“Our mastery and possession of creatures and objects is always provisional and limited by the broader guidelines of our creatureliness.” This parashah is known in

“What does it take to build a society that will long endure on the land?”  The highlight of this week’s parasha, the Decalogue, begins with

“This is the strongest lesson of shmita, that the non-human world around and within us is filled with its own intelligence, and its own Torah.”

“The plague of darkness evokes imagery of desperation, fear, and of dark times. It is the plague, perhaps, that most echoes the time we live

Shemitah and jubilee ensure that Israeli society will be protective of the weak, combating wage gaps and building a redeemed economy. If it worked with

We must temper using our own resources to satisfy our individual human desires in recognition of our responsibility to preserve our Earth for the benefit

“From both the story of Joseph and the practice of Shmita, we learn that the earth, if respected, is capable of producing adequate food. Hunger

“Therein lies a basic lesson of Shmita: You can’t deprive other people or the land of their freedom in order to preserve your own.” The

“So whether you wear a coat of many colors or a simple shift when you glean, shmita is a reminder that we are all the

“When you finally slow down for the shmita year, don’t be surprised if there is confrontation waiting for you to wrestle with. If you see

“In order to effectively combat climate change and live more sustainably, our attitude must be mutzav artza, firmly grounded in the land.” This week’s Torah