1The portions of Eretz Yisrael that were divided among the tribes1 can never be sold permanently, as Leviticus 25:23 states: “The land will not be sold in perpetuity.” If one sells the land in perpetuity, both the buyer and the seller violate a negative commandment.2 Their deeds are of no consequence,3 and the land reverts to its original owner in the Jubilee year.4אאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּתְחַלֶּקֶת לַשְּׁבָטִים אֵינָהּ נִמְכֶּרֶת לִצְמִיתוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר לִצְמִתֻת" (ויקרא כה, כג). וְאִם מָכַר לִצְמִיתוּת, שְׁנֵיהֶם עוֹבְרִין בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה; וְאֵין מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן מוֹעִילִין, אֶלָא תַּחְזֹר הַשָּׂדֶה לִבְעָלֶיהָ בַּיּוֹבֵל.
2When a person sells his field for 60 years, it is not returned in the Jubilee. For the only property that returns in the Jubilee year is property that is sold without qualification or property that is sold in perpetuity.בוְהַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ לְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, אֵינָהּ יוֹצְאָה בַּיּוֹבֵל; שֶׁאֵין חוֹזֵר בַּיּוֹבֵל אֶלָא דָּבָר הַנִּמְכָּר סְתָם אוֹ הַנִּמְכָּר לִצְמִיתוּת.
3A person should not sell his home or his ancestral field even though it returns to him eventually, unless he becomes impoverished, as Leviticus 25:25 states: “If your brother becomes indigent and sells his ancestral heritage.” One is not permitted to sell such property and hold the money in his pocket, engage in commerce with them, or purchase utensils, servants, or livestock. He is only allowed to sell to provide himself with sustenance. Nevertheless, if one transgressed and sold such property, the sale is valid.גלֹא יִמְכֹּר אָדָם בֵּיתוֹ אוֹ שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם חוֹזְרִין אַחַר זְמַן, אֶלָא אִם כֵּן הֱעֶנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ" (ראה ויקרא כה, כה). אֲבָל לִמְכֹּר וּלְהַנִּיחַ הַדָּמִים בְּכִיסוֹ, אוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶן סְחוֹרָה, אוֹ לִקַּח בָּהֶן כֵּלִים וַעֲבָדִים וּבְהֵמָה - אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי; אֶלָא לִמְזוֹנוֹת בִּלְבָד. וְאִם עָבַר וּמָכַר מִכָּל מָקוֹם, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מְכוּרִין.
4Judgments are made with regard to a home in accordance with the laws of a walled city,5 and with regard to a field in accordance with the laws of a field that is an ancestral heritage.6 The laws of a person who sells a field that is an ancestral heritage require the calculation of the years remaining until the Jubilee. Whenever the original owner desires to redeem the field he should make a reckoning with the purchaser with regard to the years from which he benefited from the field and reduce that from the purchase price and return the remainder.7דוְדָנִין בְּבַּיִת דִּין בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה; וּבַשָּׂדֶה דִּין שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּה. דִּין מוֹכֵר שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּתוֹ - לְחַשֵּׁב אֶת הַדָּמִים לְפִי הַשָּׁנִים הַנִּשְׁאָרוֹת לַיּוֹבֵל; וּבְכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּרְצֶה לִפְדּוֹת, מְחַשֵּׁב עִם הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַל הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁאָכַל, וְגוֹרֵעַ מִדְּמֵי הַמֶּכֶר, וּמַחְזִיר לוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁאָר.
5What is implied? There remained ten years until the Jubilee and a field was sold for 100 dinar8. The purchaser benefited from the field for three years and then the seller desired to redeem his field. He should give him 70 dinar and then the seller should return the field. Similarly, if he benefited from the field for six years, he should give him 40 dinar and then the seller should return the field.הכֵּיצַד? הֲרֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר לַיּוֹבֵל עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים, וּמָכַר לוֹ שָׂדֵהוּ בְּמֵאָה דִּינָר, אֲכָלָהּ הַלּוֹקֵחַ שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים, וְרָצָה הַמּוֹכֵר לִגְאֹל - נוֹתֵן לוֹ שִׁבְעִים דִּינָר, וּמַחְזִיר שָׂדֵהוּ. וְכֵן אִם אֲכָלָהּ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים - נוֹתֵן לוֹ אַרְבָּעִים דִּינָר, וּמַחְזִיר שָׂדֵהוּ.
If he did not redeem it, but instead left it in the purchaser’s possession until the Jubilee, and then it should return to the owner without money, as indicated by Leviticus 25:15: “According to the number of years of its crops, he will sell it to you.”לֹא גְאָלָהּ אֶלָא הָיְתָה בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַד שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל - תַּחְזֹר לַבְּעָלִים בְּלֹא דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִסְפַּר תְּבוּאֹת יִמְכָּר לָךְ" (ראה ויקרא כה, טו; ויקרא כה, טז).
6If he sold it to him when it was filled with produce and then he redeemed it after two years, he cannot tell him: “Return it to me filled with produce as it was when I sold it to you.”ומְכָרָהּ לוֹ וְהִיא מְלֵאָה פֵּרוֹת, וּלְאַחַר שָׁנִים גְּאָלָהּ - אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לוֹמַר לוֹ 'הַחְזִירֶנָּה לִי מְלֵאָה פֵּרוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּכַרְתִּי לָךְ'.
