This week's Parasha talks about the Tochacha and the curses that come due to certain averot/sins. The Torah says clearly that the reason for the 70 years of Galut is because we didn't keep 70 years of Shemitta. The obvious question is, why such a severe punishment? Why were we sent into exile for not giving the land it's sabbatical? Why is that the punishment? Another question is that when the Torah describes Shemittah, it says the land will take a sabbatical for Hashem. Rashi this sabbatical is iShabbat, just like the Shabbat of Bereshit. The seventh year of Shemitta is like the seventh day of the week. Aside from the fact that they are both seven, what’s the connection? Rav Shmuel Berenbaum explains that the essence of Shabbat is to testify that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. So when we keep Shabbat, we are making a statement ( a non-verbal statement) that God controls the world. Rav Baruch Ber Liebowitz was once in America and saw a store that was closed on Shabbat. He went over to the lock on the door of the store and kissed the lock, explaining that the lock was testifying that God is the Boss. The owner of the store is not the owner of the store. God is the Boss. That’s what we say on Shabbat, and similarly in Shemitta. The reason we rest in the seventh year is because we're making a statement. It says, “ You can’t the sell the land forever, Ki Li Haaretz/because, God says, the land is mine. You're only sojourners, you're only tenants . God is the landlord. We are the tenant. That's what Shemitta says. So when someone doesn't keep Shemitta, what they’re saying is, “ I am the landlord.” Therefore, as he explains beautifully, if you didn't keep Shemitta, it’s like you said, “ I am the landlord. I'm not a tenant.” And how do I know If you're a landlord or a tenant? if you get thrown out of the apartment, then you're a tenant. And that's what happens when we don't keep Shemitta. That's why the 70 years of Galut are connected to Shemitta, and not Shaatnez or tefillin . There's something about not keeping Shemitta that brings upon the exile. Why is the punishment so severe- Worse than for all Mitzvot? We could ask the same question about Shabbat. Why is the punishment for not keeping Shabbat so severe? It says someone that is Mechalel Shabbat ( publicly, without any regard) is like a goy . If he touches the wine, the wine becomes yayin nesek and you have to spill it out. Why is Shabbat so severe? Why is Shemitta so severe? The answer is the same for both: Because the most important lesson of Creation is that we are not the boss. We have a Boss. That's the purpose of all Torah and all Mitzvot. And when you don't keep Shemitta or Shabbat, you’re saying that you’re the boss. Conversely, when we do keep Shabbat and we do keep Shemitta, we're announcing that we believe Hashem is the Boss. And when we say that Hashem is the Boss, then there's no need for the landlord to show us who's boss. He doesn't have to come and throw you out of the apartment because you yourself know who is in charge. B’Ezrat Hashem, we will strengthen our Shemirat Shabbat, and we will strengthen these messages of understanding who is the Boss, who is the Landlord, and who is the tenant. Have a Shabbat Shalom.