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By Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

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This week’s double section begins with the commandment of ‘Shmita’. 

This means that farmers in Israel can work the land only six years in a row and then must stop for one year of rest in the seventh ‘Shmita’ year.

Something like the commandment to rest on the Shabbat; first we work six days then on the seventh we rest.

But here it seems to be written in the wrong order!

The paragraph begins with G-d saying. “When you come to the land that I gave you, the land must rest for G-d.” And then it says; “Six years you can plant you field and six years you can work in your vineyard and gather produce.”

So it mentions the year of rest (Shmita) BEFORE the six years of work.

And in fact, the Ten Commandments, says the same about Shabbat: That it precedes the Six days of work.” (Ex. 20:8, 9)

Why does the Torah write Shmita and Shabbat before the days work they are resting from? The opposite order that they occur?

And most important, what is it teaching us?

Perhaps we can answer with this story.

Once, about one hundred and fifty years ago in Russia there lived a certain destitute Jew, let’s call him Mr. Feld that had once been a wealthy man. He had made a fortune in the fish business but after a few bad decisions and strokes of bad luck he lost everything including his house and belongings.

His wife and children had to move to her parent’s home while he, being too proud to accept charity and not fit for manual labor, made his ‘home’, prayed, learned, ate and slept in the communal synagogue; wavering between depression and hoping for a miracle.

It so happened that there were a few Chabad Chassidim that occasionally frequented that Synagogue and when they noticed him there week after week the asked him what happened and suggested that he travel to the Lubavitcher Rebbe (at that time Rebbe Menachem Mendel nicknamed the ‘Tzemach Tzedik’) for blessing and advice.

It was the only positive thing he had heard since his fall. So with his last pennies he made his way to Lubavitch  figuring that it certainly couldn’t hurt and maybe this Rebbe would help.

He arrived and was soon standing before the holy Rebbe who heard his sad story and advised him, “Go to Berlin and HaShem will help.”

He backed out of the Rebbe’s room in awe and gratitude.

But in fact, he did not go to Berlin. As soon as he thought about it he realized it was foolish. First of all, he had no money for travel or lodging. Secondly, he knew no one in Berlin, what would he do there? And third, he didn’t really believe that this Rebbe had any idea about business. So he returned home.

But as soon as the Chassidim there asked him what had happened and heard the answer, they assured him that the Rebbe never makes mistakes etc. gathered enough money to for travel and living expenses, and put him on the train.

When he arrived in Berlin he immediately found a cheap hotel room and, encouraged by the words of the Chassidim, began to wander the streets, but with no results. No one even spoke to him. He had no money to invest anyway. And, frankly, he was beginning to lose hope and get depressed.

Another day passed, then another. People were rushing, conversing and busily occupied all around him while he just dragged dreamily and aimlessly like an old bum.

After over a week of this he was standing before a fish store idly gazing in the window when the owner came out and said to him in a gruff German. “You understand fish? Want to buy carp? I’ll give it to you cheap; one hundred barrels for ten marks a barrel. Where do you live? I can have it delivered tomorrow, pay me when you can. Pay me in a week if you want. Maybe you can get rid of them. I have nothing to do with them. What do you say? Nu… come have a look? What is your name? Here, come with me and see.”

Mr. Feld followed the German to the back room of the store, saw the barrels and started to come alive. He even opened one and had a look…. Finally he was doing something!

The German took his hand and began shaking it saying, ‘Look, I’ll give them to you for nine marks a barrel. Just sign here and I’ll have them delivered tomorrow afternoon. And here’s your copy… I’ll sign it here. You sign this one. You pay me after you sell them. Okay? After!”

Mr. Feld, more from boredom than anything else, signed, took the copy that the German signed and left the store.

It really was quite an amazing coincidence. Who knows, maybe this is why the Rebbe sent him? If he could find way to get rid of these fish, even though he didn’t have any connections, but maybe he could make some money. He touched the bill of sale a few times just to be sure he wasn’t dreaming, folded it into his pocket and went to his hotel room.

At twelve o’clock the next afternoon he heard knocking loudly on his door and someone yelling, “Herr Feld? Halloo, Mr. Feld, are you here?” He figured it must be the delivery, the fish barrels are here.

He opened up and saw four men that he immediately could see (and smell) were fish salesmen.

“Mr. Feld? Ahhh, our pleasure” One of them stuck out his hand while the others smiled and nodded warmly. “We understand you bought a hundred barrels from Heinz, you know … carp from Heinz’s fish store. Is that right?”

Feld nodded yes.

Well, listen, there is no carp on the market and we need that carp. We wanted to buy from him but he said he already signed with you. Here… we will give ninety marks a barrel.” He said as he pulled out a large wad of bills.

Feld was stunned speechless.

“Okay, make it a hundred… take a hundred marks a barrel” he said as he nodded to the man standing next to him who produced the remaining money.

He nodded, took the money, counted it, and gave them the bill that Heinz signed. They, then, produced their bill of purchase which he gladly signed and beaming with joy, they took turns shaking his hand and bid him goodbye.

Later that day he returned to the fish store, paid the nine hundred Marks to Heinz, gave him an additional hundred for being honest, and returned home a rich man.

He believed in the Rebbe’s blessing and the blessing worked.

This answers our questions about why the Torah first mentions the holy Shmita rest year before the six working years that it in fact follows. It’s teaching us what attitude we should take as Jews in the world.

The Jewish people, especially the religious ones, are very small in number. While the hostile nations, religions and philosophies outnumber us a thousand to one!

Therefore, the Torah here (and so too in the Ten Commandments) tells us that the FIRST step to living a life completely according to Torah against such impossible odds to look at the world from G-d’s point of view: Shmita is first.

The Shmita and the Shabbat remind us that G-d alone is creating the entire universe in its every detail, and He alone controls EVERYTHING that happens in it. Nothing can oppose G-d.
Like in our story, Mr. Feld had to FIRST learn to trust G-d and go to Berlin.
That is the power that has kept Judaism alive since Abraham against all odds for four thousand years.

But it is not enough that the world doesn’t defeat us. We are here to transform and ‘defeat’ the world. Therefore after describing the spiritual Shmita, the Torah follows with ‘working six years (and six days)’.

Namely the PURPOSE of this spiritual level of Shmita (and Shabbat) is not to leave the world but rather to improve the WORLD afterward.

Just as Mr. Feld, after trusting G-d, became RICH … but in a holy way.

The main lesson to us then is: by listening to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s words and doing ALL we can to bring Moshiach, without caring about ourselves, soon we will all experience the greatest RICHNESS possible: the revelation of the true ONEness of the Creator, world peace, brotherhood and joy!

And not much is lacking.  After thousands of years of Jewish merits and serving G-d it could be that just one more good deed, word or even thought can tip the scales and bring…….

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel

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