The commandment of the releasing (shmitat) of lands: To make ownerless everything that the earth put out in the seventh year, which is called the shemittah (release) year, because of this process in which we are obligated; and that all who want to [take] its fruits may do so — as it is stated (Exodus 23:11), “But in the seventh you shall release it and abandon it, and the needy among your people will eat of it, and what they leave the beasts will eat; you shall do the same with your vineyards and your olive groves.” And the language of Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon bar Yochai 23:11: “And were the vineyard and the olive groves not included?” [This] means to say that the beginning of the verse that stated, “release it and abandon it” includes everything that grows in the earth, whether they are fruits of the tree or fruits of the ground. And [so] why did Scripture specify these two? “To compare the other types of trees to the vineyard, to teach that like there is a positive commandment and a negative commandment with the vineyard — as behold, it is written explicitly about it (Leviticus 25:5), “and the grapes that you set aside, do not reap” — so too, is there a positive commandment and a negative commandment in all of the other trees.” And hence, it specified vineyard and olive grove, to teach about this matter. As the intention of the verse was not specifically about the vineyard and olive grove alone, but rather it is the same with all the other fruits of the tree. Rather, it mentioned one of them and it teaches about all of them, as this is one of the devices through which the Torah is expounded. And this commandment to make all of the fruits ownerless and the other commandment that God commanded us to rest in it — as it is stated (Exodus 34:21), “and rest from plowing and reaping” — are [both] connected.
It is from the roots of this commandment to affix in our hearts and make a strong impression in our minds [about] the matter of the world having been created. As (Exodus 20:11) “in six days did God make the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day” — in which He did not create anything — He imposed rest on Himself. And in order to remove and uproot and eradicate from our thoughts the idea of the eternity [of the world] — which the deniers of the Torah believe in, through which they destroy all its principles and break through its walls — did the requirement come upon us to expend all our time, day by day and year by year, for this matter, by counting six years and resting on the seventh so that this matter will never depart from between our eyes for all time. And this is similar to the manner in which we count the days of the week [by dividing them] into six days of work and the seventh is a day of rest. Therefore, He, blessed be He, did command to render ownerless all that the land produces in this year — in addition to resting during it (i.e. during the year) — so that a person will remember that the land which produces fruits for him every year does not produce them by its [own] might and virtue. For there is a Master over it and over its master — and when He wishes, He commands him (i.e. the master of the land) to render them (i.e. the fruit) ownerless. And there is another benefit in this matter — to acquire the trait of letting go (i.e. of one’s possessions), for there is no one more generous than he who gives without hope for recompense. And there is another benefit — the outcome of this is that a person will add to his trust in God, may He be blessed, since anyone who finds it in his heart to give and abandon to the world all of the produce of his lands and his ancestral inheritance for an entire year — and educates himself and his family through this for all of his days — will never have the trait of stinginess overcome him too much, nor will he have a deficient amount of trust.
From the laws of the commandment is what are the [types] of work on the land about which there is an obligation of rest by Torah writ — such as planting, pruning, reaping and harvesting; and that are forbidden by rabbinic writ — such as fertilizing, digging and work on trees such as cutting off excrescences, removing dry leaves or stalks from it, placing dust [on exposed roots], raising smoke below it to kill insects, oiling saplings, pruning and removing trees; and that which they permitted to do, such as reddening with dye, hoeing under grape vines. And the law of an irrigated field. And that they should not make a dungpile in his field until the time of fertilizing is over; and that afterwards it be big and not appear like fertilizing — and its size is from one hundred and fifty seah and above. That which they said (Moed Katan 3b) that the obligation to refrain from working the land is from thirty days before the seventh year and that this is a law given to Moshe at Sinai (halachah le’Moshe miSinai). And the law of how much time from the sixth year is forbidden to work in a field of trees, and what is called a field of trees. And the prohibition of implanting shoots in the ground and grafting; what is [to be done with] his saplings; what is the law of the fruits of the seventh [year] — as we do not make a medicinal chew or a bandage from anything that is uniquely for human food, such as wheat and barley and fruits, as with them it states, “to eat it.” But we do make a medicinal chew or a bandage for humans — though not for animals — from anything that is uniquely for animal food, such as thorns and thistles. And behold, that which is not uniquely for humans or animals — such as rubia, hyssop and thyme — depends on the designation of the person: [If] he designated them for food, their law is like food; but [if] he designated them for wood, their law is like wood. And the rest of its many details are elucidated in the tractate that is built upon this, and that is Tractate Sheviit. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee 4.)
