Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

That we not gather the fruit of the trees in the seventh [year] in the manner that we gather them in every year: That we not gather that which the trees produce on the seventh year in the manner that people gather the fruit of their trees in other years. Instead, we must do so differently to show that it is all as if ownerless in this year. And this is the explanation of, “and the grapes of your vines you shall not reap” (Leviticus 25:5) — meaning, you should not reap in the way of the reapers. As so did the traditional explanation come about it. And [it is as] the Sages explained (Mishnah Sheviit 8:6), “From here they said that figs [grown during] the seventh [year] may not be cut off with a fig-cutter, but may be cut with a knife. Grapes [grown during the sabbatical year] may not be stomped in a wine press, but may be stomped in a kneading trough. And olives may not be processed in an olive press or a small olive press, but he may crush and put them in a very small olive press.”

And the understanding of “your vine,” (nezirekha, literally that which is separated of yours) is that you have separated and removed them from other people and you have not made them ownerless, [such that] you may not reap them until you make them ownerless. This is the view of Rashi (Rashi on Leviticus 25:5), may his memory be blessed; as he holds that the produce of one who guards his fields and his produce during the seventh [year] does not become forbidden. And so [too,] did he write in his commentary on Sukkah (Rashi on Sukkah 39b s.v. aval) and on Yevamot (Rashi on Yevamot 122a s.v. shel). And so is the thing learned — from Torah writ — with correct proofs.

And [regarding] that which the Sages said (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 1:3), “‘The grapes of your vine you shall not reap’ — from that which is watched on the land you shall not reap, [but you may reap from the ownerless”: To our opinion, we will explain this, “from that which is watched on the land you shall not reap,” [that it is] when it is still guarded that it is forbidden to reap from them, but not that the produce becomes forbidden through this. But Ramban (Ramban on Leviticus 25:5) explained “nezirekha” — meaning a vine that they did not work and did not prune. As he said that any vine that he does not prune and does not work is called like this. And the verse is stating that even an unworked vineyard cannot be reaped in the manner that we reap it in other years; and all the more so, a worked vineyard.

The root of this commandment is one with the commandment of the seventh [year] preceding it — behold, I wrote for you where is its place (Sefer HaChinukh 84). And there you will find in which place and at what time it is practiced. And all of the laws of these commandments are elucidated at length in the tractate that is built upon these matters, and it is Tractate Sheviit — may you merit to study and teach [it].