| 1God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר: |
| בְּהַר סִינַי - At Mount Sinai. What connection does the sabbatical year share with Mount Sinai, that Scripture expressly states that its laws were given there? Surely all the commandments were stated at Sinai! This statement only is meant to teach us that just as with regard to the sabbatical year, its general rules, specifications, and nuances were all stated at Sinai, so too were the general rules and nuances of all the other commandments stated at Sinai. So is stated in Torat Kohanim, and it appears to me that this is its explanation: Since we do not find that the laws of withdrawal from working the ground during the seventh year are repeated at the plains of Moab in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy), we can already infer that its general rules and details were all stated at Sinai. Scripture, by adding the point here, comes to teach us regarding every commandment that was spoken to Moses, that their general rules along with their nuances were all stated at Sinai (either on Mount Sinai itself, or from the Tent of Meeting while the Israelites were camped in the Sinai desert), and they were repeated again at the plains of Moab. |
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בְּהַר סִינַי.
מָה עִנְיַן שְׁמִטָּה אֵצֶל הַר סִינַי? וַהֲלֹא כָל הַמִּצְוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ מִסִּינַי? אֶלָּא מַה שְּׁמִטָּה נֶאֶמְרוּ כְלָלוֹתֶיהָ וּפְרָטוֹתֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ מִסִּינַי אַף כֻּלָּן נֶאֶמְרוּ כְלָלוֹתֵיהֶן וְדִקְדּוּקֵיהֶן מִסִּינַי, כָּךְ שְׁנוּיָה בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים; וְנִרְאֶה לִי שֶׁכָּךְ פֵּרוּשָׁהּ: לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ שְׁמִטַּת קַרְקָעוֹת שֶׁנִּשְׁנֵית בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב בְּמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁכְּלָלוֹתֶיהָ וּפְרָטוֹתֶיהָ כֻּלָּן נֶאֶמְרוּ מִסִּינַי, וּבָא הַכָּתוּב וְלִמֵּד כָּאן עַל כָּל דִּבּוּר שֶׁנִּדְבַּר לְמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁמִּסִּינַי הָיוּ כֻלָּם, כְּלָלוֹתֵיהֶן וְדִקְדּוּקֵיהֶן, וְחָזְרוּ וְנִשְׁנוּ בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב:
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| 2“Speak to the Israelites. You must say to them: ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land must rest an agricultural Sabbath in honor of God. |
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בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֨אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָֽׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָֽה: |
| שַׁבָּת לה' - A Sabbath in honor of God - the superfluous word “Sabbath” indicates that this rest be dedicated to God in acknowledgment of the fact that He created the world, just as it says regarding the Sabbath of Creation. |
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שַׁבָּת לה'.
לְשֵׁם ה', כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּשַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית (עי' ספרא):
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| 3You may sow your field for six years, and you may prune your vineyard for six years, gathering in the land’s produce, |
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גשֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֖ אֶת־תְּבֽוּאָתָֽהּ: |
| 4but in the seventh year, the land must be given a complete rest; this is its Sabbath in honor of God. You must not sow your field, nor may you prune your vineyard. |
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דוּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗ת שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה שָֽׂדְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִזְרָ֔ע וְכַרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִזְמֹֽר: |
| יִֽהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ - There must be [complete rest] for the land - i.e., for fields and vineyards. |
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יִֽהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ.
לַשָּׂדוֹת וְלַכְּרָמִים:
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| לֹא תִזְמֹֽר - Nor may you prune - this is the act of cutting down its branches. Onkelos translates it as לָא תִכְסָח “do not cut off,” and similar to this is: קוֹצִים כְּסוּחִים “severed thorns”; and שְׂרֻפָה בָאֵשׁ כְּסוּחָה “it is burned in fire and cut down.” |
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לֹא תִזְמֹֽר.
