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Another currently rabbinic mitzva is to have the land lie fallow every seventh year. Originally, the Torah promised that those who observe this law would be blessed during the preceding years, which would allow them to comfortably make it through the seventh year (shmita). In addition to this heavenly blessing, observing the sabbatical year also encouraged Jews to set aside grain, oil, and wine during the first six years to carry them through the seventh year. This was a useful lesson in deferring gratification and saving, not only to survive but to invest. Letting the land lie fallow had other benefits as well. During the sabbatical year, the farmers were freed up to study Torah and spend time with their family. They could recharge their spiritual energy and plan to improve and upgrade during the next six years. (See 6:17 above for the sabbatical year’s debt relief, which applied even outside the Land.)
After seven cycles of shmita, the Torah commanded making the fiftieth year a Jubilee (yovel), when all land was not only left fallow but also returned to its original owners (5:3 above).
The mitzvot of shmita and yovel have biblical force only when the Jewish people are living in the Land according to their tribal allotments. When this is the case, everyone is on sabbatical at the same time, and they can help each other out. They do not need to compete with non-Jews in the Land who continue working. However, when the majority of the Jews are not living in the Land of Israel, as is currently the situation, the sabbatical year is only rabbinic (and the Jubilee is not observed at all). Therefore, today’s rabbis have the power to circumvent the obligation of leaving the land fallow, when working the land is necessary to allow the Israeli agricultural sector to survive. The Chief Rabbis accomplish this by temporarily selling the land to a non-Jew. This is called the heter mekhira (permission through selling).
