The Torah (25:6) says, לכם הארץ שבת והיתה עמך הגרים ולתושבים ולשכירך ולאמתך ולעבדך לך ,לאכלה, "You may eat from the produce that grows in the seventh year; you, your slaves, maidservants, workers, and the people who live with you in your land." Rashi explains, בה שוין יהיה הכל, “everyone is equal in it.” This means no one can act like an owner of the crops. They are hefker. Whoever wants can come into the field and pick some fruit to eat.
The Chinuch (Mitzvah 84) writes, "Hashem commanded us to be mafkir whatever grows that year...so that people should remember that when the field yields produce...it isn't the earth that has the power to produce fruit. Rather, there is a Master over the earth and the people. And when He wants, He commands us to be mafkir the field."
Most people think the earth has the energy to bring forth produce. They believe nature has strength, chalilah. The Chinuch clarifies that without Hashem's help and Hashem's decree, nothing would grow. A clod of earth cannot produce anything on its own. The mitzvah to be mafkir the produce helps us remember that it didn't happen on its own, and therefore, Hashem is the Creator of the produce, and we must follow His rules.
And the truth is that no rational explanation exists to explain how food grows from the earth. Think about it: A wheat kernel rots in the ground, and then, without any ingredients other than rain and sunlight, the seed grows and develops. It becomes a tall wheat stalk, carrying many wheat kernels, each with the potential to produce many more wheat stalks. Isn't this wondrous? How do water, sun, and soil achieve that? Scientists can explain several aspects of how things grow, but most of the process remains a mystery. And even if scientists knew a hundred times more than they know today, they still wouldn't understand how things grow because it is a miracle. As the Chinuch writes, "It isn't that the earth has the strength or the segulah to give forth fruit. Rather, there is a Master over the earth..."
Therefore, when you grab a juicy fruit, and you are about to recite a borei pri ha'eitz, or when a dish of delicious food is placed before you, realize you are staring at a miracle. Nature couldn't create this without Hashem.
But we don't recognize the miracle because we are so accustomed to seeing it. The Chasam Sofer zt'l (אתכם ולקחתי ה"ד וארא) writes that the Yidden who left Mitzrayim knew, since their youth, that grain and fruit grow out of the earth. Therefore, when they saw the manna raining down from heaven, they couldn't contain their excitement. "Food is falling from heaven!" they shouted. "We never saw anything like it before!"
But what about the children born in the desert? They didn't consider the manna a miracle because they were accustomed to it from their youth. On the contrary, they were amazed when they entered Eretz Yisrael and saw food growing out of the earth. "Food is growing from the earth!" they shouted excitedly. "Who would imagine such a thing? How great is Your creation, Hashem!"
The Chovas HaLevavos (Cheshbon HaNefesh 3:23) discusses the wonders in the creation and writes, "Although you see these wonders all the time...and you know what to expect, don't let this detract from the immense wonderment you should have when you see them... People are amazed when they see new wonders that they aren't accustomed to, but much less so when they see the sun and the moon, rain falling and winds blowing, and other phenomena they are accustomed to seeing. They marvel at the wonders of creation when they see the mighty ocean with its tremendous waves, storms, and many fish [because they aren't accustomed to these miracles]. But they aren't shocked when they see rivers and brooks flowing nonstop. There are many other examples. Therefore, my brother, think about everything Hashem created. Think about the aspects of creation that are new to you and those you are accustomed to. Don't be foolish and ignore the wonders you are accustomed to seeing. Now that you are older and your intelligence has developed, it is proper that you should think about creation as though you never saw it before. Imagine that you were blind until today, seeing these wonders for the first time... Do so, and you will appreciate the Creator's wonders... As a scholar said, 'The wise have eyes and see what fools don't.'"
