" are those who keep Shevi'is…

The Sefas Emes will resolve this through the Midrash that links the "mighty doers of His word" to the keepers of Shemittah.

ומסיים עושי דברו על הקדמת נעשה לנשמע.

…and it concludes, "those who do His word" — referring to placing "we will do" before "we will hear."

The Midrash reads "doers of His word" as the act of na'aseh preceding nishma — doing before fully hearing.

יתכן לפרש כי הקב"ה נהג עמנו מדה במדה וכשם שבנ"י קדמו נעשה כן הקדים להם הקב"ה התורה בעבור שעלה לפניו ית' נ"ר במעשים שיעשו בנ"י אח"כ ויהיו שומרי שביעית ויובלות.

It is fitting to explain that Hashem dealt with us measure for measure: just as Bnei Yisrael placed "we will do" first, so Hashem gave them the Torah "first" — because there arose before Him satisfaction (nachas ruach) in the deeds that Bnei Yisrael would later perform, becoming keepers of Shevi'is and Yovel.

The resolution: midah ke-neged midah. Because Bnei Yisrael put action first, Hashem too "put first" — He gave them the Torah on account of the future deeds (like Shemittah) that already gave Him nachas ruach. The apple's "fruit before leaves" describes Hashem's conduct of valuing future deeds, which Bnei Yisrael then mirror.

וז"ש בהר סיני שכל נתינת התורה סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה ע"י ושבתה הארץ שבת לה'.

And this is the meaning of "at Har Sinai": that the entire giving of the Torah is "the final deed first in thought," through "and the land shall rest a Shabbos unto Hashem."

The mention of Shemittah at Sinai teaches that the Torah was given with the future mitzvah of Shemittah ("the land shall rest") already in the divine "thought" — the "last in deed, first in thought."

וזה עצמו ענין שהקדימו נעשה לנשמע שהעלו לפניו ית' נ"ר ממה שיעשו אח"כ.

And this itself is the matter of placing "we will do" before "we will hear" — that they brought before Him satisfaction from what they would later do.

Na'aseh-before-nishma is precisely this: Bnei Yisrael's future deeds rising before Hashem as a source of nachas ruach.

וזה שרמזו חז"ל מי גילה לבני רז זה.

And this is what Chazal hinted: "Who revealed to My children this secret?"

The Gemara says a heavenly voice marveled, "Who revealed to My children this secret used by the ministering angels?" — namely placing na'aseh before nishma.

פי' כשראה הקב"ה מה שיעשו אח"כ ע"י שהי' התשוקה בנפשות בנ"י לקיים המצות.

The explanation: when Hashem saw what they would later do, because there was a yearning in the souls of Bnei Yisrael to fulfill the mitzvos…

The "secret" is that Hashem perceived the deep ratzon and longing in the souls of Bnei Yisrael to keep the mitzvos — a yearning that itself precedes and produces the action.

לכן אמר הקב"ה שבהתעוררות בנ"י למטה נעשה התעוררות למעלה.

…therefore Hashem decreed that through the arousal of Bnei Yisrael below, an arousal is generated above.

This is isarusa di-letata: the awakening of Bnei Yisrael below draws down a corresponding awakening from Above.

ונמצא לפי"ז עיקר כתפוח קאי על הקב"ה שכן הוא הנהגתו ית' שכולל עבר ועתיד.

It emerges accordingly that the essential "like an apple tree" refers to Hashem, for such is His conduct, which encompasses past and future.

This resolves the difficulty: the apple-tree image properly describes Hashem, whose conduct embraces past and future together, valuing the "fruit" (deed) before the "leaves."

רק שבנ"י נמשכו אחר מדרגה זו.

Only that Bnei Yisrael were drawn after this level.

Bnei Yisrael attached themselves to and mirrored this divine mode of conduct.

והקב"ה וב"ש א"ס למדותיו רק שמתנהג עם כל א' לפי הכנה שלו.

And Hashem, blessed is He, has no limit to His attributes — only that He conducts Himself with each one according to his preparation.

Hashem's measures are infinite; what each person receives depends on his own hachanah (readiness) and effort.

והנה עיקר מצות השמיטין ויובלות.

Now, the essence of the mitzvah of Shemittin and Yovlos…

He now turns to the inner meaning of these mitzvos.

הוא הביטול אליו ית'.

…is bittul (self-nullification) toward Hashem.

The core of Shemittah and Yovel is surrendering ownership and nullifying oneself before Hashem.

