A Rosh Hashanah Seder for a Shmita Year
A ritual seder for use at Rosh Hashanah.
A piyut (liturgical poem) for Selichot for the advent of the Shmita year. This short piyut touches on these four themes related to Shmita: release of debts, the rights of the land, the rights of wild animals (who share our food during Shmita), and the freeing of slaves.
We suggest saying these blessings when you light the candles for Rosh Hashanah, for Yom Kippur, and for every Shabbat and Festival during the Shmita year. Some thoughts about why to do this and about changes in the brakhot: The reason to do this is to remain aware throughout the year of what a whole year of Shabbat Shabbaton and Shmita means — to stay both aware and active.
This coming Jewish year is a shmita – a sabbatical year. Traditionally, shmita is a time to rest, reflect, and recharge. At M², we have made a logistically complex and absolutely necessary decision to observe the month of Tishrei as a shmita month. HERE’S OUR GUIDE FOR HOW TO OBSERVE A SHMITA OF YOUR OWN.