Plan(T)ning For the Future

Shmita, a biblical commandment emphasizing rest and rejuvenation, is a time for reassessment, rebirth, renewal, and hope both spiritually and physically. My 8″x8″ acrylic on canvas painting entitled, “Plann(T)ing for the Future” depicts a farmer planting and planning for a better tomorrow. If a person tills the soil and plants, hopefully they will realize actualization, watch crops grow, bear fruit, and provide sustenance for humans and other living creatures. Shmita is part of that growth process which promotes a sabbatical every seven years when the farm owner shares his earth’s bounty with others who may be less fortunate and provides enhanced forgiveness. The Hebrew word for land, ארץ, can be separated into א and רץ. The א refers to “one” or “one G-d” and רץ is defined as “to run.” רץ, meaning to run or journey, refers to the godly journey of striving. If a person does not strive for betterment for themselves and others, they are less likely to grow well and thrive. People who take time to nurture themselves through Torah, study, and reflection, generally develop and mature in a healthier and more meaningful way. A human’s shmita or personal plowing, will help bear fruit of self-actualization and improvement. Israel is 60% desert and the remainder mostly arid land; therefore, farmers have long focused on agricultural efficacy. The farmer/water engineer in my painting represents Simcha Blass in 1930 as he began experimenting with drip irrigation to improve crop growth on farms in the Jordan Valley. It took thirty years of work, persistence, and shmita to accomplish the goal. Ultimately, he and his son developed the world’s first successful surface drip irrigation system helping feed people in Israel and, as is the essence of shmita, sharing their technology to help expand the world’s food supply and eradicate hunger worldwide.