And [it] is practiced by males and females in the Land of Israel only, at the time that [the people of] Israel is there - as it is stated about it (Leviticus 25:2), “When you come to the Land.” And it is practiced rabbinically even at this time, only in the Land. And any place (Mishnah Sheviit 5:1) that those [Jews] that came up from Babylonia controlled until Keziv — but not including Keziv — is included in the prohibition of work, and all of the aftergrowth that grows there is forbidden to eat. As [these Jews] sanctified the places that they controlled forever. But in the places that those [Jews] that came up from Egypt controlled, but not those that came up from Babylonia — which is from Keziv to the river and to Amanah — even though, since they were stringent about [it], they are rabbinically forbidden today regarding work on the seventh [year], [nonetheless] the aftergrowth that grows there is permissible to eat; as it was not sanctified by those that came up from Babylonia. And it is permissible even [for work] from the river and from Amanah and further. [With regards to] Syria, even though the seventh [year] is not practiced in it from Torah writ, they decreed that those places should be forbidden in work like the Land of Israel. And Syria is from the places that David conquered before all of the Land of Israel was conquered — and that is what our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, called the conquest of an individual (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Heave Offerings 1:3, 9). And that land corresponds to Aram Nehorayim and Aram Tsovah, all along the Euphrates to Babylonia, [including] such [places] as Damascus and Allepo and Charan and other places close to these. But the seventh [year] is not practiced in Ammon, Moav, Egypt and Shinnar, even though they are obligated in tithing (Mishnah Yadayim 4:3). And all the more so is it not practiced in the other places outside of the Land. And one who transgresses it and seals his vineyard or his field on the seventh [year] — or gathered all of his fruits into his house at the time that Israel is on their Land — has violated a positive commandment. And nonetheless it is permissible to gather from them to his house a little bit at a time to eat — so long as the hand of everyone is equal in them, as if there were no known owners to the land.
מִצְוַת שְׁמִטַּת קַרְקָעוֹת – לְהַפְקִיר כָּל מַה שֶׁתּוֹצִיא הָאָרֶץ בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שֶׁהִיא נִקְרֵאת מִפְּנֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּתְחַיַּבְנוּ בָּהּ שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה, וְיִזְכֶּה בְּפֵרוֹתֶיהָ כָּל הָרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יא) וְהַשְּׁבִיעִת תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְיִתְרָם תֹּאכַל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכַרְמְךָ לְזֵיתֶךָ. וּלְשׁוֹן מְכִילְתָּא וַהֲלֹא הַכֶּרֶם וְהַזַּיִת בִּכְלָל הָיָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁרֹאשׁ הַפָּסוּק שֶׁאָמַר תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ יִכְלֹל כָּל מָה שֶׁיִּצְמַח בָּאָרֶץ, בֵּין פֵּרוֹת אִילָן אוֹ פֵּרוֹת אֲדָמָה, וְלָמָּה פָּרַט הַכָּתוּב שְׁנֵי אֵלֶּה? לְהַקִּישׁ לְכֶרֶם שְׁאָר מִינֵי אִילָן, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכֶרֶם עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּפֵרוּשׁ נִכְתַּב עָלָיו (ויקרא כה ה) וְאֶת עִנְּבֵי נְזִירֶךָ לֹא תִבְצֹר, כְּמוֹ כֵן כָּל שְׁאָר הָאִילָן יֵשׁ בָּהֶן עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וּלְפִיכָךְ פָּרַט כֶּרֶם וְזַיִת, לְלַמֵּד עַל עִנְיָן זֶה, כִּי כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב דְּלָאו דַּוְקָא כֶּרֶם וְזַיִת לְבַד, אֶלָּא הוּא הַדִּין לְכָל שְׁאָר פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֶחָד מֵהֶם וְהוּא מְלַמֵּד לְכֻלָּן שֶׁזֶּה מִן הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בָּהֶם. וּמִצְוָה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא לְהַפְקִיר כָּל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ וְהַמִּצְוָה הָאַחֶרֶת שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ הָאֵל לִשְׁבֹּת בָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּכִי תִשָּׂא (שמות לד כא) בֶּחָרִישׁ וּבַקָּצִיר תִּשְׁבֹּת, קֶשֶׁר אֶחָד לָהֶן.
