Jubilee Year!

DEFINITION: A Jubilee is a time of celebration or rejoicing. It is defined in Leviticus 25:9 as "Yovel" in Hebrew, as the sabbatical year after seven cycles of seven years.

Now there is a great deal of scholarship and text study devoted to this topic in Judaism. Is it the 49th year or the 50th? The land should lay fallow, but how would one survive with out farming (or say working?) for two years? Did the ancient peoples really not work or farm for two years? Moreover, did they really perceive it as a time to give land of the wealth back and restructure, re-leveling the playing field? This is all a part of the Jewish holiness code or part of what was sent from God to Moses on Mount Sinai. There is much scholarship and back and forth as to when, how long, etc. But I want to focus on one more important idea and one tantalizing one.

1. Giving everything back. This is really am amazing idea. I wish, in fact I think we all wish we could just put everything back. Clean everything away and start a fresh. Of course, we all love our treasurers, but they are also a burden. Examples of both good and bad times. Things from people we no longer know. Friends lost. Dead family. Things also that remind of of good times had. Money hard earned. Victories. Celebrations. Perhaps releasing all these things - from the refrigerator to an old plate - would be liberating, cleansing. The ultimate recycling project.

2. Then we come to the other Jubilee idea - Not working. A year off? How could a family, or a society survive it? But we do. Certainly sabbaticals are a part of the teaching profession. I have seen the lasting benefits of this as experienced by colleagues. People come back rejuvenated and often inspired to pursue a new area or angle of teaching. I think, because teaching has such a high burn out rate, the sabbatical keeps more people in the profession. Finally, I believe other professions sport this idea, as well. After 50 years of life - 20 spent in school and another 20-25 spent working, a wee break seems appropriate.

Now I can't give all my things away (I believe my husband would object to the loss of the refrigerator) and I can't take a sabbatical (the University of Chicago bursar's office would object), but I am sure I can wrangle something. Perhaps I need to concoct something that aids with goals #1, 2, 3 and 4 (exercise, writing, Spanish and meditation.) Perhaps in stead of a sabbatical year, I could take a sabbatical summer (7 days times 7 weeks.) Moreover, how to get Dr. Joseph Gold involved.

Something to ponder...

DAYS TO 50: 431