“Speak to the Israelites. You must say to them: ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land must rest [an agricultural] Sabbath in honor of G-d.” [Leviticus 25:2]

Most of us know the commandment of Shmita as keeping the Land of Israel fallow every seven years. For six years, life went on as normal, but following that there could be no planting, pruning or reaping. The Jews would live off the produce planted in the sixth year and pray for the best.

But there is more to it than that. As we see in this week’s Torah portion Behar, Shmita marks a reset of society. The elite of yesteryear has taken a back seat.

[The produce that grows] during the Sabbath of the land will be yours to eat — for you, for your bondmen and bondwomen, as well as for your hired worker and resident alien who live with you. [Leviticus 25:6]

Shlomo Yitzhaki or Rashi weighs in with perhaps the most astounding commentary of the Torah. Rashi explains what Shmita is: During the seventh year, the landowners lose their property. For the next 12 months, they have no say on what grows in their field. There are no fences. Anybody can walk in and take what they see.

Even though I made [the produce] “forbidden” to you, I did not forbid eating it or deriving benefit from it, just that you won’t conduct yourself as its [sole] owner; rather, everyone must be equal with regard to it: you, your hired worker, and your........

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