Israel and the pursuit of security
From an economic perspective, living in Eretz Yisrael doesn’t make much sense. In the West we invest so heavily in securing the best economic future for ourselves and our children that we can. We make so many choices based on short or long term economic outlook. But consider the severe limitations to the accumulation of wealth and ownership of property that apply in Eretz Yisrael. Not only does the nation observe Shabbat and Chaggim, but the entire agricultural economy shuts down for one out of every seven years. Apart from government taxes there is Terumot and Ma’asrot (various tithes that are given to Kohanim and Levi’im) over and above the charity obligation that applies everywhere. Profit margins are capped. And to top it all, you cannot amass real-estate! Apart from the land your family inherited, you may only buy land on a maximum 49 year lease. Yet, if we reflect more carefully on the quest for security, and how to achieve it, we will appreciate the unique opportunities for security that life in Eretz Yisrael offers.
Security is the most basic need not only of humans, but of all living organisms. Animals instinctively act to secure their safety and survival. Humans also often act instinctively to secure their survival. But there the similarity ends. Humans at times do things contrary to their own survival needs. A poor person may resist the theft of an item of food, a soldier might give his life for a cause or a buddy, a physician could go without food and sleep to help a patient. Sometimes these acts are performed in anticipation of some form of reward, but often they are not. Humans override their instincts with higher values-driven decisions. For humans, security doesn’t come from physical form and structure. Security is not a function of accumulation. Rather security is a deep-seated feeling, a state ofbeing rather than a state of having. Faith and trust are foundational to human security. Bitachon means both “security” and “faith”.
Intimacy and Security
Many factors contribute to a person’s inner feeling of faith and security. One of these factors is human connection and intimacy. People feel more secure when they have strong family and intimate connection. But for the Jew, intimate connection goes beyond a connection to other humans. For the Jewish soul, the foundation of security is an intimate, internal connection with Hashem. The stronger the connection, the more secure and tranquil the person feels. I am not talking about a superficial or compulsive connection that comes from frenetic ritualistic activity. Frenzied fervor does not create intimacy with the Divine. Intimacy with G-d stems from three sources: 1) The relentless pursuit of Hashem’s own Midot(characteristics) that manifest in every interaction a person has with the world around them; 2) living joyously according to Hashem’s values and laws; and 3) the quiet moments alone with G-d, in prayer, reflection and limud Torah (study of the Torah).
The fact that security is a quiet state of being rather than one of having, is forcefully conveyed in the Parsha [1]: G-d tells us in verse 21 that the sixth year will produce enough food for 3 years, to cover the losses sustained by not tending the land during the Shemittahyear. That being the case it is difficult to understand His warning that we may say in the sixth year “what will we eat in the seventh year? After all we will neither plant nor reap our produce?” Why would we worry about the seventh year if the sixth year is triply abundant?
Filling or Fulfilling?
There are two reasons we may say that despite the abundance before our eyes. Firstly, just as security is a state of being, not accumulating, so too insecurity is a state of being. Even people who have accumulated vast wealth can experience deep insecurity and often do. Some extremely wealthy retirees feel insecure when they cease to generate wealth even though they have more than they could possibly consume in the rest of their lifetimes. In the sixth year, if we are insecure human-beings, we will worry about the time we could be working the land and are not. Insecure people, no matter how wealthy they are, often worry about what they could be earning on Shabbat and are not. Because, as we said, security and insecurity are not functions of accumulated wealth, but of deep connectedness with self, with others and with G-d.
A second reason is offered by the Klei Yakar: The security and blessing that G-d promises us in the sixth year is not measurable by quantity of produce, rather by the size of our needs relative to our wealth. Security is experienced when a person has more than they need. Traditionally that drives people who think they have a sense of their needs, to work sufficiently harder to produce more income or wealth than those needs. But there is another way to manage the equation, and that is to keep our needs within the means of the income we generate in the time we are willing to work.
This is not achieved by an artificial demonstration of mistapeik bemu’at (being satisfied with little). Rather, when an individual is trulyfulfilled, they need less from outside to fill them. A person who enjoys true intimacy; intimacy with themselves, with their loved ones and with Hashem, gets filled with very little. That, is the blessing of “vetziviti et birchati” (I shall instruct my blessing in the sixth year). That is the meaning of the key statement of this entire passage: Ki Geirim veToshavim Attem Imaddi (for you are guests and residents together with me) [2]. That intimacy with G-d, being His guests in His land, is the security that comes with life in Israel, a security promised us twice in two adjoining verses [3] for keeping the very laws that limit our pursuit of material wealth. Viyshavtem al Ha’aretz la’vetach(and you will dwell on the land in security).
Footnotes:
[1] Vayikra 25 18-21
[2] ibid. 23
[3] ibid: 18 and 1
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