Hashem's Promise will be fulfilled in its entirety
"Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you" (Bereishit 12:1)
Rashi writes on the words "go for yourself": For your own benefit and for your own good. What is this benefit? "And I will make of you a great nation"; here you will not merit the privilege of having children and there you will, and there you will also become famous.
The commentators write that the words לך לך, go for yourself, have a numerical value of one hundred. When Hashem promised Avraham that he would have children, he was seventy-five years old. Yet this promise was fulfilled only when he reached the age of one hundred, twenty-five years after the promise! This was a not simple test; Avraham and Sara were old and longed for a child and finally they are told they would merit a son. But one year passes, and another year, and they are still waiting. Nevertheless, Avraham does not entertain thoughts about Hashem's ways and does not ask questions about the promise. Only twenty-five years later do they merit salvation when their son Yitzchak is born.
This serves as a lesson for those who come to ask for a blessing for salvation, whether for children or livelihood or any other matter. Often people want to see the fulfillment of the verse "before they call I will answer!" They are not capable of waiting and wish an immediate answer to their prayers. Of course this is not the correct attitude. We see how Avraham waited for twenty-five years, displaying great patience until he merited a child. He had no doubt that Hashem's promise would be fulfilled in its entirety – if not now then sometime in the future, for Hashem knows the most auspicious time to fulfil a petitioner's request.
This is why we conclude the first blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei prayer with the words "Shield of Avraham." Avraham was the example of complete faith in the Creator and cleaved to Him with all his heart because he believed He would watch over him and protect him from any mishap. We mention this in the prayer so we should remember Avraham and learn from his deeds. May it be His will that we indeed merit following in his footsteps.
Shemittah Laws
1. During Shemittah one may not clear a field, neither of big or small stones, whether in one's own field or that of a friend, since this is considered to be preparing the land for sowing and planting.
2. If, for example, one requires the stones for construction and one's intention is not for agricultural purposes, one should remove only the top layer of stones, leaving in the earth those stones that are attached to the ground. In this way it will be clear that one's intention is not for agricultural purposes.
3. However, a contractor who erects buildings may take all the stones and does not need to leave the bottom layer, since his profession is proof of the fact that his goal is to use the stones. Even today when it is no longer routine to take stones from a field for building purposes, rather one uses stones hewn from a mountain quarry, he may still remove stones from a field.
4. One may remove stones from a parking lot, playground, path or similar expanse. Similarly, it is customary to weed wild grass that grows in gardens and empty lots so it should not serve as a hideout for snakes, or in order to prevent fires. This may be done during Shemittah but one should not uproot them with their roots. Rather one should only cut off what lies above the ground. If for some reason one does have to remove the roots, one should do so by hand and not with a hoe.
5. Taking stones from a fence that is higher than ten tefachim: If the fence is made up of more than ten stones, each weighing the equivalent of two human beings, one may remove them. If the fence is lower than ten tefachim, contains less than ten stones, or is made up of small stones that weigh less than two people, one may take them all besides the lowest tefach. When taking stones for building purposes, it must be clear that one's intention is not to benefit the land, for example he can be seen taking the stones to a nearby building site. In absence of this condition it would be prohibited on account of mar'at ayin.
6. It is common practice to gather small twigs and straw for barbecuing in a garden or forest. This is permissible during Shemittah. There is no need to fear that one will be suspected of gathering the twigs for the sake of improving the land, since the barbecue is proof that one's intention is to light a fire.
For any questions in practical application of these halachot, please consult a rabbinical authority.
