Comments on: Shmita year is about charity, not agriculture http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict Sat, 19 May 2012 18:30:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ray Bright http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-55698 Ray Bright Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:43:50 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-55698 I feel shocked by this obsession with Torah. It is like if the scientists today who were trying to send a rocket to another solar system worried about whether their plan contradicts Aristotle! I feel shocked by this obsession with Torah. It is like if the scientists today who were trying to send a rocket to another solar system worried about whether their plan contradicts Aristotle!

]]> By: Erick S http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54426 Erick S Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:17:28 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54426 Also - since when are rabbis the Torah? Interpretations are themselves open to interpratation. I trust Obadiah, who has been writing with sincerety and honesty, ten times more than any orthodox rabbi these days. Also – since when are rabbis the Torah? Interpretations are themselves open to interpratation.
I trust Obadiah, who has been writing with sincerety and honesty, ten times more than any orthodox rabbi these days.

]]> By: Yochi http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54414 Yochi Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:30:35 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54414 If the ultra orthodox want to buy fruits and vegetables from Goyim,then they should import from Europe. Even though it would be more expensive, at least they would not be giving to Arabs who will be using part of the money to buy guns, bombs,and missiles to kill more Jews. If the ultra orthodox want to buy fruits and vegetables from Goyim,then they should import from Europe. Even though it would be more expensive, at least they would not be giving to Arabs who will be using part of the money to buy guns, bombs,and missiles to kill more Jews.

]]> By: Danny the Admin http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54394 Danny the Admin Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:05:00 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54394 To AV: Regarding Shmita, Obadiah suggests ignoring one line, Leviticus 25:4, rather than several. Rabbis, too, effectively ignore this line by creatively reinterpreting it. Obviously, Obadiah could devise a similarly tortured interpretation of 25:4 but he prefers honestly admitting the interpolation. Obadiah doesn't ignore Deut15:7-11. He explains why it was interpolated, and I find his explanation entirely persuasive. Note that he does not add anything or change the lines, but only recognizes editorials. To AV: Regarding Shmita, Obadiah suggests ignoring one line, Leviticus 25:4, rather than several. Rabbis, too, effectively ignore this line by creatively reinterpreting it. Obviously, Obadiah could devise a similarly tortured interpretation of 25:4 but he prefers honestly admitting the interpolation.

Obadiah doesn’t ignore Deut15:7-11. He explains why it was interpolated, and I find his explanation entirely persuasive. Note that he does not add anything or change the lines, but only recognizes editorials.

]]> By: AV http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54286 AV Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:31:25 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54286 The article would be more … satisfying … if it suggested how to apply these interpolations in a way that doesnt contradict the main point the original purpose of the Shmita. Perhaps one way to read the interpolation is as follows? Dont read the interpolation as (Lev. 25:4): "[It is] a Shabat to Ha'Shem. You will not sow your field, and you will not prune your vineyard." But read the Hebrew word LO ?? "not" as LO ?? "to him". "[It is] a Shabat to Ha'Shem. You will sow the field for him [Ha'shem], and you will prune your vineyard for him [Ha'Shem]." Thus you dont sow the field for yourself. You sow it for Ha'Shem, for the poor can eat from it freely. The article would be more … satisfying … if it suggested how to apply these interpolations in a way that doesnt contradict the main point the original purpose of the Shmita.

Perhaps one way to read the interpolation is as follows?

Dont read the interpolation as (Lev. 25:4): “[It is] a Shabat to Ha’Shem. You will not sow your field, and you will not prune your vineyard.”

But read the Hebrew word LO ?? “not” as LO ?? “to him”.

“[It is] a Shabat to Ha’Shem. You will sow the field for him [Ha'shem], and you will prune your vineyard for him [Ha'Shem].”

Thus you dont sow the field for yourself. You sow it for Ha’Shem, for the poor can eat from it freely.

