Letter & Spirit: Is Shmitta Utilitarian?
In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in honor of this year of shmitta and this week’s parsha (B’har-b’chukosai) where we learn the laws of shmitta, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains the idea of shmitta as much more than just a question of utility – where we give the land a “rest” (as is so commonly believed). The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.
