Midrash מִדְרָשׁ

Midrashim are ideas or stories that explain the Torah. They often come from listening very carefully to what the Torah says and how it says it. Here, we will look for what clues this midrash sees in the Torah's words, and try to understand its messages.

Shemittah, the year of release, happens every seven years, and yovel happens every seven shemittah cycles. Here’s a midrash that explores the importance of the number seven (Vayikra Rabbah 29:11):

כָּל הַשְּׁבִיעִין חֲבִיבִין לְעוֹלָם…

All sevens are extra beloved…

בַּדּוֹרוֹת שְׁבִיעִי חָבִיב: אָדָם, שֵׁת, אֱנוֹשׁ, קֵינָן, מַהַלַּלְאֵל, יֶרֶד, חֲנוֹךְ. וּכְתִיב (בראשית ה כד): "וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים."

Among the generations, the seventh is beloved: Adam, Shet, Enosh, Keinan, Mahalalel, Yered, and then Hanokh. And it is written (Bereishit 5:25): "Hanokh walked with God."

בָּאָבוֹת שְׁבִיעִי חָבִיב: אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק, וְיַעֲקֹב, לֵוִי, קְהָת, עַמְרָם, משֶׁה. וּכְתִיב (שמות יט, ג): "וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים."

Among our ancestors, the seventh is extra beloved: Avraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, Levi, Kehat, Amram, and then Moshe. And it is written (Shemot 19:3): "Moshe ascended to God."

בַּמְּלָכִים הַשְּׁבִיעִי חָבִיב: שָׁאוּל, אִישׁ בּשֶׁת, דָּוִד, שְׁלֹמֹה, רְחַבְעָם, אֲבִיָה, אָסָא. וּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב יד, י): "וַיִּקְרָא אָסָא אֶל יהוה."

Among the kings (of Israel), the seventh is beloved: Shaul, Ish-boshet, David, Shlomo, Rehavam, Aviyah, and then Asa. And it is written (Divrei Ha-Yamim Bet 14:10): "Asa called out to God."

בַּשָּׁנִים שְׁבִיעִי חָבִיב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג, יא): “וְהַשְּׁבִיעִית תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ.”

Among years, the seventh is beloved, as it says (Shemot 23:11): "But in the seventh (year), you shall let the land rest and leave it alone."

בַּשְּׁמִטִּין שְׁבִיעִי חָבִיב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה, י): "וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם אֵת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים."

Among shemittah cycles, the seventh is beloved, as it says (Vayikra 25:10): "And you shall make the fiftieth year holy."

בַּיָּמִים שְׁבִיעִי חָבִיב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב, ג): "וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי."

Among days, the seventh is beloved, as it says (Bereishit 2:3): "And God blessed the seventh day."

In addition to being on a cycle of seven, what do shemittah, yovel, and Shabbat have in common?

What was the common denominator between all the people who are the seventh in their lists? What does that teach us about what might be special about shemittah, yovel, and Shabbat?

Can you think of any other special sevens in the Torah?

Did you know that the Gemara (Megillah 14a) says there were seven נְבִיאוֹת (neviot, prophets who were women) in Tanakh? Here’s who they were.

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