שֶׁקּוֹצְצִין זְמוֹרוֹתֶיהָ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ לָא תִכְסָח, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "קוֹצִים כְּסוּחִים" (ישעיהו ל"ג), "שְֹרֻפָה בָאֵשׁ כְּסוּחָה" (תהילים פ'):
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| 5You may not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest, and you may not pick the grapes that you have set aside. It must be a year of rest for the land. |
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האֵ֣ת סְפִ֤יחַ קְצִֽירְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תִקְצ֔וֹר וְאֶת־עִנְּבֵ֥י נְזִירֶ֖ךָ לֹ֣א תִבְצֹ֑ר שְׁנַ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָאָֽרֶץ: |
| אֵת סְפִיחַ קְצִֽירְךָ - The aftergrowth of your harvest - i.e., even if you did not sow it, but it grew on its own from the seed that fell during the previous harvest: this is what is called סָפִיחַ. |
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אֵת סְפִיחַ קְצִֽירְךָ.
אֲפִלּוּ לֹא זְרַעְתָּהּ וְהִיא צָמְחָה מִן הַזֶּרַע שֶׁנָּפַל בָּהּ בְּעֵת הַקָּצִיר וְהוּא קָרוּי סָפִיחַ:
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| לֹא תִקְצוֹר - You may not reap - to assume ownership over it like your usual harvest; rather, it must be made ownerless, for all to take. |
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לֹא תִקְצוֹר.
לִהְיוֹת מַחֲזִיק בּוֹ כִּשְׁאָר קָצִיר, אֶלָּא הֶפְקֵר יִהְיֶה לַכֹּל:
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| נְזִירֶךָ - means: that you have restricted and separated other people from them, not having made them ownerless – |
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נְזִירֶךָ.
שֶׁהִנְזַרְתָּ וְהִפְרַשְׁתָּ בְנֵי אָדָם מֵהֶם וְלֹא הִפְקַרְתָּם:
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| לֹא תִבְצֹר - You may not pick. You may not pick those, but only what was made ownerless. |
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לֹא תִבְצֹר.
אוֹתָם אֵינְךָ בוֹצֵר, אֶלָּא מִן הַמֻּפְקָר:
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| 6The produce that grows during the Sabbath of the land will be yours to eat: for you, for your bondmen and bondwomen, as well as for your hired worker and resident alien who live with you. |
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ווְהָֽיְתָ֠ה שַׁבַּ֨ת הָאָ֤רֶץ לָכֶם֙ לְאָכְלָ֔ה לְךָ֖ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וְלַֽאֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ֙ וּלְתוֹשָׁ֣בְךָ֔ הַגָּרִ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ: |
| וְהָֽיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ וגו' - The Sabbath of the land will be…. i.e., even though I made the produce “forbidden” to you, I did not forbid eating it or deriving benefit from it, just that you not conduct yourself as if you are its sole owner; rather, everyone must be equal with regard to it: you, your hired worker, and your resident alien. |
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וְהָֽיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ וגו'.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲסַרְתִּים עָלֶיךָ, לֹא בַאֲכִילָה וְלֹא בַּהֲנָאָה אֲסַרְתִּים, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא תִנְהֹג בָהֶם כְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל יִהְיוּ שָׁוִים בָּהּ, אַתָּה וּשְׂכִירְךָ וְתוֹשָׁבְךָ:
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| שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה - The Sabbath of the land…yours to eat. this means that you may eat from that which has rested, but you may not eat from that which was kept in your possession contrary to the laws of the sabbatical years. |
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שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה.
מִן הַשָּׁבוּת אַתָּה אוֹכֵל, וְאִי אַתָּה אוֹכֵל מִן הַשָּׁמוּר (ספרא):
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| לְךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ וְלַֽאֲמָתֶךָ - For you, for your bondmen and bondwomen. Since it says: “the needy among your people may eat,” I might have thought that it is prohibited for rich people to eat. Scripture therefore states: “for you, for your bondmen and bondwomen” – the owner along with his bondmen and bondwomen are all mentioned here. |
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לְךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ וְלַֽאֲמָתֶךָ.
לְפִי שֶׁנֶאֱמַר וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ (שמות כ"ג), יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ אֲסוּרִים בַּאֲכִילָה לָעֲשִׁירִים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לְךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ וְלַאֲמָתֶךָ, הֲרֵי בְעָלִים וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת אֲמוּרִים כָּאן (ספרא):
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| וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ וּלְתוֹשָׁבְךָ - As well as for your hired worker and resident alien - even non-Jews. |
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וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ וּלְתוֹשָׁבְךָ.