The commandment of the releasing (shmitat) of lands: To make ownerless everything that the earth put out in the seventh year, which is called the shemittah (release) year, because of this process in which we are obligated; and that all who want to [take] its fruits may do so — as it is stated (Exodus 23:11), “But in the seventh you shall release it and abandon it, and the needy among your people will eat of it, and what they leave the beasts will eat; you shall do the same with your vineyards and your olive groves.” And the language of Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon bar Yochai 23:11: “And were the vineyard and the olive groves not included?” [This] means to say that the beginning of the verse that stated, “release it and abandon it” includes everything that grows in the earth, whether they are fruits of the tree or fruits of the ground. And [so] why did Scripture specify these two? “To compare the other types of trees to the vineyard, to teach that like there is a positive commandment and a negative commandment with the vineyard — as behold, it is written explicitly about it (Leviticus 25:5), “and the grapes that you set aside, do not reap” — so too, is there a positive commandment and a negative commandment in all of the other trees.” And hence, it specified vineyard and olive grove, to teach about this matter. As the intention of the verse was not specifically about the vineyard and olive grove alone, but rather it is the same with all the other fruits of the tree. Rather, it mentioned one of them and it teaches about all of them, as this is one of the devices through which the Torah is expounded. And this commandment to make all of the fruits ownerless and the other commandment that God commanded us to rest in it — as it is stated (Exodus 34:21), “and rest from plowing and reaping” — are [both] connected.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה, לִקְבֹּעַ בְּלִבֵּנוּ וּלְצַיֵּר צִיּוּר חָזָק בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ עִנְיַן חִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם כִּי (שמות כ יא) שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְיָ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁלֹּא בָּרָא דָּבָר, הִכְתִּיב מְנוּחָה עַל עַצְמוֹ. וּלְמַעַן הָסִיר וְלַעֲקֹר וּלְשָׁרֵשׁ מֵרַעֲיוֹנֵנוּ דְּבַר הַקַּדְמוּת אֲשֶׁר יַאֲמִינוּ הַכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבוֹ יַהַרְסוּ כָּל פִּנּוֹתֶיהָ וְיִפְרְצוּ חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ, בָּאָה חוֹבָה עָלֵינוּ לְהוֹצִיא כָּל זְמַנֵּנוּ יוֹם יוֹם וְשָׁנָה שָׁנָה עַל דָּבָר זֶה לִמְנוֹת שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים וְלִשְׁבֹּת בַּשְּׁבִיעִית, וּבְכֵן לֹא יִתְפָּרֵד לְעוֹלָם הָעִנְיָן מִבֵּין עֵינֵינוּ תָּמִיד, וְהוּא כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָנוּ מוֹנִין יְמֵי הַשָּׁבוּעַ בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי עֲבוֹדָה וְהַשְּׁבִיעִי יוֹם מְנוּחָה. וְלָכֵן צִוָּה בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַפְקִיר כָּל מַה שֶּׁתּוֹצִיא הָאָרֶץ בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ מִלְּבַד הַשְּׁבִיתָה בָּהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר הָאָדָם כִּי הָאָרֶץ שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֵלָיו הַפֵּרוֹת בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה לָא בְּכֹחָהּ וּסְגֻלָּתָהּ תּוֹצִיא אוֹתָם, כִּי יֵשׁ אָדוֹן עָלֶיהָ וְעַל אֲדוֹנֶיהָ, וּכְשֶׁהוּא חָפֵץ מְצַוֶּה עָלָיו לְהַפְקִירָם. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ תּוֹעֶלֶת, נִמְצָא בַּדָּבָר לִקְנוֹת בָּזֶה מִדַּת הַוַּתְרָנוּת, כִּי אֵין נָדִיב כְּנוֹתֵן מִבְּלִי תִּקְוָה אֶל הַגְּמוּל. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ תּוֹעֶלֶת אַחֵר [ת], נִמְצָא בָּזֶה שֶׁיּוֹסִיף הָאָדָם בִּטָּחוֹן בַּשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי כָּל הַמּוֹצֵא עִם לְבָבוֹ לָתֵת וּלְהַפְקִיר לָעוֹלָם כָּל גִּדּוּלֵי קַרְקְעוֹתָיו וְנַחֲלַת אֲבוֹתָיו הַגְּדֵלִים בְּכָל שָׁנָה אַחַת וּמְלֻמָּד בְּכָךְ הוּא וְכָל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה כָּל יָמָיו, לֹא תֶּחֱזַק בּוֹ לְעוֹלָם מִדַּת הַכִּילוּת הַרְבֵּה וְלֹא מִעוּט הַבִּטָּחוֹן.
