Farming the Future

When we were your age we used to walk up hill to school – both ways! Adults are always bemoaning the good old days. The way it used to be was better, people were more polite, more respectful, more this and more that.

This phenomena has been around for generations.

It can potentially affect our collective generational self esteem. How can we do something if we are less than them? If we are not as good as them?

In the opening of the first of this week’s two Torah portions we read about the Mitzvah of Shmitah. The Torah tells us that one should not work the field in the 7th year. Then the Torah poses the question one might ask; “and if you as what will we eat in the 7th year? (G-d assures us) And I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year and the land will produce for three years”.

Why does the land need to produce for three years, isn’t the Sabbatical year only one year – the 7th? The answer is, that one needs to stop working the land in middle of the sixth year because the second half of that year you are essentially working for the 7th year. And the produce of the 8th year will take time until the earth produces it and it is ready for harvesting. Accordingly, there is a need for us to draw produce from part of the sixth year, the entire seventh year and part of the 8th year. Hence, the land will produce for three years (not entire three years but parts of three years).

The Torah is teaching us a lesson about the millennial years. Our tradition teaches us that each of the days of the week correspond to one millennia. The seventh millennia is the Sabbatical year which corresponds to the era of the Moshiach.

Accordingly, one might ask, how can we, a spiritually weak 6th millennia generation produce that which those that came before us were not able to produce? Hashem answers that you will plant in the sixth and I will give My blessing for the land to produce that which is needed.

If we do our part, Hashem will bless the results that we will accomplish that which needs to be accomplished.

In other letters;
Aleph, Bais, Gimmel.
Aleph – Emunah – Faith.
Bais – Bitachon – Trust
Gimmel – Geulah – Redemption

If we have faith in G-d, and we have trust that His promises will be fulfilled than we will move forward and do what we need to and the result will be redemption. Both redemption of Mankind and redemption in our personal lives.

Have a great Shabbos!