Leviticus 25:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Cyril. In our faith as followers of Christ, we observe the Sabbath by finding rest from secular endeavors, liberated from earthly anxieties, and instead delighting in the Lord, as expressed in Scripture (Psalm 36:4). This is affirmed by God in the Book of Leviticus, where He speaks to the holy mystic Moses (Leviticus 25:2-10). Are you aware that the law permits you to till the soil, plant seeds, and tend to the vineyard only up to the seventh year? However, in that seventh year, it instructs us to relinquish our care for these matters. As Sabbath observants in Christ, we are consoled by letting go of earthly preoccupations and entirely distancing ourselves from worldly concerns.

Why does God prohibit planting during the seventh year? This directive serves as a consequence for the Israelites' insatiable greed. Their desire for more led them to sow the land ceaselessly, resulting in poorer yields due to the land's lack of rest. Therefore, God commanded that in the seventh year the land remain uncultivated, and He decreed that any crops that grew naturally ought not to be harvested or collected. This action was intended to teach a lesson to humanity, as it allowed widows, orphans, and foreigners to share in the earth's bounty. Additionally, this year was significant for another reason: it marked the cancellation of debts and the liberation of the Jewish people from bondage.