5. Man is bound to bless God for evil, as he is bound to bless Him for good. For it is said, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”[33] “With all thy heart” means, with both thy inclinations, the evil as well as the good. “With all thy soul” means, even should He deprive thee of life; and “with all thy might” means with all thy wealth. Another opinion is, that “with all thy might” means whatever measure He metes out unto thee, do thou thank Him with thy entire might. No man is to be irreverent opposite the eastern gate of the Temple, for it is opposite the Holy of Holies. No man is to go on the mountain of the house with his staff, shoes, or purse, nor with dust on his feet, nor is he to make it a short cut, nor is he to spit at all. All the seals of the blessings in the sanctuary used to say, “from eternity.” But since the Epicureans perversely taught there is but one world, it was directed that man should say, “from eternity to eternity.” It was also directed that every man should greet his friend in THE NAME, as it is said, “And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord (be) with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee.”[34] And it is also said, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.”[35] And it is said, “Despise not thy mother when she is old.”[36] And it is also said, “(It is) time for (thee), Lord, to work, for they have made void thy law.”[37] R. Nathan says, “They have made void thy law because (it is) time for (thee), Lord, to work.”
On The Sabbatical Year
Ploughing—Gardening—Dunging—Removing Stones—Sowing—Cutting Down Trees—Fruits—Buying and Selling—Territory Included in the Sabbatical Year—Produce Governed by Its Laws—Debts and Payments.
Chapter I
1. “How long do men plough in a field with trees on the eve of the Sabbatical year?”[38] The school of Shammai say, “so long as it is useful for the fruit;” but the school of Hillel say, “till Pentecost,” and the words of the one are near to the words of the other.
2. “What is a field with trees?” “Three trees to every fifty cubits square, if they be fit to produce a heap of figs worth sixty Italian minas;[39] on their account men can legally plough the earth for the whole fifty cubits square around them. Less than for these they may not legally plough, save the extent of the gatherer of fruit with his basket outward.”
3. “Whether they be fruitless or fruitful?” “Men may regard them as though they were fig-trees.” “If they be fit to produce a heap of figs worth sixty Italian minas?” “On their account they may legally plough the whole fifty cubits square around them. Less than for these they may not plough, save what is absolutely needful.”