כמ"ש ושבתה הארץ ביטול אל השורש הוא בחי' השבת כמ"ש אל יצא איש ממקומו ביום השביעי.

As it is written, "and the land shall rest" — nullification to the Root, which is the aspect of Shabbos, as it is written, "let no man go out from his place on the seventh day."

"The land shall rest" expresses returning to the Source — the quality of Shabbos, where one stays "in his place," bound to his root rather than going out into mundane striving.

וכמו שיש בחי' שבת בנפש.

And just as there is an aspect of Shabbos in the soul…

There is a "Shabbos" within the individual nefesh — an inner point of rest and bittul.

כן בעולם כאשר היו בנ"י במקומם.

…so too in the world, when Bnei Yisrael were in their place.

The same "Shabbos" applies to the world at large — manifest when Bnei Yisrael dwelt in Eretz Yisrael.

כמ"ש כל יושבי' עלי' הי' נוהג שמיטין ויובלות והיו מעלין ומתרוממין הכל להשורש.

As it is written, "when all its inhabitants are upon it," Shemittin and Yovlos were observed, and everything was elevated and uplifted to its Root.

Yovel applied only when all Bnei Yisrael were settled in the Land; then, through these mitzvos, all of creation was raised back to its Source.

ובזו"ח פי' להנחיל אוהבי י"ש ר"ת יובלות שמיטין עי"ש.

And in the Zohar Chadash it is explained that "to bequeath substance (yesh) to those who love Me" — the letters yud-shin are an acronym for Yovlos, Shemittin — see there.

The Zohar Chadash reads the word "yesh" in "to bequeath substance to those who love Me" (Mishlei 8:21) as an acronym for Yovel and Shemittah.

והוא מאמר חז"ל תלמידיו של אאע"ה אוכלין בעוה"ז ונוחלין בעוה"ב כדכתי' להנחיל כו'.

And this is the statement of Chazal: the disciples of Avraham Avinu eat in this world and inherit in the World to Come, as it is written, "to bequeath…"

The Mishnah (Avos 5:19) contrasts the disciples of Avraham — who enjoy this world and inherit Olam Haba — with those of Bilam; the proof-text is this same pasuk.

[ונראה דהמשנה מרמז ליישב קושית ר"א שם בזוהר אי אוהבי הוא אברהם אע"ה הא יצא ממנו ישמעאל.

[And it appears that the Mishnah hints at resolving the question of Rabbi Elazar there in the Zohar: if "those who love Me" refers to Avraham Avinu, surely Yishmael came forth from him!

A bracketed aside: the Zohar raises that if the "lovers" are Avraham's descendants, that would seemingly include Yishmael, who was not worthy of this inheritance.

ומיישב דרק הבוחרים בדרכיהם ותלמודיהם יורשין נחלה זאת כנ"ל].

And it resolves: only those who choose their ways and teachings inherit this portion, as above.]

The resolution: the inheritance goes only to those who actively follow Avraham's path — his "disciples" — not to biological descent alone.

פי' שהקב"ה נתן א"י לנו לנחלה כדי לקיים ושבתה הארץ שבת לה'.

The explanation: Hashem gave us Eretz Yisrael as an inheritance in order to fulfill "and the land shall rest, a Shabbos unto Hashem."

The very purpose of being given Eretz Yisrael was so that we could fulfill Shemittah and return the Land to Hashem.

דכן לשון הכתוב כ"ת אל הארץ כו' ושבתה כו'.

For so is the wording of the verse: "when you come into the land… then the land shall rest…"

The pasuk frames the very coming into the Land in terms of this resting — the goal is built into the gift.

פי' שכל ביאתכם לארץ יהי' על כוונה זו והקנה הקב"ה לנו א"י כדי להקנותה אליו.

Meaning, that your entire coming into the Land should be with this intention; and Hashem granted us Eretz Yisrael in order that we grant it back to Him.

Hashem gave us the Land precisely so we could consecrate it back to Him through Shemittah — the giving exists for the returning.

וכמו שכ' בספרים הקדושים כמו שהקב"ה ברא יש מאין כן צריכין בנ"י לחזור היש להאין וזהו עצמו קיום היש בזה הביטול של היש.

And as is written in the holy seforim: just as Hashem created "something from nothing (yesh me-ayin)," so Bnei Yisrael must return the "something" to "nothing" — and this very return is the endurance of the "something" through the nullification of the "something."

A foundational chassidic idea: creation is yesh me-ayin (being from nothingness); our task is the reverse, returning the yesh to its Source (the Ayin). Paradoxically, this bittul is what gives the yesh its true, lasting existence.

וזה הרמז להנחיל אוהבי י"ש שזה הנחלה ע"י יובלות ושמיטין שמבטלין הכל אל השורש והאין.

And this is the hint in "to bequeath substance (yesh) to those who love Me" — that this inheritance comes through Yovlos and Shemittin, which nullify everything to the Root and to the Nothing.

The "yesh" inherited by the lovers of Hashem is acquired specifically through Yovel and Shemittah, which return all "substance" to its Source.

ובזה נתקיים הנחלה בידם.

And through this the inheritance is sustained in their hands.

By this bittul, the inheritance of the Land truly endures for them.

וכל קיום היש ע"י יובל ושמיטה שהוא הביטול.

And all endurance of the "something" is through Yovel and Shemittah, which is bittul.

The continued existence of anything physical depends on this act of self-nullification before Hashem.

וכ"כ אם בחקותי תלכו כו' שהוא הביטול.

And so it is written, "If you walk in My statutes" — which is bittul.

"Im be-chukosai teilechu" (the opening of the next parsha) also expresses this bittul — toiling in Torah and submitting to Hashem's decrees.

אז דיקא יהי' השפע בעולם גשמיכם בעתם שיהי' דבוק בשורש דכתי' לכל זמן ועת כו' כמ"ש במ"א מזה.

Then precisely will there be abundance in the world — "your rains in their season" — for it will be connected to the Root, as it is written, "to everything there is a season and a time," as we have written elsewhere on this.

Only when the world is bound to its Source through bittul does blessing flow in its proper time, each thing receiving from its root.

וזהו היא בחי' עושי דברו לברר הנהגת הבורא ית' בעולם.

And this is the aspect of "those who do His word" — to make manifest the conduct of the Creator in the world.

Keeping these mitzvos is the work of the "doers of His word," revealing Hashem's governance throughout creation.

ועי"ז זוכין בכל עת להמשיך התחדשות קדושה כמ"ש לשמוע בקול דברו.

And through this they merit, at every moment, to draw down a renewal of holiness, as it is written, "to hearken to the voice of His word."

The reward for "doing His word" is the higher level of "hearkening to His word" — a continual influx of fresh kedushah.

דיש בחי' עבד ובן כמ"ש בזוה"ק ע"פ הפסוק עבדי אתה כו'.

For there is an aspect of "servant" and of "son," as is written in the Zohar HaKadosh on the pasuk "You are My servant…"

Two relationships emerge: "servant" (the doing) and "son" (the hearkening/renewal), as the Zohar expounds on "avdi atah" (Yeshayahu 49:3).

והענין יובן ע"פ המד' בחקותי ועשיתם אותם כאילו עשיתם אתם.

And the matter is understood through the Midrash: "(in My statutes…) and you shall do them (osam)" — read it as "as if you made yourselves (atem)."

The Midrash reads "va'asisem osam" as "va'asisem atem" — by performing the mitzvos, you in effect "make" or recreate yourselves.

עשיתם עצמכם.

"You made yourselves."

Performing mitzvos remakes the very self of the one who does them.

הלומד ע"מ לעשות זוכה לרוח הקודש דכתי' ואז תשכיל כו' ע"ש.

One who learns in order to do merits ruach hakodesh, as it is written, "and then you shall be enlightened…" — see there.

Torah study aimed at practice elevates a person to ruach hakodesh, as derived from "az taskil" (Yehoshua 1:8).

דהנה תרי"ג מצות הם נגד אברים וגידים של אדם א"כ ע"י עשיית המצות מתחדש חיות הנפש ממש כדכתי' אשר יעשה אותם האדם וחי בהם שזוכה לנפש חדשה.

For behold, the 613 mitzvos correspond to the limbs and sinews of a person; thus, through performing the mitzvos, the vitality of the soul is literally renewed, as it is written, "which a person shall do and live by them" — that he merits a new soul.

Since the 613 mitzvos parallel the body's 248 limbs and 365 sinews, fulfilling them literally renews one's life-force. "And live by them" means each mitzvah infuses fresh soul-vitality.

וזהו נק' עשי' תיקון הנפש כמ"ש הנפש אשר עשו בחרן שגיירן ועי"ז קיבלו נפש חדשה ממש.

And this is called "doing" — the rectification of the soul, as it is written, "the souls they made in Charan," that they converted them, and through this they literally received a new soul.

