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Sabbatical Years and the Year of Jubilee

Answered by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

Question

Why have the Jews stopped counting the sabbath years and the years of jubilee?

Answer

We lost count. 🙁

We actually do count the Sabbatical years – next year for instance is one.

However, this current counting is of Rabbinic origin as we are not sure of the years and the Torah-based Sabbatical laws only apply when the Temple is standing. By Rabbinic decree we observe it today in order not to forget how to do it when the Messianic era begins and we are fully restored to our Land.

Thanks for the question,
Rabbi Seinfeld

Follow-up question

Question

Many people have been teaching that this year 2007 is the year of release or the year of Jubilee, yet you mentioned that next year is actually the year of Jubilee. Can you please expound on this? Some taught that the year 5767 was a year to stake your claim in the land and coming out of old cycles.

Answer

There’s a difference between Sabbatical years and Jubilee years. Sabbatical years, every 7 years, are not for staking claims for land. These years are years when Jews are required to treat the land in particular and detailed ways. In Jubilee years, every 50 years, lands would return to the original owner. They were sold as a lease to the temporary owner. Jubilee is not in observance today.