Sifra 12.0.1

Behar, Section 1

1) (Vayikra 25:1) "And the L–rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying": Why is shemitah (the section on the Sabbatical year) juxtaposed with Mount Sinai? Were not all the mitzvoth given at Sinai? (The purpose of the juxtaposition is to indicate that) just as the general rules and specific ordinances of shemitah were enunciated at Sinai, so, with all the mitzvoth.

2) (Vayikra 25:2) ("Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you come to the land that I give to you, the land shall rest a Sabbath to the L–rd.") "When you come": I might think (that this phrase subsumes) coming to Trans-Jordan; it is, therefore, written "to the land" — the specific land (i.e., Eretz Yisrael). I might think that it subsumes) coming to Ammon and Moav; it is, therefore, written "that I give to you," and not to Ammon and Moav. Whence do we derive that if they conquered (the land) but did not yet divide it (among themselves), or if they divided it by families, but not by fathers' houses, and no one recognizes his (specific) portion — I might think that shemitah is (still) binding on them. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:3) "your field" — each one must recognize his field; "your vineyard" — each one must recognize his vineyard.

3) We find, then, that when Israel crossed the Jordan, they became subject to (the ordinance of) challah, orlah, and chadash. On the sixteenth of Nissan they became subject to the omer. After fifty days, they became subject to the two loaves. After fourteen years, they became subject to the tithes. When they began to count for shemitah (after fourteen years of conquest and apportionment), on the twenty-first year (after entering [i.e., seven years after the apportionment]), they observed shemitah. On the sixty-third year (i.e., fifty years after the fourteen of conquest and apportionment), they observed Yovel.

4) ("And on the seventh year, a Sabbath of resting shall there be for the land, a Sabbath to the L–rd; your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune.") "and the land shall rest": I might think, from digging holes, pits, and caves and from repairing mikvaoth; it is, therefore, written "your field you shall not sow and your vineyard you shall not prune." This tells me only of sowing and pruning. Whence do I derive the same for plowing, hoeing, weeding, trimming, and notching? From (the inverted order) "your field not" and "your vineyard not" — every labor in your field and in your vineyard.

5) And whence is it derived that (on shemitah) it is forbidden to manure or to "release" (mounds of leaves) or to smoke leaves (to kill worms) or to powder (plants for fertilizing)? From "your field not." And whence is it derived that it is forbidden to trim or to cut or to hew trees? From "your field not."

6) Or "your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune": I might think that it is forbidden to hoe under the olive trees or to fill up cavities under the olive trees or to make ruts between one tree and another; it is, therefore, written "your field you shall not sow and your vineyard you shall not prune." Sowing and pruning were in the general category (of forbidden labor on shemitah). And why were they singled out (for distinct mention)? To have them serve as a parameter, viz.: Just as sowing and pruning are distinct in being labors for (both) field and trees, (so, all such labors are forbidden on shemitah — to exclude the above, which are not thus characterized). I might think that the year of Yovel itself is reckoned in the years of shemitah (i.e., that the fiftieth year, Yovel, is counted as the first year of the next shemitah period). It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:4) "Six years shall you sow your field and six years shall you prune your vineyard" — Years of sowing are reckoned in the years of shemitah (i.e., the six years preceding the seventh year must be all years of sowing), but the year of Yovel, (which is not a year of sowing) is not reckoned in the years of shemitah.

7) Whence is it derived that rice and millet and poppy and sesame which took root before Rosh Hashanah may be gathered in the seventh year? From "and you shall collect its produce. And (i.e., including) in the seventh year" (as in the above instance).

8) I might think, even if it did not take root; it is, therefore, written "Six years shall you sow your field … and you shall collect." (The plain meaning is) six for sowing and six for collecting, and not six for sowing and seven for collecting. (The first, then, must refer to what has not taken root before Rosh Hashanah, and the second, to what has.)

9) R. Yonasan b. Yosef says: Whence is it derived that produce which was of one-third growth before Rosh Hashanah (of the seventh year) may be gathered in the seventh year, (even if it brought forth only a third of its normal growth, it thus being considered a growth of the sixth year)? From "and you shall collect is produce" — even if it brought forth (only) a third (of its normal growth).