It is from the roots of this commandment to affix in our hearts and make a strong impression in our minds [about] the matter of the world having been created. As (Exodus 20:11) “in six days did God make the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day” — in which He did not create anything — He imposed rest on Himself. And in order to remove and uproot and eradicate from our thoughts the idea of the eternity [of the world] — which the deniers of the Torah believe in, through which they destroy all its principles and break through its walls — did the requirement come upon us to expend all our time, day by day and year by year, for this matter, by counting six years and resting on the seventh so that this matter will never depart from between our eyes for all time. And this is similar to the manner in which we count the days of the week [by dividing them] into six days of work and the seventh is a day of rest. Therefore, He, blessed be He, did command to render ownerless all that the land produces in this year — in addition to resting during it (i.e. during the year) — so that a person will remember that the land which produces fruits for him every year does not produce them by its [own] might and virtue. For there is a Master over it and over its master — and when He wishes, He commands him (i.e. the master of the land) to render them (i.e. the fruit) ownerless. And there is another benefit in this matter — to acquire the trait of letting go (i.e. of one’s possessions), for there is no one more generous than he who gives without hope for recompense. And there is another benefit — the outcome of this is that a person will add to his trust in God, may He be blessed, since anyone who finds it in his heart to give and abandon to the world all of the produce of his lands and his ancestral inheritance for an entire year — and educates himself and his family through this for all of his days — will never have the trait of stinginess overcome him too much, nor will he have a deficient amount of trust.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה מָה הֵן הַדְּבָרִים מֵעֲבוֹדוֹת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהֵן לָנוּ בְּחִיּוּב שְׁבִיתָה זוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, כְּגוֹן זְרִיעָה, זְמִירָה, קְצִירָה, בְּצִירָה, וַאֲשֶׁר הֵן אֲסוּרוֹת מִדְּרַבָּנָן, כְּגוֹן מְזַבֵּל וְחוֹפֵר, וַעֲבוֹדוֹת שֶׁבָּאִילָן כְּגוֹן חוֹתֵךְ מִמֶּנּוּ יַבֶּלֶת, פּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עָלִין אוֹ בַּדִּין יְבֵשִׁים, מְאַבֵּק בְּאָבָק, אוֹ מְעַשֵּׁן תַּחְתָּיו לְהָמִית הַתּוֹלַעַת, סָךְ הַנְּטִיעוֹת, קוֹטֵם, אוֹ מְפַסֵּג הָאִילָנוֹת, וּמָה שֶׁהִתִּירוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּגוֹן סוֹקְרִין בְּסִקְרָא, וְעוֹדֵר תַּחַת הַגְּפָנִים, וְדִין עֲבוֹדַת בֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִין, וְשֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה אַשְׁפָּה בְּתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר זְמַן הַזִּבּוּל וְאַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁתְּהֵא גְּדוֹלָה וְלֹא יְהֵא נִרְאֶה כִּמְזַבֵּל, וְשִׁעוּרָהּ מִמֵּאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים סְאָה זֶבֶל וּלְמַעְלָה. וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (מוע"ק ג ב) שֶׁהַחִיּוּב לְהִמָּנַע מֵעֲבוֹדַת הָאָרֶץ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם קֹדֶם שָׁנָה שְׁבִיעִית וְהִיא הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי. וְדִין שְׂדֵה אִילָן כַּמָּה זְמַן אָסוּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה מִשָּׁנָה שִׁשִּׁית, וּמַהוּ נִקְרָא שְׂדֵה אִילָן, וְאִסּוּר הַבְרָכָה וְהַרְכָּבָה, [וְאִם עָבַר וְעָשָׂה] מָה יְהֵא בִּנְטִיעוֹתָיו, וּפֵרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית מָה דִּינָן, דְּכָל שֶׁהוּא מְיֻחָד לְמַאֲכַל אָדָם, כְּגוֹן חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים וּפֵרוֹת, אֵין עוֹשִׂין מִמֶּנּוּ מְלוּגְמָא אוֹ רְטִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶן לְאָכְלָהּ. וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מְיֻחָד לְמַאֲכַל אָדָם, כְּגוֹן קוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים, עוֹשִׂין מִמֶּנּוּ מְלוּגְמָא לְאָדָם וְלֹא לִבְהֵמָה. וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מְיֻחָד לְאָדָם וְלִבְהֵמָה, כְּגוֹן פּוּאָה וְאֵזוֹב וְקוֹרָנִית, הֲרֵי הוּא תָּלוּי בְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הָאָדָם, חֲשָׁבָן לַאֲכִילָה דִּינָן כְּמַאֲכָל, חֲשָׁבָן לְעֵצִים דִּינָן כְּעֵצִים. וְיֶתֶר רֻבֵּי פְּרָטֶיהָ כֻּלָּן מְבֹאָרִין בַּמַּסֶּכֶת הַבְּנוּיָה עַל זֶה וְהִיא מַסֶּכֶת שְׁבִיעִית [פרק ד מהלכות שמיטה]
From the laws of the commandment is what are the [types] of work on the land about which there is an obligation of rest by Torah writ — such as planting, pruning, reaping and harvesting; and that are forbidden by rabbinic writ — such as fertilizing, digging and work on trees such as cutting off excrescences, removing dry leaves or stalks from it, placing dust [on exposed roots], raising smoke below it to kill insects, oiling saplings, pruning and removing trees; and that which they permitted to do, such as reddening with dye, hoeing under grape vines. And the law of an irrigated field. And that they should not make a dungpile in his field until the time of fertilizing is over; and that afterwards it be big and not appear like fertilizing — and its size is from one hundred and fifty seah and above. That which they said (Moed Katan 3b) that the obligation to refrain from working the land is from thirty days before the seventh year and that this is a law given to Moshe at Sinai (halachah le’Moshe miSinai). And the law of how much time from the sixth year is forbidden to work in a field of trees, and what is called a field of trees. And the prohibition of implanting shoots in the ground and grafting; what is [to be done with] his saplings; what is the law of the fruits of the seventh [year] — as we do not make a medicinal chew or a bandage from anything that is uniquely for human food, such as wheat and barley and fruits, as with them it states, “to eat it.” But we do make a medicinal chew or a bandage for humans — though not for animals — from anything that is uniquely for animal food, such as thorns and thistles. And behold, that which is not uniquely for humans or animals — such as rubia, hyssop and thyme — depends on the designation of the person: [If] he designated them for food, their law is like food; but [if] he designated them for wood, their law is like wood. And the rest of its many details are elucidated in the tractate that is built upon this, and that is Tractate Sheviit. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee 4.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבַד, וּבִזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל שָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלֶיהָ (ויקרא כה ב) כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ. וּמִדְּרַבָּנָן נוֹהֶגֶת אֲפִילּוּ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה בָּאָרֶץ דַּוְקָא. וְכָל מָקוֹם (שביעית ו א) שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ בּוֹ עוֹלֵי בָּבֶל עַד כְּזִיב וְלֹא כְּזִיב בִּכְלָל אָסוּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה, וְכָל הַסְּפִיחִים הַצּוֹמְחִין שָׁם אֲסוּרִים בַּאֲכִילָה, כִּי הֵם קִדְּשׁוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ בָּהֶם כְּבָר לְעוֹלָם. וְהַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֶחְזִיקוּ מֵהֶם כְּבָר עוֹלֵי מִצְרַיִם וְלֹא עוֹלֵי בָּבֶל, שֶׁהֵן מִכְּזִיב וְעַד הַנָּהָר וְעַד אֲמָנָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן אֲסוּרִין הַיּוֹם מִדְּרַבָּנָן בַּעֲבוֹדָה בִּשְׁבִיעִית שֶׁהֶחְמִירוּ בָּהֶן, הַסְּפִיחִין שֶׁצּוֹמְחִין שָׁם מֻתָּרִין בַּאֲכִילָה, אַחַר שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ בְּעוֹלֵי בָּבֶל. וּמִן הַנָּהָר וַאֲמָנָה וָהָלְאָה מֻתָּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה. סוּרְיָא, וְהוּא