The watchmaker

Say you had a watch that broke, and you had two choices where to go to have it fixed.  One is a very handy watchmaker with a good name and a fancy shop.  The other is the creator of the watch himself.  The watchmaker may succeed or not. The maker of the watch, on the other hand, knows exactly what the watch needs and how to fix it.  H'shem created you; he knows what you need and what you lack.  Do not make the mistake of looking elsewhere to put your trust. 

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8 Pruning/Caring for Plants One of the Torah melachos forbidden during Shemittah is pruning a grapevine. This involves cutting away excess shoots at the beginning of the season in order to concentrate the nourishment being provided by the ground toward particular branches, allowing them to produce better fruits. Rabbinic melachos similar to pruning are anything done to help an already existent plant grow better. This includes watering, pruning other types of trees, trimming or thinning out branches, applying pesticides and liquid fertilizer, covering trees to protect them from the elements, and weeding.  As discussed in an earlier article, these Rabbinic melachos may be done to the extent necessary to save the plant from ruin. Plants may be watered when the top layer of soil feels dry; it is not necessary to wait until the plant itself begins to dry out. In regard to pruning, note, that in most circumstances no damage will occur to a plant if it is not pruned for a year. Houseplants The guidelines of cultivating and caring for plants growing outside are also relevant to plants growing in planters and flowerpots; Torah melachos may never be done during Shemittah, and Rabbinic melachos may only be done when necessary to save the plant from ruin. And, these planters and flowerpots may be moved from one outdoor location to another. Regarding potted plants growing indoors, some authorities rule that the laws of Shemittah only apply to plants growing outdoors, meaning that there is no restriction on caring for or moving, indoor plants. Other authorities disagree and maintain that Shemittah does apply to plants growing within a building. However, this latter position agrees that one may act leniently with an indoor potted plant which is one that the Halachah views as entirely detached from the ground, that is, it does not derive benefit from the ground below. This is a plant growing in a planter without holes, under conditions in which no part of the plant, including the overhanging branches and leaves, is directly above the ground (for example if the planter is on a tray). All agree that during Shemittah this plant may be cared for, and watered, as usual. Note, that almost all flowerpots and planters have holes on the bottom, to drain excess water from the soil. To care for this potted plant according to all opinions, one may before Shemittah put a metal or hard plastic tray, a sheet of aluminum foil, underneath it (and, if the plant is on the ground floor of the building, also under its overhanging leaves and branches) to create a separation between the plant and the ground, and leave it like this throughout the year. All agree that during Shemittah a potted plant may not be moved from an indoor location and repositioned in an outdoor location.