כִּ֤י לֹ֣א הֶ֭אֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א בָ֝טְח֗וּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃
װײַל זײ האָבן ניט געגלױבט אין גאָט, און זיך ניט פֿאַרזיכערט אױף זײַן הילף.
Kli Yakar
And according to this, it is proper that they should be exiled for the sin of [not observing] the sabbatical year, due to their lack of faith, for they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation (Psalms 78:22) that He would perform such a miracle for them in making the produce last for three years. And as it is written, Roam through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in its open places, if you can find a man, if there is one who executes judgment, who seeks faith, and I will pardon her (Jeremiah 5:1). The land itself is also very particular about this, because it desires that this merit should be brought about through it, to strengthen faith in God through it. Furthermore, through this they will believe that they are all merely sharecroppers on the land, and the Holy One, blessed be He, is the owner of the field. And in this matter, the land desires that the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself be its owner and master, for the land belongs to Him. And by annulling the sabbatical years, they act as if they are the owners of the land, so it is fitting that the land should be particular about this. Therefore it says, Then the land will be appeased regarding its sabbaths. But the land will not be particular if the gentiles treat it according to the natural way, because in any case, all their conduct is according to nature, and they have no faith. And after this introduction, we will come to explain the verses, for they are consistent with this true intention, about which there is no doubt.