מִן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁכָּבַשׁ דָּוִד קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּכְבְּשָׁה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלָּהּ, וְזֶהוּ הַנִּקְרָא לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (רמב"ם תרומות א, ג ט) כִּבּוּשׁ יָחִיד, וְהָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת הִיא כְּנֶגֶד אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וַאֲרַם צוֹבָה כָּל יַד פְּרָת עַד בָּבֶל, כְּגוֹן דַּמֶּשֶׂק וְאַחְלָב וְחָרָן וּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים סְמוּכִין לָאֵלּוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין שְׁבִיעִית נוֹהֶגֶת בָּהֶן מִן הַתּוֹרָה, גָּזְרוּ בָּהֶן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אוֹתָן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת אֲסוּרִין בַּעֲבוֹדָה כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל (ידים ד ג) עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וּמִצְרַיִם וְשִׁנְעָר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן חַיָּבִין בְּמַעֲשֵׂר אֵין שְׁבִיעִית נוֹהֶגֶת בָּהֶן, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאֵין נוֹהֶגֶת בִּשְׁאָר חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְנָעַל כַּרְמוֹ אוֹ שָׂדֵהוּ בִּשְׁבִיעִית אוֹ אָסַף כָּל פֵּרוֹתָיו לְבֵיתוֹ בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַל אַדְמָתָן, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם מֻתָּר לֶאֱסֹף מֵהֶן מְעַט מְעַט לְבֵית לֶאֱכֹל, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁתְּהֵא יַד הַכֹּל שָׁוָה בָּהֶן כְּאִלּוּ אֵין לַקַּרְקַע בְּעָלִים יְדוּעִים.
And [it] is practiced by males and females in the Land of Israel only, at the time that [the people of] Israel is there - as it is stated about it (Leviticus 25:2), “When you come to the Land.” And it is practiced rabbinically even at this time, only in the Land. And any place (Mishnah Sheviit 5:1) that those [Jews] that came up from Babylonia controlled until Keziv — but not including Keziv — is included in the prohibition of work, and all of the aftergrowth that grows there is forbidden to eat. As [these Jews] sanctified the places that they controlled forever. But in the places that those [Jews] that came up from Egypt controlled, but not those that came up from Babylonia — which is from Keziv to the river and to Amanah — even though, since they were stringent about [it], they are rabbinically forbidden today regarding work on the seventh [year], [nonetheless] the aftergrowth that grows there is permissible to eat; as it was not sanctified by those that came up from Babylonia. And it is permissible even [for work] from the river and from Amanah and further. [With regards to] Syria, even though the seventh [year] is not practiced in it from Torah writ, they decreed that those places should be forbidden in work like the Land of Israel. And Syria is from the places that David conquered before all of the Land of Israel was conquered — and that is what our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, called the conquest of an individual (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Heave Offerings 1:3, 9). And that land corresponds to Aram Nehorayim and Aram Tsovah, all along the Euphrates to Babylonia, [including] such [places] as Damascus and Allepo and Charan and other places close to these. But the seventh [year] is not practiced in Ammon, Moav, Egypt and Shinnar, even though they are obligated in tithing (Mishnah Yadayim 4:3). And all the more so is it not practiced in the other places outside of the Land. And one who transgresses it and seals his vineyard or his field on the seventh [year] — or gathered all of his fruits into his house at the time that Israel is on their Land — has violated a positive commandment. And nonetheless it is permissible to gather from them to his house a little bit at a time to eat — so long as the hand of everyone is equal in them, as if there were no known owners to the land.