]]> By: AV http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54283 AV Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:38:52 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54283 Having your cake and eating it too? That is, you must follow the truth of the Tora and ignore what the Tora says? Interesting article. The original purpose of Shmita is to bring joy to the poor. The explanation that Shmita forbids *hoarding* but doesnt forbid *sowing*, transforms the ancient custom from something harsh and barren to something fruitful and compassionate. Beautiful! But, I didnt understand this part of the article: Having your cake: follow what the Tora says. "The lawgiver [Moshe] is wise, and there is no need to correct him, if only we read the Torah closely." But, eating it too: ignore what the Tora says. The article identifies several problematic passages as "interpolations". Which can be ignored. Doesnt the article itself "correct the Torah" by declaring these verses deletable? "The prohibition of sowing and pruning in Leviticus 25:4 was interpolated. It contradicts 25:6 which speaks of Sabbatical produce necessarily sowed." An other interpolation seeming to need correction is: "The erroneous identification of debt release with Shmita year created a situation when no one was willing to lend when the seventh year drew near. [Thus] Deuteronomy 15:7-11 was added to shame the Jews into lending." If one simply ignores the difficult verses of the Tora, it cant be said one fully adheres to Tora. The article is pursuasive. Its reconstruction of the plain meaning (pshat) of the Shmita text seems correct. And no doubt the problematic texts are later scribal interpolations. Nevertheless, these scribal interpolations are formally part of the Tora canon. No matter how these texts got there they are authoritative and require appropriate explanation. The article would be more ... satisfying ... if it suggested how to apply these interpolations in a way that doesnt contradict the main point the original purpose of the Shmita is to bring joy to the poor. Having your cake and eating it too?

That is, you must follow the truth of the Tora and ignore what the Tora says?

Interesting article. The original purpose of Shmita is to bring joy to the poor. The explanation that Shmita forbids *hoarding* but doesnt forbid *sowing*, transforms the ancient custom from something harsh and barren to something fruitful and compassionate. Beautiful!

But, I didnt understand this part of the article:

Having your cake: follow what the Tora says.

“The lawgiver [Moshe] is wise, and there is no need to correct him, if only we read the Torah closely.”

But, eating it too: ignore what the Tora says.

The article identifies several problematic passages as “interpolations”. Which can be ignored. Doesnt the article itself “correct the Torah” by declaring these verses deletable?

“The prohibition of sowing and pruning in Leviticus 25:4 was interpolated. It contradicts 25:6 which speaks of Sabbatical produce necessarily sowed.”

An other interpolation seeming to need correction is:

“The erroneous identification of debt release with Shmita year created a situation when no one was willing to lend when the seventh year drew near. [Thus] Deuteronomy 15:7-11 was added to shame the Jews into lending.”

If one simply ignores the difficult verses of the Tora, it cant be said one fully adheres to Tora.

The article is pursuasive. Its reconstruction of the plain meaning (pshat) of the Shmita text seems correct. And no doubt the problematic texts are later scribal interpolations.

Nevertheless, these scribal interpolations are formally part of the Tora canon. No matter how these texts got there they are authoritative and require appropriate explanation.

The article would be more … satisfying … if it suggested how to apply these interpolations in a way that doesnt contradict the main point the original purpose of the Shmita is to bring joy to the poor.

]]> By: Ray Bright http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54201 Ray Bright Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:11:19 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-54201 I hope that Obadiah is OK. Have not heard from him for several days now... How are you Obadiah? I hope that Obadiah is OK. Have not heard from him for several days now…

How are you Obadiah?

]]> By: chaim http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-53756 chaim Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:39:24 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-53756 Nice post, Ovadiah. Although I'd mention the believing issue. Shmitah is about believing in our G-d law and promises. Nice post, Ovadiah. Although I’d mention the believing issue. Shmitah is about believing in our G-d law and promises.

]]> By: White Powder of the fields http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-53612 White Powder of the fields Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:51:17 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-53612 well, third-time ice-cream... after this, just to wish a happy new-Shmita-Year, with lots of profit for everyone, and may this war never end' milk and honey, dude, Yeah! visit our music page: http://www.myspace.com/witepowder well, third-time ice-cream…

after this, just to wish a happy new-Shmita-Year, with lots of profit for everyone, and may this war never end’ milk and honey, dude, Yeah!

visit our music page:
http://www.myspace.com/witepowder

]]> By: White Powder of the fields http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm/comment-page-1#comment-53610 White Powder of the fields Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:47:43 +0000 http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm#comment-53610 and a joke: they only care about Race, when they play TOFESET. got that? People who profit from this hate, smile with $$ in their eyes everytime someone emphasizes the "them or us situation" concept. and a joke:

they only care about Race, when they play TOFESET.

got that?

People who profit from this hate, smile with $$ in their eyes everytime someone emphasizes the “them or us situation” concept.

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