On Sunday, eight members of the nascent Sanhedrin appeared in Jerusalem near the Temple Mount to bless the new year in the Jubilee cycle. When Rosh Hashana ended, it was time for Jews to count the tenth year of the Jubilee cycle. The blessing and the count are as follows:

.ברוך אתה יי אלוהינו מלך העולם אשר קידשנו במיצותיו וצונו על ספירת שמיטים ויובלות

Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-olam, Asher Kidshanu B’Mitsvotav, V’Tsivanu Al Sfirat Shemittim v’Yovalot.

Blessed art thou, Ruler of the Universe, who sanctifies us in his commandments, and has commanded us to count the sabbaticals and the Jubilees.

השנה הזאת היא השנה עֲשִׂירִית ליובל הראשון והשנה שְׁלִישִׁית לשמיטה ראשונה ביובל הראשון

Hashana HaZot Hee Hashanna Hachamisha La’Yovel Harishon v’Hashanna Hashnia LaShmitta Rishon Bayovel Harishon.

This year is the tenth year of the first Jubilee, which is one ‘week’ and three years for the first sabbatical in the first Jubilee.

The Shemitah is part of a larger framework of seven Shemitah (sabbatical) cycles, in which we count 49 years, and then the 50th year is the Jubilee year, as described in Leviticus.

And you shall hallow the fiftieth year. You shall proclaim release throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: each of you shall return to his holding and each of you shall return to his family. Leviticus 25:10

In Judaism, it is a positive religious commandment “to sanctify the 50th year” (Leviticus 25:8). In actual practice, the Biblically-mandated requirement to observe the Jubilee year was disrupted when the 10 Tribes were exiled approximately 2,700 years ago. Prior to that time, the Jews were careful about counting the cycles leading to the Jubilee year. They observed all the Biblical requirements of the Jubilee year, including freeing slaves and returning property to its original owner.

The Jubilee year is observed only when all of the Nation of Israel is in the Land of Israel. Therefore, when the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, since many chose to remain in the Diaspora, the Jubilee was not observed. For the same reason, the Jubilee was not observed in modern Israel.

This all changed in 2016 when the Sanhedrin ruled that the conditions for counting the Jubilee existed. 

When Rosh Hashana ended, it was time for Jews to count the fifth year of the Jubilee cycle. The Jubilee can still be counted. The blessing and the count are as follows:

Observance of the Jubilee is dependent upon most of Israel being in the land of Israel. There are 5 mitzvot connected to the Jubilee: counting the Jubilee, letting free slaves, returning land, blowing the shofar, and forgiving debts.

On the Jubilee, the shofar of an ibex is blown to announce freedom to the land. An ibex represents freedom, because of the character of the ibex itself, running free in the mountains. The Jerusalem Talmud says that you blow a shofar from a rare animal to announce freedom, which is a rare and wonderful thing.

To begin counting the Jubilee in 2018, the Sanhedrin, as a bet din (rabbinic court), ruled that the Jews have returned to inherit the land as a nation and not just as individuals. This requires at least 600,000 Jews, equal to the number of Israelites that returned to Israel from Egypt under Joshua.

It is interesting to note that despite the actions of the Jews determining the initiation of the Shemitah year, the first Shemitah year was a multiple of seven since the creation of the world, according to the Jewish calendar. The year after the destruction of the Second Temple, 3829, was also known to be a Shemitah year, 547 seven-year cycles since the world’s creation. The current Hebrew year is 5780; precisely 825 Shemitah cycles plus five years.

According to Jewish tradition, re-establishing the Biblically-mandated Jubilee year is part of the messianic process.

“On that day, will I raise up the fallen booth (Sukkah) of David.” Amos 9:11

This verse comes in the context of a prophecy about God bringing the nation of Israel back from exile among the nations. Amidst descriptions of the days preceding the Messiah, the Babylonian Talmud in the Tractate of Sanhedrin, 97a, explains the verse from Amos and its implications.

“As it is written, in that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen. Our Rabbis taught: in the seven-year cycle at the end of which the son of David will come-in the first year, this verse will be fulfilled.”