פירוש על שביעית 4:3

חוכרין נירין – an Israelite can receive for it for such and such Korim for a year the field of a heathen that was plowed in the Seventh Year to be sown in the aftermath of the Seventh Year, and even though it causes the heathen to plow in the Seventh Year. [The word] ניר/freshly, newly plowed field , is the language of (Jeremiah 4:3): “Break up the untilled ground, [and do not ow among thorns].”

Introduction This mishnah deals with the renting land from a Gentile during the seventh year, and other similar issues. I should note that as I write this commentary, we just began the Shmitah year here in Israel. The laws of the Shmitah have presented perhaps the greatest halakhic challenge to rabbis wishing to preserve a halakhic framework within a modern economy complete with a modern agriculture. It is clear that Israeli farmers could not simply allow their fields to lie fallow for a year and expect to make a living in that year or in the following years. One of the solutions to this problem is called “heter mekhirah” permission to sell. Just as Jews sell their chametz on Pesah and buy it back after Pesah, so too many farmers sell their fields to Gentiles during Pesah and then buy them back afterwards. The Gentiles grow the produce and then sell it in the markets here to Jews. While some would scorn such a solution as looking for a way around the halakhah or even as “cheating,” I think that such solutions allow Jews to preserve halakhah and yet be a part of the world. I would add, however, that while legal solutions allow one to solve grave financial problems that would be caused were the halakhah to be observed in its original formula, we should not forget the spirit behind the halakhah. Just as the spirit behind selling chametz is to cleanse oneself of the leaven and all that it symbolizes, so too the spirit behind the Shmitah observance is to give the land, which ultimately belongs to God, a chance to rest as well.

ומחזיקים ידי נכרים – if they found hi plowing, he can say to him, “May your strength (health) be firm,” and things of a similar manner.

They may rent newly plowed land from a Gentile in the seventh year, but not from an Israelite. A Gentile may plow his land on the sabbatical year. Therefore, a Jew can rent this plowed land from the Gentile in order to plant seeds on it after the sabbatical year has passed. However, since a Jew may not plow his land during the sabbatical year, if he does so another Jew may not rent the fields from him.

ושואלים בשלומן – and even on the day of their idolatrous festival.

And they may encourage Gentiles during the seventh year, but not Israelites. One who passes by a Gentile plowing or planting his field (in the land of Israel) on the sabbatical year may wish him luck. Even though the land is supposed to rest, Gentiles are not obligated to observe this law and in order to preserve peace between Jews and non-Jews, one may encourage him in his plowing.

They may exchange greetings with them because of the ways of peace. It is always permitted to formally greet Gentiles in order to preserve the ways of peace between Jews and non-Jews. This mishnah may seem a bit strange to one who grew up in a society where Jews and non-Jews often get along quite way. The background to the Mishnah is the notion that non-Jews are our enemy and that one who greets them may be giving comfort to Israel’s enemy. The mishnah disagrees with this view and says that greetings are actually to our own advantage, because by greeting someone you increase the peace with them. To use a cliché, the best way to deal with an enemy is often to turn him into a friend.