אַף הַגּוֹיִם (שם):
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| 7All of its produce must be made available to eat for your domestic animals and for the undomesticated animals that are in your land. |
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זוְלִ֨בְהֶמְתְּךָ֔ וְלַֽחַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאַרְצֶ֑ךָ תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה כָל־תְּבֽוּאָתָ֖הּ לֶֽאֱכֹֽל: |
| וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ וְלַֽחַיָּה - For your domestic animals and for the undomesticated animals. If an undomesticated animal may eat it, all the more so a domestic animal, since its sustenance is your responsibility! Why then does Scripture need to state: “for your domestic animals”? To compare a domestic animal to an undomestic animal: as long as an undomestic animal can eat a type of produce from the field, you may give your domestic animal to eat from that type of produce in the house, but once it is no longer available for undomestic animals in the field, remove what you have stored for your domestic animal from the house and declare it ownerless. |
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וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ וְלַֽחַיָּה.
אִם חַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת, בְּהֵמָה לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁמְּזוֹנוֹתֶיהָ עָלֶיךָ, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ? מַקִּישׁ בְּהֵמָה לַחַיָּה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁחַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת מִן הַשָּׂדֶה, הַאֲכֵל לִבְהֶמְתְּךָ מִן הַבַּיִת, כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה, כַּלֵּה לִבְהֶמְתְּךָ מִן הַבַּיִת (שם; תענית ו'):
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| 8You must count for yourself seven sabbatical cycles, i.e., seven years seven times. The time-period of these seven sabbatical cycles will thus amount to 49 years. |
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חוְסָֽפַרְתָּ֣ לְךָ֗ שֶׁ֚בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת שָׁנִ֔ים שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֑ים וְהָי֣וּ לְךָ֗ יְמֵי֙ שֶׁ֚בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת הַשָּׁנִ֔ים תֵּ֥שַׁע וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה: |
| שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים - means sabbatical years. I might think that this means that one must make seven consecutive sabbatical years and observe the Jubilee year following them. Scripture therefore states: “seven years seven times” – i.e., each sabbatical year at its proper time. |
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שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים.
שְׁמִטּוֹת שָׁנִים, יָכוֹל יַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים רְצוּפוֹת שְׁמִטָּה וְיַעֲשֶׂה יוֹבֵל אַחֲרֵיהֶם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר כָּל שְׁמִטָּה וּשְׁמִטָּה בִּזְמַנָּהּ (ספרא):
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| וְהָיוּ לְךָ יְמֵי שֶׁבַע וגו' - The time-period of these seven [sabbatical cycles] will [thus] amount to… This tells you that even if you did not observe the sabbatical years, observe the Jubilee year at the end of 49 years nevertheless. But the straightforward meaning of the verse is: The sum of the sabbatical-year cycles will equal 49. |
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וְהָיוּ לְךָ יְמֵי שֶׁבַע וגו'.
מַגִּיד לְךָ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָשִׂיתָ שְׁמִטּוֹת, עֲשֵׂה יוֹבֵל לְסוֹף מ"ט שָׁנָה; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא: יַעֲלֶה לְךָ חֶשְׁבּוֹן שְׁנוֹת הַשְּׁמִטּוֹת לְמִסְפַּר מ"ט:
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| 9You must announce the 50th year by means of shofar blasts: In the seventh month, on the 10th of that month, i.e., on the Day of Atonement, you must announce this year by sounding the shofar throughout your land. |
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טוְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֞ שׁוֹפַ֤ר תְּרוּעָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִעִ֔י בֶּֽעָשׂ֖וֹר לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּיוֹם֙ הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים תַּֽעֲבִ֥ירוּ שׁוֹפָ֖ר בְּכָל־אַרְצְכֶֽם: |
| וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ - This term is used here in the same sense as: “Moses gave the order to announce (וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל) in the camp,” denoting proclamation. |
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וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ.
