The year before Shemittah
Erev Sheviis — the sixth year
Year 6erev Sheviis
Year 7Shemittah
Sdei lavan = a grain field
Plowing that helps THIS year's crop: allowed
Plowing that gets the land ready for Shemittah: assur
Allowedit helps the crop in the ground now
Assurit gets the land ready for Shemittah
This field drinks only rain
A non-irrigated grain field
Sdei ba'alrain only
Beis hashlochinirrigated · later in the perek
Today: the rain field
Winterplant grain
Pesachharvest
After the grain, a summer crop
Gourds and beans — they need only a little water
Summergourds, squash, beans
Until when may you plow a grain field?
Until the moisture dries up
Permissiveuntil the moisture dries up,
As long as people still plow for cucumbers and gourds
Is there still moisture in my field?
Rabbi Shimon: “You left it up to each person!”
Beis Shammaieach person decides
Beis Hillela fixed date
A grain field: until Pesach
Restrictiveuntil Pesach,
An orchard: until Shavuos (Atzeres)
Permissiveuntil Atzeres:
Rabbi Shimon: one fixed date for everyone
Pesach for grain fields · Shavuos for orchards
Pesachgrain fields stop plowing
Shavuosorchards stop plowing
Earlier = more restrictive
Sheviis 2:1
Plowing a Grain Field before Shemittah
חֲרִישַׁת שְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן עֶרֶב שְׁבִיעִית
עַד אֵימָתַי חוֹרְשִׁין בִּשְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן עֶרֶב שְׁבִיעִית.
עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה הַלֵּחָה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם חוֹרְשִׁים לִטַּע בַּמִּקְשָׁאוֹת וּבַמִּדְלָעוֹת.
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, נָתַתָּ תּוֹרַת כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּיָדוֹ,
אֶלָּא בִּשְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן עַד הַפֶּסַח, וּבִשְׂדֵה הָאִילָן עַד עֲצֶרֶת: