Sheviis 4:3-4

Sheviis 4:3

Land that has just been plowed may be rented from a non-Jew in the sabbatical year but not from a Jew. If one sees non-Jews working their field in the sabbatical, he may wish them success, but not Jews (as this would be encouraging them in a transgression). One should greet non-Jews at all times in order to promote peaceful relations.

Sheviis 4:4

If one needs to thin out olive trees that are growing too close together during the sabbatical year, Beis Shammai say he may cut the trees to the root. Beis Hillel permits one to uproot the trees altogether but if he is leveling, then he may only cut to the roots. Thinning out means one or two trees, leveling means three adjacent trees. All this applies in one’s own field; in a neighbor’s field, one may uproot trees even when leveling.