To release all loans during the seventh year
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This Mitzvah's Summary
Every seventh year, creditors must release outstanding debts owed by fellow Jews, declaring them canceled as part of the Shemitah cycle.
This mitzvah commands that all debts owed between Jews are released at the close of the Shemitah year. When the year ends, creditors are forbidden to demand repayment; instead, the loan is canceled in recognition of “שְׁמִטָּה לַה'” — Hashem’s release.
The mitzvah embodies the Torah’s vision of economic compassion and reset. By ensuring that debt does not accumulate endlessly, the Shemitah year restores balance to society, relieves the poor, and prevents cycles of financial oppression. The release of loans parallels the release of land and produce, extending Shemitah’s holiness into the financial realm.
Practically, Chazal (Mishnah Shevi’it 10:3) note that this mitzvah applied fully when Yovel was practiced; in later generations, Hillel instituted the prozbul, allowing loans to continue without discouraging generosity. The mitzvah nonetheless teaches an eternal value: financial systems must be infused with mercy, fairness, and awareness of Hashem’s sovereignty over wealth.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 9:1–3): Codifies that Shemitah cancels all debts between Jews. Pressing for repayment after Shemitah is a Torah prohibition.
- Talmud (Gittin 36a–37a): Explains Hillel’s institution of the prozbul, a legal instrument allowing loans to remain collectible to encourage continued lending near Shemitah.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 477): Describes the mitzvah as training the nation in generosity and detachment from wealth, while protecting the dignity of debtors.
- Rashi (Deuteronomy 15:2): Comments that the creditor must say “I release” when approached for repayment after Shemitah.
- Ramban (Deuteronomy 15:1): Emphasizes the Divine dimension of Shemitah, noting that forgiving debts affirms that all material possessions belong ultimately to Hashem.
Commentaries
Applying this Mitzvah Today
Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals
Faith – אֱמוּנָה
- Ramban (Deuteronomy 15:1) explains that releasing debts affirms trust in Hashem’s command, showing that wealth and livelihood come from Him, not from relentless debt collection.
Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 9:3) links the release of loans to the sanctity of Shemitah, extending holiness beyond land to financial life.
Justice – צֶדֶק
- The mitzvah ensures fairness by preventing perpetual debt cycles, resetting economic structures every seven years. (Sefer HaChinuch 477.)
Compassion – רַחֲמִים
- Talmud (Gittin 36a) emphasizes that Shemitah protects the poor from creditor pressure, embodying compassion and relieving suffering.
Charity – צְדָקָה
- Rashi (Deut. 15:2) highlights that creditors must verbally declare “I release,” ensuring that the act is one of generosity, not just technicality.
Community – קְהִלָּה
- Shemitah builds solidarity by ensuring that both wealthy and poor share equally in economic resets, reinforcing the communal nature of Torah society.
Shemitah – שְׁמִטָּה
- Deuteronomy 15:1–2 commands “שְׁמִטָּה לַה',” connecting financial release to the agricultural rest of Shemitah as part of a holistic cycle.
Monetary Laws – דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת
- Rambam (Hilchot Malveh V’Loveh 15:1) explains that debt release is part of the Torah’s framework for financial justice, balancing creditor rights with debtor dignity.
Loans – הַלְוָאָה
- Mishnah Shevi’it 10:3 teaches that all personal loans are canceled by Shemitah, unless safeguarded through prozbul. This mitzvah applies directly to lending relationships.
Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם
- By obeying Shemitah’s financial release, one shows loyalty to Hashem’s sovereignty over wealth. (Rambam, Shemitah V’Yovel 9:1.)
Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ
- Canceling debts restores dignity to debtors and relieves social inequality, strengthening relationships between individuals. (Sefer HaChinuch 477.)