Avraham and Sarah "made souls" by bringing converts under the wings of the Shechinah (Bereishis Rabbah) — a model of how avodah literally fashions new soul-life.

כי בחי' הנפש הוא כח הוכן באדם שיכול להוציאו אל הפועל בכח מצות ומעש"ט.

For the aspect of the soul is a potential power prepared within a person, which he can bring into actuality through the power of mitzvos and good deeds.

The nefesh is a latent potential; mitzvos and maasim tovim are the means to actualize it.

וע"ז כתי' אשר ברא א' לעשות שהתחתונים ישלימו התיקון.

And about this it is written, "which God created to do" — that the lower beings should complete the rectification.

"Asher bara Elokim la'asos" (Bereishis 2:3) teaches that creation was left "to do" — the work of completion was handed to mankind below.

ולכן המצות נק' נרות דכתי' נר מצוה ובמד' תצוה העושה מצוה לפני הקב"ה כאילו הדליק נר לפניו ומחי' נפשו שנק' נר כו'.

And therefore the mitzvos are called "candles," as it is written, "a mitzvah is a candle"; and in the Midrash on Tetzaveh: one who performs a mitzvah before Hashem, it is as if he kindled a light before Him, and he gives life to his soul, which is called a "candle."

Mitzvos are "candles" (Mishlei 6:23). Performing one is like kindling a light before Hashem, and it enlivens one's own soul, itself called a "ner Hashem" (the soul, Mishlei 20:27).

והכל א' שהמצות ממש הם כלים לאור התורה וכפי קיום המצות כך הם מתמלאים אור תורה וכן הוא בנפש האדם.

And it is all one: the mitzvos themselves are vessels for the light of the Torah, and according to one's fulfillment of the mitzvos, so are they filled with the light of Torah; and so it is in the soul of a person.

Mitzvos are vessels and the Torah's light is their content; the more one performs them, the more they (and one's soul) are filled with that light.

וז"ש עשיתם אתם.

And this is "you made yourselves."

This is the meaning of the Midrash's "you made yourselves" — the mitzvos remake the self into a vessel for Torah's light.

עצמכם.

Yourselves.

The self is what is fashioned anew.

וזהו בחי' עושי דברו כמ"ש אשר דבר ה' נעשה.

And this is the aspect of "those who do His word," as it is written, "that which Hashem has spoken we shall do."

This actualizing avodah is "doing His word" — fulfilling what Hashem has commanded.

שיתקנו ויוציאו מכח אל הפועל מעשה ה' ואח"כ זוכין לבחי' רוח חדשה משמים כמ"ש לשמוע בקול דברו.

That they rectify and bring from potential into actuality the work of Hashem, and afterward they merit the aspect of a new spirit from Heaven, as it is written, "to hearken to the voice of His word."

First comes the "doing" that actualizes Hashem's work in the world; this earns the higher "hearkening" — a new spirit drawn down from Heaven.

וז"ש שזוכה לרוח הקודש.

And this is what is meant that he merits ruach hakodesh.

This new spirit from Heaven is the ruach hakodesh mentioned above.

ועל ב' אלו כתי' עבדי אתה.

And about these two it is written, "You are My servant."

These two stages — doing and hearkening — are reflected in the two phrases of the pasuk "avdi atah."

ואח"כ אשר בך אתפאר הוא לשון עתיד.

And afterward, "in whom I will be glorified" — which is in the future tense.

"In whom I will be glorified" is future-tense, pointing to the ongoing, ever-renewing level of the "son."

שבחי' בנים ורוח הקודש בחי' לשמוע בקול דברו הוא בהתחדשות בכל עת כמ"ש יערה עלינו רוח ממרום ודו"ק ותשכח:

For the aspect of "sons" and ruach hakodesh — the aspect of "hearkening to the voice of His word" — is in constant renewal, as it is written, "until a spirit is poured upon us from on high"; ponder this and you will find it.

The higher level of "son" and ruach hakodesh is never static; it renews continually, as the spirit is "poured from on high" (Yeshayahu 32:15) afresh at every moment.

Summary: Shemittah is taught "at Sinai" because the entire Torah was given measure-for-measure in response to Bnei Yisrael's future deeds, which gave Hashem nachas ruach — the "last in deed, first in thought." The inner essence of Shemittah and Yovel is bittul: returning the "yesh" of creation to its Source, the very act by which the "yesh" truly endures. Through "doing His word" (the servant), a person actualizes his soul, remakes himself into a vessel for Torah's light, and then merits the ever-renewing level of "son" — a new spirit poured from Heaven.