לְשׁוֹן "וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בַּמַּחֲנֶה" (שמות ל"ו), לְשׁוֹן הַכְרָזָה (ראש השנה ל"ד):
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| בְּיוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים - On the Day of Atonement. From the fact that it says: “on the Day of Atonement,” do I not know that it is on the 10th of the month? Why then does it say: בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ “on the 10th of that month”? The additional words are only meant to tell you that blowing the shofar on the 10th of the month overrides the Sabbath throughout your land, but blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah does not override the Sabbath throughout the land, but only in the court. |
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בְּיוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים.
מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ? אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ? אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ, תְּקִיעָה בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ דּוֹחָה שַׁבָּת בְּכָל אַרְצְכֶם, וְאֵין תְּקִיעַת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה דּוֹחָה שַׁבָּת בְּכָל אַרְצְכֶם אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין בִּלְבָד (ספרא):
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| 10You must sanctify the 50th year. You must proclaim freedom throughout the land for all those bondservants who live in it. You must designate this year as the Jubilee. Each of you must return to his landed property, and each of you must return to his family. |
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יוְקִדַּשְׁתֶּ֗ם אֵ֣ת שְׁנַ֤ת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּקְרָאתֶ֥ם דְּר֛וֹר בָּאָ֖רֶץ לְכָל־יֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָ יוֹבֵ֥ל הִוא֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְשַׁבְתֶּ֗ם אִ֚ישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּת֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ: |
| וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם - You must sanctify - i.e., when it begins, they sanctify it in the court by saying: “This year is sanctified.” |
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וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם.
בִּכְנִיסָתָהּ מְקַדְּשִׁין אוֹתָהּ בְּבֵית דִּין, וְאוֹמְרִים מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת הַשָּׁנָה (ראש השנה כ"ד):
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| וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר - You must proclaim freedom - for bondservants, whether one who had his ear pierced, or whose original term of six years of service has not yet finished since he was sold. Rabbi Yehudah said: What is the sense of the term דְּרוֹר? כִּמְדַיַּר בֵּי דְיָרָא “Like one who dwells in any dwelling” – i.e., who dwells wherever he wishes, and is not under the authority of others. |
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וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר.
לָעֲבָדִים, בֵּין נִרְצַע בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא כָלוּ לוֹ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים מִשֶּׁנִּמְכַּר: אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן דְּרוֹר? כִּמְדַיַּר בֵּי דַיְרָא וְכוּ' — שֶׁדָּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה וְאֵינוֹ בִרְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים (ספרא; ראש השנה ט'):
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| יוֹבֵל הִוא - (lit.) It is the Jubilee. This year is set apart from other years by having a unique name. And what is its name? It is named יוֹבֵל after the shofar blown to announce it. |
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יוֹבֵל הִוא.
שָׁנָה זֹאת מֻבְדֶּלֶת מִשְּׁאָר שָׁנִים בִּנְקִיבַת שֵׁם לָהּ לְבַדָּהּ, וּמַה שְּׁמָהּ? יוֹבֵל שְׁמָהּ, עַל שֵׁם תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר:
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| וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתוֹ - Each of you must return to his landed property - i.e., purchased fields return to their original owners. |
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וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתוֹ.
שֶׁהַשָּׂדוֹת חוֹזְרוֹת לְבַעְלֵיהֶן:
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| וְאִישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ - And each man of you must return to his family. This is added to include the bondman who had his ear pierced. |
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וְאִישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ.
לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַנִּרְצָע (קידושין ט"ו):
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| 11You must treat the 50th year as the Jubilee. You must not sow your fields. You may not reap its aftergrowth, and you may not pick the grapes that you had set aside. |
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יאיוֹבֵ֣ל הִ֗וא שְׁנַ֛ת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִזְרָ֔עוּ וְלֹ֤א תִקְצְרוּ֙ אֶת־סְפִיחֶ֔יהָ וְלֹ֥א תִבְצְר֖וּ אֶת־נְזִרֶֽיהָ: |
| יוֹבֵל הִוא שְׁנַת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה - [You must treat] the 50th year as the Jubilee. Why does Scripture state this? Since it says: וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם “You must sanctify the 50th year…,” as stated in Rosh Hashanah and in Torat Kohanim. |
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יוֹבֵל הִוא שְׁנַת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה.
מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם וְגוֹ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (דף ח') וּבְתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים:
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| אֶת־נְזִרֶֽיהָ - That you had set aside - i.e., the guarded grapes. But you may gather those that were made ownerless. Just as this is stated regarding the seventh year, so it is stated regarding the Jubilee year. Thus, in each 50-year cycle, two sanctified years are found to be consecutive: the 49th year, being a sabbatical year, and the 50th year, being the Jubilee. |
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אֶת־נְזִרֶֽיהָ.
אֶת הָעֲנָבִים הַמְשֻׁמָּרִים, אֲבָל בּוֹצֵר אַתָּה מִן הַמֻּפְקָרִים; כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּשְּׁבִיעִית כָּךְ נֶאֱמַר בַּיּוֹבֵל, נִמְצְאוּ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים קְדוֹשׁוֹת סְמוּכוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ — שְׁנַת מ"ט שְׁמִטָּה, וּשְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים יוֹבֵל:
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| 12It is the Jubilee year. It remains holy for you. You may eat its produce from the field. |
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יבכִּ֚י יוֹבֵ֣ל הִ֔וא קֹ֖דֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם מִ֨ן־הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה תֹּֽאכְל֖וּ אֶת־תְּבֽוּאָתָֽהּ: |
| קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶה לָכֶם - (lit.) It must be holy for you - i.e., the sanctity of its produce encompasses articles purchased with it, as is the case with consecrated items. I might think that the produce itself attains unsanctified status when thus exchanged, like other consecrated items do? Scripture therefore states: תִּהְיֶה (lit.) “it will be,” i.e., it remains in its sanctified status. |
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קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶה לָכֶם.
תּוֹפֶסֶת דָּמֶיהָ כְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ, יָכוֹל תֵּצֵא הִיא לְחֻלִּין, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר תהיה — בַּהֲוָיָתָהּ תְּהֵא (ספרא; סוכה מ'):
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| מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה תֹּֽאכְלוּ - You may eat…from the field. i.e., only by virtue of the field you may eat what is in the house, meaning that if any type of produce is no longer available for undomesticated animals in the field, you must remove it from the house; just as this is stated regarding the seventh year, so it is stated regarding the Jubilee year. |
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מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה תֹּֽאכְלוּ.
עַל יְדֵי הַשָּׂדֶה אַתָּה אוֹכֵל מִן הַבַּיִת, שֶׁאִם כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה, אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְבַעֵר מִן הַבַּיִת; כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּשְּׁבִיעִית כָּךְ נֶאֱמַר בַּיּוֹבֵל (ספרא):
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| 13During this Jubilee year, each of you must return to his landed property. |
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יגבִּשְׁנַ֥ת הַיּוֹבֵ֖ל הַזֹּ֑את תָּשֻׁ֕בוּ אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ: |
| תָּשֻׁבוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ - Each of you must return to his landed property. But was it not already said: “each of you must return to his landed property”? It only is repeated to include a case of one who sold his field, and his son came forward and redeemed it from the purchaser, teaching us that it still reverts to his father in the Jubilee year. |
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תָּשֻׁבוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ.
וַהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל אֲחֻזָּתוֹ? אֶלָּא לְרַבּוֹת הַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ וְעָמַד בְּנוֹ וּגְאָלָהּ שֶׁחוֹזֶרֶת לְאָבִיו בַּיּוֹבֵל (שם):
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| 14When you sell some movable possession to your fellow Jew or buy something from your fellow Jew, you must not cheat one another. |
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ידוְכִֽי־תִמְכְּר֤וּ מִמְכָּר֙ לַֽעֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ א֥וֹ קָנֹ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד עֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ אַל־תּוֹנ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אָחִֽיו: |
| וְכִֽי־תִמְכְּרוּ וגו' - When you sell… According to its plain sense, the verse is to be understood as literally implied. It is further expounded as follows: From where do we know that when you sell something, sell it to your fellow Jew? From the fact that Scripture states: “When you sell something, to your fellow” sell it; and from where do we know that when you wish to buy something, buy it from your fellow Jew? From the fact that Scripture states: “or buy – buy it from your fellow.” |
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וְכִֽי־תִמְכְּרוּ וגו'.
לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ כְמַשְׁמָעוֹ; וְעוֹד יֵשׁ דְּרָשָׁה: מִנַּיִן כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מוֹכֵר, מְכֹר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל חֲבֵרְךָ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר — לַעֲמִיתְךָ מְכֹר, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם בָּאתָ לִקְנוֹת קְנֵה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חֲבֵרְךָ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אוֹ קָנֹה — מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ (ספרא):
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| אַל־תּוֹנוּ - You must not cheat. This refers to cheating someone out of money. |
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אַל־תּוֹנוּ.
זוֹ אוֹנָאַת מָמוֹן (בבא מציעא נ"ח):
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| 15You must purchase land from your fellow Jew according to the number of years that have elapsed since the previous Jubilee year. He must sell you land according to the number of years the land is expected to produce crops. |
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טובְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שָׁנִים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַיּוֹבֵ֔ל תִּקְנֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת עֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁנֵֽי־תְבוּאֹ֖ת יִמְכָּר־לָֽךְ: |
| בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל תִּקְנֶה - You must purchase…according to the number of years since the Jubilee [year].
This is the straightforward meaning, enabling us to explain the verse in its proper context: It is warning about fraud, meaning that when you sell or buy land, you must determine how many years remain until the Jubilee year, and the seller must sell and the buyer must buy based on the number of years and crops the field is expected to produce until then, for ultimately, he will return the land to him in the Jubilee year. Thus, if there are only a few years until the Jubilee year, and he sells it for a high price, the purchaser will have been defrauded; and if there were many years until the Jubilee year, and thus the buyer ate the produce of many harvests, yet he bought it for a low price, the seller will have been defrauded. Therefore, it must be bought for a price prorated according to the available time-period, and this is what it says here: “He must sell you according to the number of years of crops,” i.e., you must sell it to him based on the number of years that it will remain in the possession of the buyer.
However, our rabbis expounded: From here we derive the rule that one who sells his field is not permitted to redeem it within less than two years, as it must remain in the buyer’s possession for at least two years to the day. This applies even if those two years contain use of three crop-harvests, e.g., he sold it to him with its standing crop. The word שְׁנֵי, however, does not mean anything other than its plain sense (“years”), indicating that only the number of years that produced viable crops and not blasted crops is counted, and the minimum number of “years” (plural) is two.
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בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל תִּקְנֶה.
זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ לְיַשֵּׁב הַמִּקְרָא עַל אָפְנָיו: עַל הָאוֹנָאָה בָּא לְהַזְהִיר, כְּשֶׁתִּמְכֹּר אוֹ תִקְנֶה קַרְקַע, דְּעוּ כַּמָּה שָׁנִים יֵשׁ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, וּלְפִי הַשָּׁנִים וּתְבוּאוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁהִיא רְאוּיָה לַעֲשׂוֹת יִמְכֹּר הַמּוֹכֵר וְיִקְנֶה הַקּוֹנֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי סוֹפוֹ לְהַחֲזִירָהּ לוֹ בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל, אִם יֵשׁ שָׁנִים מֻעָטוֹת וְזֶה מוֹכְרָהּ בְּדָמִים יְקָרִים, הֲרֵי נִתְאַנָּה לוֹקֵחַ, וְאִם יֵשׁ שָׁנִים מְרֻבּוֹת וְאָכַל מִמֶּנָּה תְּבוּאוֹת הַרְבֵּה, הֲרֵי נִתְאַנָּה מוֹכֵר, לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לִקְנוֹתָהּ לְפִי הַזְּמַן, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת יִמְכָּר לָךְ — לְפִי מִנְיַן שְׁנֵי הַתְּבוּאוֹת שֶׁתְּהֵא עוֹמֶדֶת בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ תִּמְכֹּר לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לִגְאֹל פָּחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים — שֶׁתַּעֲמֹד שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם, וַאֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ שָׁלוֹשׁ תְּבוּאוֹת בְּאוֹתָן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, כְּגוֹן שֶׁמְּכָרָהּ לוֹ בְּקָמוֹתֶיהָ; וּשְׁנֵי אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא מִפְּשׁוּטוֹ — כְּלוֹמַר מִסְפַּר שָׁנִים שֶׁל תְּבוּאוֹת וְלֹא שֶׁל שִׁדָּפוֹן, וּמִעוּט שָׁנִים שְׁנַיִם (ספרא; ערכין כ"ט):
