About This Text
Composed: Talmudic Israel, c.190 – c.230 CE
Sheviit (“Seventh”) is a tractate in Seder Zeraim (“Order of Seeds”). It discusses the biblically-mandated seventh year of the agricultural cycle, known as the Shemitah year, when working the land is prohibited, produce that grows on the land takes on a sacred status, and debts are forgiven. The tractate’s ten chapters address details such as types of prohibited agricultural practices, timelines of prohibitions, and the places in which Shemitah applies.