Shemittah Resources

Articles

• A Shemittah Glossary, by Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
• Understanding Shmita, Israel’s agricultural Shabbat by Ben Sales
• Everything You Need To Know About Shemittah by JA Mag
• The Spiritual Significance of Shemittah by Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
• Shemittah 5768 by Rabbi Dovid Cohen
  A focus on those parts of hilchos shemittah which relate to those living out of Eretz Yisroel.
• Why Shemittah by Rabbi Yitchok Alderstein
  Why did the Torah chose shemittah to teach a lesson as important and fundamental as the scope of Sinaitic revelation?
• Shemittah revisited by Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
  The fact that we read these laws annually teaches that the Torah wants us to understand the lessons of shemittah every year. Yet many chutz la’aretz residents see no need to learn these laws, assuming that they are not relevant.
• The “Public Treasury” Solution for Shemittah by Hillel Fendel
  The upcoming Shemittah year – in which Biblical law mandates that the Land of Israel lie fallow and its Jewish-grown fruits, of special Shemittah sanctity, be free for all to eat – presents major challenges for Israel’s economy.
• The World’s Greatest Long Term Lease by Jay Eizenstat
  Shemittah teaches that our success is solely dependent on Hashem, not on the “laws of nature”.

Apps

• The Shmittah App

Guides

• The Kosher Consumer’s Guide to Shemita by Rabbi Alan Haber
• Kedushas Shviis Chart for 5775
• Shemitas Kesafim and Prozbol, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• Kedushas Sheviis Produce, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• Fruit Use and Fruit Juice, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• More Mitzvah Use: Of Chanukah Oil & Mishloach Manos, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• Shemitta Sheilos: The Case of the Contraband Carrots, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• Shemitta Sheilos: Using Arba Minim of Sheviis, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• Shemitta Sheilos: Using Arba Minim of Sheviis Part 2, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
• More Mitzvah Use: Chanukah Oil, by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz

Books (in Hebrew)

• Maadanei Eretz, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
• Hilchot Sheviit, Chazon Ish
• Mishmeret Hashviit, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Karp
• Shviit Kehilcheta, Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch
• Shiurei Shviit, Rabbi Mordechai Gross

Blogs

• A Shemittah Dilemma by Rabbi Reuven Spolter
  The challenges of shemittah as experienced by an Israeli farmer.
• What’s Shemittah Got to do With Me by Rabbi Shmuel Bloom
  Eretz Yisrael has many problems — not the least of which are the draconian budget cuts planned for the yeshivos and kollelim. Is now the time to dedicate such vast resources to helping the farmers?
• http://www.thebigfelafel.com/shmita-unplugged-laws-loopholes-and-support-groups/
  A simplified shemittah overview.
• Shemittah on Moshav Komemiyut from the Shemittah Blog
  The story of “the miracle at Komemiyut”.
• Rebels in the Holy Land by Toby Klein
  This extraordinary book describes in vivid detail the saga of Mazkeret Batya’s pious founders and their religious struggles.

Links

• Shemittah: The Jewish Sabatical Year by Lisa Hershman
  Even a perfunctory review of the rich literature on shemittah reveals the deeply complex legal issues and deeply meaningful ideological concepts this commandment present.
• Chief Rabbi Lau Asks Rabbis: Don’t Fight over Shemittah by Ari Yashar
  “I suggest that instead of rabbis talking against each other and presenting a dispute in their positions on shemittah every seven years, each one should act according to their rabbis and respect each other,” emphasized Rabbi Lau.
• Gateway to Shemittah by Rabbi Dovid Marchant
  A book of shemittah guidelines for Jews everywhere.
• Shemittah: Returning to Our Roots, Sermon Digest, by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
• Parsha on Parade on Parshat Behar from TorahTots.com
  An explanation of shemittah for children, including links to coloring pages.
• All About Shemittah from ShemitaLaws.com
  A collection sefarim and other resources on shemittah.
• Shemittah Sourcebook Download from the Hazon Shemittah Project
  The questions about how Shmita actually worked – if it actually worked – are enormous. The possibilities for social change are thrilling.
• Four Units on Shmittah, by Dr. Moshe Sokolow

Audio

• Shemittah by Rabbi Michael Rosensweig
  Essentially, the Torah wants us to look at shemittah as something that inculcates values.
• Introduction to Shmittah: A Survey from Torah, Mishnah and Gemara by Rabbi Chaim Eisenstein
  The theme of shemittah is that Hashem is in control.
• Inyanei Pruzbul by Rabbi Mordechai Willig
  A discussion of the halachos of pruzbul.
• The Diaspora Jew and Shemittah: Halacha L’maaseh by Rabbi Hershel Schachter
  What is the status of shemittah in the modern era and how do we observe it.
• Toward Shemittah by Rabbi Chaim Brovender
  The modern attraction of shemittah.
• Shiurim on Shemittah by the Chicago Rabbinical Council
• Kashrus shiurim discussing the halachos of Shemittah, by CRC Kosher 

Video

Shmita And The Secret Of The Number Seven by Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi

Shemittah from Keren HaShevi’is

Shemittah Greengrocer by Chana Tova Sokol

Gedolei Yisroel Attend A Kinus In Preparation For Shmita from the Gedolim Gallery

Please note: The views expressed in the articles, links, videos, etc. reflect the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the thinking of NLE Resources.