Sabbaticals, coming every seven years, have two aspects. One is agricultural, the other financial.
Deuteronomy 15 conveys information regarding the financial feature of the sabbatical year.
“At the end of every seven years, you shall have a sabbatical year.”
Abravanel lends important context. After the Torah taught in the previous chapter that growers need to
transport and eat their second tithes in Jerusalem, it now presents Jews with a new giving opportunity.
This commandment rates more difficult than tithing since it requires loaning money, albeit with an
expectation of getting repaid. Commonly, however, loans become delinquent and never get collected.
Here, in the verses focusing on the sabbatical year, we find guidelines for lenders. Namely, a
longsuffering lender (after a Torah-ordained "gracce period" must relate to the loan as an outright gift
insofar as he may not hound or otherwise pursue the borrower for his money. Actually, he may not even
kindly coax the debtor to pay up.
Giving tithes, to be clear, doesn't present Hebrews with the same quality of challenge as extending
loans. Consider, from the time of harvest, a grower separates tithes from the remainder of his haul. In
his mind, a transfer of sorts has transpired; he no longer relates to that portion as his own. On the other
hand, a loan is something that a creditor hopes to get back. When the stark realization sinks in and he
confronts the specter of losing his hard-earned money, he feels pain, distress.
Returning to the sabbatical year, note that it has two facets. The first one relates to Land of Israel,
marked by a complete cessation of agricultural activities for the duration of the seventh year. In
Leviticus 25, we encounter verses highlighting this command. The second aspect of the sabbatical year
covers financial matters. Specifically, all personal loans – whether they come about as a result of written
or oral contract – are forgiven. In Leviticus, only a vague inference to the money aspect of the sabbatical
year appears. "And the land shall rest a sabbatical to God", meaning that the seventh year's ban on field
work goes into effect, resembling the creation's first sabbath day of rest. Clearly, that sabbath witnessed
zero planting or harvesting. Similarly, at that juncture (the very first sabbath) there were no lenders and
borrowers. Thus, Leviticus states: "a sabbath to God."
Importantly, we find precious little with regards to the sabbatical year's financial feature of nullifying
loans. Our chapter's lead verse only offers a teaser, if you will. "At the end of every seven years you shall
have a sabbatical year." The cease-and-desist trait relates to the cessation of agricultural activities, but
leaves off at that.
"And this is the thing concerning the sabbatical year." The phrase, “and this is the thing” brings us into
new territory; we speak of the sabbatical year as it solely relates to releasing loans. Though mainstream
commentators write that our chapter's lead verse alludes to both facets of the sabbatical year,
Abravanel takes issue with their interpretation. Instead, he asserts that a new and previously
unexplored sabbatical year regulation is rolling out: forgiving debt. "Lenders need to absolve all their
borrowers."
When a man borrows money from his friend, he undertakes to repay the loan by a pre-designated time.
Typically, he will extend his hand, intending to consummate a promise to prepay with a handshake. The
borrower's gesture bespeaks his good faith to pay back on time on penalty of forfeiting his hand,
symbolically of course. In that context, God cautions: "Lenders need to absolve all their borrowers". The
Maker demands creditors to forgive those who extend their hands (borrowers) upon taking loans.
"That which he has lent his neighbor, he shall not exact it of his neighbor…." The key term is "exact it."
No manner of collection stratagem may be applied to the borrower on behalf of the lender for purposes
of recouping the loan. But, if the borrower on his free volition pays the lender in the sabbatical year, the
latter may receive it. The main thing is to forbid strong-arm tactics to retrieve loans.
