Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does Leviticus 25:21 mean when it talks about blessings in the sixth year?
A: Leviticus 25:21 refers to the agricultural laws of the Sabbatical year (Shemitah). In the sixth year of the seven-year cycle, Hashem promises a special blessing that the harvest will be so abundant it will provide enough food for the sixth year, the seventh year (when no planting is allowed), and even into the eighth year until new crops grow (Rashi on Leviticus 25:21).
Q: Why is the blessing in the sixth year important?
A: This blessing is crucial because during the seventh year (Shemitah), farmers are commanded to let the land rest and not plant crops. The miracle of the sixth-year harvest sustaining people for three years demonstrates Hashem's providence and the reward for keeping the mitzvah of Shemitah (Rambam, Hilchot Shemitah 4:1).
Q: What can we learn from Leviticus 25:21 today?
A: We learn that when we faithfully observe Hashem's commandments, even those that seem challenging (like not farming for a year), He provides for our needs in miraculous ways. This teaches trust (bitachon) in Hashem's promises (Midrash Torat Kohanim on Leviticus 25).
Q: Does this verse about the sixth-year blessing still apply today?
A: While the agricultural laws of Shemitah still apply in Israel today, the miraculous blessing described in this verse was particularly evident when most Jews lived in Israel and observed Shemitah fully. Today, we rely on rabbinic leniencies (like the 'heter mechira'), but the lesson of divine providence remains timeless (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 489:1 with Mishnah Berurah).
Q: How does the three-year provision work practically?
A: The sixth-year harvest would be so abundant that it would provide food until the crops planted after Shemitah (in the eighth year) could be harvested. For example: food from the sixth year would last through the seventh year (no planting) and until the new crops of the eighth year grew (Talmud, Avodah Zarah 9b).
Context in the Torah
This verse (Vayikra 25:21) appears in the context of the mitzvah of Shemittah (the Sabbatical year), where the land must lie fallow every seventh year. The verse reassures Bnei Yisrael that if they observe Shemittah properly, Hashem will bless the sixth year's produce to sustain them through the Shemittah year and beyond.
Rashi's Explanation
Rashi (Vayikra 25:21) explains that the blessing will manifest in two ways:
Rambam's Perspective
In Hilchos Shemittah V'Yovel (4:11), the Rambam emphasizes that this promise is a nes nigleh (revealed miracle), demonstrating Hashem's direct providence over those who observe Shemittah faithfully. He notes that this blessing applies only when the majority of Klal Yisrael dwells in Eretz Yisrael.
Midrashic Insights
The Toras Kohanim (Behar 3:1) connects this verse to the concept of bitachon (trust in Hashem). Just as the manna in the desert taught reliance on divine providence, the sixth-year blessing reinforces that agricultural success ultimately depends on Hashem's will, not human effort alone.
Practical Implications