Take a Break - Shemitah and Loan Amnesty, Lesson 1

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Take a Break: Shemitah and Loan Amnesty, Lesson 1

Learn the foundational principles and central laws of the Sabbatical Year, known as Shemitah, which is a year of rest and release for both land and money.

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By Binyomin Bitton

Rabbi Binyomin Bitton, originally from Lyon, France, is the founder and spiritual leader of Chabad of Downtown Vancouver, he's co-Dean of the Jewish Academy, and the director of the Tzfunot Institute. A renowned Talmudic scholar, Rabbi Bitton's warmth, knowledge and passion for learning has brought him to teach in communities around the world. He now lives in Vancouver together with his wife Malky and six children.

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3 Comments

Rabbi Binyomin Bitton Vancouver October 23, 2014

Making Sense of the 'Pruzbul' Thank you all for your comments.

This discussion deserves indeed a proper response, based on a better understanding on Torah & Rabbinical law, and the relationship between the two; a better understanding of the 'Pruzbul' enactment and how it relates to the Biblical law. Much of it, is beyond the scope of a written "Comment".

I see that your comments are based on the very first lesson, and I would encourage you to listen to the full series, giving you a better understanding of the 'Pruzbul' and how it relates to the original Biblical law of Shemittah.

Just a short note, to put things in perspective -- several opinions explain that the 'Pruzbul' system is in fact a Biblical concept, and that Hillel (the rabbis) did not added, changed or invented anything new. This of course raises the question: If so what was Hillel's point? This has been already thoroughly explained in the Talmud and its commentaries, and some of it will be discussed in the forthcoming lessons. Reply

M.H. Maerschalck Beverwijk Holland September 24, 2014

loopholes and workarounds, just a thought Shalom,

I agree with Shalva T. I am afraid of the loopholes HASHEM could create for all the work arounds that are placed during the centuries, by us. Did anyone think about that? Why not leave the responsabilitie of the Torah, where it should be, and we let go of workarounds in all matters of our lifes...accepting and embrasing what comes from Him.

I do not have concrete answers it was just a thought. By the way, i am not a Jew by birth; I belong to the Gentiles.

Let us love HASHEM with all our mind, hart, body and soul and our fellow humans ( far and close) without anyone excluded as He has loved us. Reply

Shalva T. Tennessee September 22, 2014

Word Games ~ How sad! When dealing with loopholes, one must be exceptionally accurate, lest he fall into one and be hanged by his own words! As angering as embarrassing is that our people strain themselves to devise 'word games' (Pruzbuls) designed to circumvent the spirit of the Torah, while scrupulously attending to its letter! From what is recorded in Torah, it would seem that the Creator of the Universe may have found it irritating as well! (And the Jovel has been totally written out of the equation, as 'not applying in our time'?!) You say, This would suffer! That would suffer! What is so on fire it cannot wait 1-2 years? You say lenders would no longer lend, yet we are forbidden to close our hands to our brother: if we have, we must lend 'sufficient', not for his want, but for his need! Courtesy of the 'loophole'. it can be 'business as usual'! All that is needed is a 'kosher strawman' ...Sad! Reply

Take a Break: Shemitah and Loan Amnesty, Lesson 1

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