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| 16The more the remaining years, the more you may increase your offer for its purchase price; the fewer the remaining years, the more you may decrease your offer for its purchase price. The price is prorated because the landowner is selling you only a specific number of crops. |
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טזלְפִ֣י | רֹ֣ב הַשָּׁנִ֗ים תַּרְבֶּה֙ מִקְנָת֔וֹ וּלְפִי֙ מְעֹ֣ט הַשָּׁנִ֔ים תַּמְעִ֖יט מִקְנָת֑וֹ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר תְּבוּאֹ֔ת ה֥וּא מֹכֵ֖ר לָֽךְ: |
| תַּרְבֶּה מִקְנָתוֹ - (lit.) You may increase its purchase - i.e., you may sell it for a high price. |
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תַּרְבֶּה מִקְנָתוֹ.
תִּמְכְּרֶנָּה בְיֹקֶר:
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| תַּמְעִיט מִקְנָתוֹ - (lit.) You may decrease its purchase - i.e., you may lower its price. |
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תַּמְעִיט מִקְנָתוֹ.
תַּמְעִיט בְּדָמֶיהָ:
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| 17None of you may taunt your fellow Jew. You must fear your God, for I am God, your God. |
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יזוְלֹ֤א תוֹנוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עֲמִית֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת־עֲמִיתוֹ - (lit.) None of you may abuse his fellow. Here Scripture warns about verbal abuse, meaning that one must not insult his fellow, nor may he give him advice that is not geared toward his best interest but geared toward the advantage and benefit of the advisor. Lest you say: Who knows if I had a bad intention (an ulterior motive)? Scripture says: “You must fear your God” – the One who knows the thoughts of all men – He knows. Regarding any matter that is one’s personal province and only the one thinking it in his heart can be aware of it, it says: “You must fear your God.” |
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וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת־עֲמִיתוֹ.
כָּאן הִזְהִיר עַל אוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יַקְנִיט אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וְלֹא יַשִּׂיאֶנּוּ עֵצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, לְפִי דַּרְכּוֹ וַהֲנָאָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹעֵץ, וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי לְרָעָה? לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ — הַיּוֹדֵעַ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת הוּא יוֹדֵעַ. כָּל דָּבָר הַמָּסוּר לַלֵּב, שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בְלִבּוֹ, נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ (ספרא; בבא מציעא נ"ח):
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| 18You must carry out My rules and safeguard My ordinances and perform them. You will then live on the land securely. |
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יחוַֽעֲשִׂיתֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֹתָ֑ם וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח: |
| וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם עַל־הָאָרֶץ לָבֶֽטַח - You will then live on the land securely - since the Israelites are exiled for transgressing the laws of the sabbatical year, as it says: “Then the land will appease Me over its unobserved sabbatical years…and appease Me over its unobserved sabbatical years.” And indeed, the 70 years of the Babylonian exile corresponded to the 70 sabbatical years that they failed to observe. |
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וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם עַל־הָאָרֶץ לָבֶֽטַח.
שֶׁבַּעֲוֹן שְׁמִטָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָז תִּרְצֶה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ, וְהִרְצָת אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ" (ויקרא כ"ו), וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁל גָּלוּת בָּבֶל כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שְׁמִטּוֹת שֶׁבִּטְּלוּ הָיוּ:
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