The True Owner

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

Parshas Behar introduces shmitta, a year-long mitzvah to refrain from working the land. During the shmitta year, we declare all of our produce that grows on the land to be ownerless.

The Torah refers to shmitta as “Shabbos for Hashem.” Similarly (Shemos 20:10), the verse refers to the mitzvah of Shabbos as “Shabbos for Hashem.” This seems to imply that shmitta and Shabbos are more for Hashem than other mitzvos. Why is this?

Shabbos and Shmitta are unique. Both mitzvos are intended to inculcate the idea that everything belongs to Hashem. One has a natural inclination to see himself as in control. He does the work, and by the sweat of his brow, he earns money and provides for himself and his family. He possesses whatever he makes or acquires. However, Shabbos reminds him that this is not true. He only works when Hashem tells him to work. Now, Hashem commands him not to work, and promises to support him through other means. Thus, Shabbos is “for Hashem,” as it teaches us that all belongs to Him.

The same is true of shmitta. A farmer naturally views the fields the fields that he plowed and planted as his. However, shmitta teaches him Who actually owns his estate, and when it may or may not be worked.

Rav Yerucham Levovitz explains that this the main theme of both Shabbos and shmitta. This is why only these two mitzvos are described as “for Hashem.”

The Torah tells us that obeying the laws of shmitta provides blessing for us (ibid. 25:21), and failing this test and tilling the soil incurs the punishment of exile (ibid. 26:34). It is obvious that reminding ourselves of Who the true Owner is is a crucial aspect of our lives, and the lithmus test for our ability to stay in Eretz Yisrael.

The mitzvah of Yovel, which is also discussed in the parsha, goes even further. This time, the lesson of lack of ownership is not even symbolic. Whatever land that one acquired over the past forty-nine years literally reverts back to the original division of Eretz Yisrael (in the days of Yehoshua Bin Nun). The land that one “owned” for the past two generations suddenly returns to the descendants of the family that received it over a millennium ago. Can there be a greater way of showing that Hashem is the true Owner, and He apportions the land as He sees fit?

What about today? Most of us are not farmers, and until the complete ingathering of the exiles, the mitzvah of Yovel will not be in effect. Is there any way that we can tap in to the great lesson of Shmitta? After all, we too must feel that all is Hashem’s, and free ourselves of the illusion that our possessions come from “my strength and the might of my hand” (Devarim 8:17)?

Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch tells us how. He notes that there are two (seemingly unrelated) mitzvios that appear alongside the parsha of Shmitta. He says that these mitzvos are the key to making the lesson of Shmitta real to us: ona’ah and ribis — the prohibition against selling items at inflated prices, and the one against taking interest on money which was loaned to a Jew.

How are these issurim related to such lofty concepts as Shmitta and Yovel?

Anyone engaged in business, even a pious Jew, relates to his business as belonging to him. “I fix the prices. If someone else wants to pay that price, why should I not accept it?” However, the issur of ona’ah tells him otherwise. One is  not free to charge any price. Hashem decides what he is permitted to charge.

The same concept applies to interest. One may say, “This is my money. Lending it to a Jew means tying up my capital. I will lose the profits that I could have made. Is it so unreasonable to add some interest to the loan to offset my loss?” No, teaches the issur of ribis, the money is not “yours” in an absolute sense.

Thus, the laws of ribis and ona’ah are what teach us — even though we are not farmers — that we never truly own anything. Everything belongs to Hashem.

The Siach Yitzchak (Drasha of Shabbos Shuva) cites the Talmudic tradition (Shabbos 31a) that the first question asked in the upper court after one’s death is, “Were your business dealings performed with faith [in Hashem]?” He notes that this the first question because one’s attitude toward money demonstrated his level of faith.

For many of us, this test is quite an ordeal. The world that we see before us teaches us the opposite lesson: The more that one works, the more that he earns. It seems like those who violate the Torah and demand high prices, or accept interest, earn even more. How can we maintain the proper worldview when immersed in such a misleading environment?

Rav Dessler offers three suggestions. Firstly, one should not overdo his hishtadlus, his effort to provide for himself and his family. In small ways, one should attempt to curtail his efforts to earn a living, and use the extra time to serve Hashem.

Secondly, one’s primary concern should not be for his business interests. On the contrary, one should constantly be concerned over whether or not his business is taking too much time away from Torah study.

Third, one should strive to daven with kavana until one recognizes and feels that everything is from Hashem.

Rav Moshe Sternbuch recalls that when he was a boy, his parents frequently hosted Rav Elchanan Wasserman in their home in England. When Rav Sternbuch’s father passed away, his mother was left with nine orphans and her husband’s extensive business operations. Everything fell on her shoulders.

Rav Elchanan would visit often to give her chizuk. Once, she asked him, “If I devote myself to the chinuch of my children, it will take up the entire day. On the other hand, if I devote myself to running the business my husband left me, it will also take up the whole day. What should I do?”

“One’s parnassa is determined in advance,” Rav Elchanan told her. “Some people work very hard, and it seems that they earn more. However, they then lose the money, or are sent problems that end up costing the extra amount. It is better to devote yourself to your children’s chinuch, regardless of the time that it takes. Then, use whatever time is left to tend to the business, and Hashem will bless your efforts. In any case, whatever you are destined to earn will come to you.”

May we be zoche to live with the knowledge that everything belongs to Hashem!