Shmita

Parashat Behar-Behukotai: Quality vs quantity

Shmita teaches that true blessing is found not in abundance, but in satisfaction, faith, and learning to focus on what truly matters.

‘YOU ARE growing up in a generation with dozens of types of dairy desserts in the refrigerator.’
 Servitude to God is not degradation; it is the path to freedom.

Parashat Behar: Who is the servant and who is the master?

 BUYING KOSHER produce in central Jerusalem during the shmita sabbatical year, 2000.

How can Judaism's shmita idea solve modern problems? - review

 JEWS PRAY at the Western Wall on Jerusalem Day. The Kotel is the most visited site in Israel, according to the Tourism Ministry.

The ancient Jewish practice of Hakhel gets a 21st-century revival


Prosbul, Chabad and the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Legal loopholes in Judaism

Even if there was no financial need for a prosbul, there was spiritual valence to its execution because it reflected fidelity to rabbinic tradition and affiliation with the legacy of Chabad's founder

 RAMASH SUGGESTED people should ensure they have some debt owed to them, just so they will be able to write a prosbul.

Circumventing biblical debt forgiveness: Who signs a prozbul?

Prozbul is a special legal arrangement disseminated by Hillel the Elder approximately 2,000 years ago. In this column, we’ll explain how this document works and who should sign it. 

 A shopper is seen using a credit card for a purchase (Illustrative)

Seeking debt relief: Is Judaism's 'prosbul' enough?

The essence of prosbul is a transfer of bonds from creditors to the court of law. The bond remains intact despite the biblical debt relief.

 SEEKING BIBLICAL debt relief.

Parashat Re’eh: Why forgive a debt?

Generosity, a kind eye, and trust in God are basic traits of the Jewish people, and we are privileged to continue this precious heritage.

 Just imagine a situation in which banks would have to forgive all debts

Inspired by Jewish custom, interfaith coalition erases medical debts for 2,000 people in Chicago

In Chicago, medical debt is being erased in accordance with the Jewish law of "Shmita" – the sabbatical year.

 Pastor Chris Harris, who leads two Church of God in Christ congregations in Chicago, and Rabbi Ari Hart of the Orthodox Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue teamed up for a shmita debt relief fundraiser.

Parashat Behar: Faith and compassion

A farmer works his land and is sustained by it for six years. On the seventh year, like the one we are in now, he is commanded not to cultivate or work the land.

 THE HARVEST that grows in the seventh year does not belong to the farmer.

There is a kashrut revolution going on for medical cannabis

In Israel, there are more than 100,000 patients with valid medical cannabis licenses, that consume a massive amount of cannabis every year.

Seach medical cannabis farm

The biblical reason Israeli farmers became heroes after killing crops

Jamie Geller said educating and raising awareness about the biblical commandment shmita has been a mammoth task.

 Early sowing in preparation for the shmita year

How does composting work in Jerusalem?

One-third of all the organic waste sent for recycling in Israel came from Jerusalem (whose population accounts for only 10% of the total for Israel). 

Compost heap (INGIMAGE)

Shmita: A Jewish agricultural rule with personal, social implications

Although the sabbatical year comes with a list of rules and regulations set by rabbinic authorities, there is a joyous and spiritual side to shmita.

 ELIEZER WORKS in the field.