3,793. The Transmitted Tradition Regarding Shemittah and Yoveil

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 10:5

All of the Geonim said that they received a transmitted tradition that during the seventy years from the destruction of the First Temple until the building of the Second Temple they only counted shemittah and not yoveil. Similarly, they didn’t count yoveil after the destruction of the Second Temple (henceforth referred to as the Churban). Rather, they only counted groups of seven years from the start of the year of the Churban. We also see from the gemara in Avodah Zarah (9b) that we have received such a tradition.

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 10:6

The year of shemittah is common knowledge among the Geonim and the residents of Israel; none of them make any calculation in this matter except based on the years since the Churban. Based on this method, the Rambam’s current year, which was year 1107 from the Churban, was the year after shemittah. We rely on this tradition and rule based on it when it comes to tithes, shemittah and the cancellation of loans. This is because traditions and actions are great pillars in matters of law, upon which it is appropriate to rely.