Therefore if he sold it to him filled with produce before Rosh HaShanah and redeemed it after two years, the purchaser will have benefited from three harvests in those two years. Nevertheless, the reduction of the price is calculated only according to two years, as implied by ibid. 27:18:9 “the priest shall calculate the money... according to the remaining years,” i.e., the calculation is made according to years, and not according to crops.10לְפִיכָךְ אִם מְכָרָהּ לוֹ מְלֵאָה פֵּרוֹת לִפְנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְאָלָהּ אַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים - הֲרֵי זֶה אוֹכֵל שָׁלוֹשׁ תְּבוּאוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּי הַשָּׁנִים, וְאֵינוֹ מְחַשֵּׁב עִמּוֹ אֶלָא לְפִי שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים בִּלְבָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עַל פִּי הַשָּׁנִים" (ויקרא כז, יח) - לֹא עַל פִּי הַתְּבוּאוֹת.
7The shoots, the twigs, and the fruits from the wild fig trees contained within it belong to the purchaser like its other produce.11 If, however, the branches of a tree are cut down12 or it dries,13 they are both forbidden to benefit from it.14זהַקָּנִים וְהַזְּמוֹרוֹת וּפֵרוֹת שִׁקְמָה שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ, הֲרֵי הֵן שֶׁל לּוֹקֵחַ כִּשְׁאָר הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ. אֲבָל אִילָן שֶׁנִּכְסַח אוֹ שֶׁיָּבַשׁ, שְׁנֵיהֶן אֲסוּרִין בּוֹ.
What should be done? It should be sold and land purchased with the proceeds. The purchaser is entitled to benefit from that land until the original field is redeemed from him.כֵּיצַד יֵעָשֶׂה? יִמָּכֵר וְיִלָּקַח בְּדָמָיו קַרְקַע, וְהַלּוֹקֵחַ אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ עַד שֶׁתִּגָּאֵל הַשָּׂדֶה מִיָּדוֹ.
8If a person purchases a field that is an ancestral heritage and plants trees15 which increase the value of the field, when it returns to its original owner in the Jubilee, we should evaluate the increase in value brought about by the trees in it and the owner of the field must pay this sum to the purchaser. This is derived from ibid. 25:33: “A home that was sold shall go out... in the Jubilee.” Implied is that the home is returned, but not the increase in its value.חהַלּוֹקֵחַ שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּה וּנְטָעָהּ אִילָנוֹת וְהִשְׁבִּיחָה, כְּשֶׁהִיא חוֹזֶרֶת בַּיּוֹבֵל - שָׁמִין שֶׁבַח הָאִילָנוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ, וְנוֹתֵן בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה דְּמֵי הַשֶׁבַח לַלּוֹקֵחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיָצָא מִמְכַּר בַּיִת" (ויקרא כה, לג) - מִמְכָּר חוֹזֵר, וְאֵין הַשֶׁבַח חוֹזֵר.
9When a person sells his field in the era when the Jubilee year is observed as we explained, he is not permitted to redeem it in less than two years, as ibid.:15 states: “According to the number of years16 of its crops, he will sell it to you.” Even if the purchaser was willing to return it earlier, it is forbidden, as the same verse states: “According to the number of years17 after the Jubilee shall you purchase it from your colleague.” The purchaser must maintain possession for at least two years from the date of the sale.18טהַמּוֹכֵר אֶת שָׂדֵהוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל נוֹהֵג, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ - אֵינוֹ מֻתָּר לִגְאֹל לְפָחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת יִמְכָּר לָךְ" (ויקרא כה, טו). וְאַפִלּוּ רָצָה הַלּוֹקֵחַ - הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל תִּקְנֶה מֵאֵת עֲמִיתֶךָ" (שם) - אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים מֵעֵת לְעֵת מִיּוֹם הַמְּכִירָה.
10The purchaser must benefit from two crops in these two years and then the seller may redeem it, for it is written “years of its crops.” Therefore if one of the two years were the Sabbatical year19 or a year of windblast or blight,20 they are not included in the reckoning.יוְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאכַל הַלּוֹקֵחַ שְׁתֵּי תְּבוּאוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּי הַשָּׁנִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִגְאַל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת" (ויקרא כה, טו). לְפִיכָךְ, אִם הָיְתָה אַחַת מִשְׁתֵּי הַשָּׁנִים שְׁבִיעִית אוֹ שְׁנַת שִׁדָּפוֹן אוֹ יֵרָקוֹן - אֵינָהּ עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּנְיָן.
11If, however, the purchaser left it fallow one year and then benefited from it in the second year or benefited from it one year and then lightly plowed it, but did not sow it in the following year, these years are included in the reckoning21. If he sold it in the Jubilee itself, the sale is not binding and the money should be returned to the seller.22יאהִנִּיחָהּ הַלּוֹקֵחַ בּוּרָה שָׁנָה וַאֲכָלָהּ שָׁנָה, אוֹ אֲכָלָהּ שָׁנָה וְנָרָהּ שָׁנָה וְלֹא זְרָעָהּ - הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ עוֹלִין לַמִּנְיָן. מְכָרָהּ בִּשְׁנַת יוֹבֵל עַצְמָהּ - אֵינָהּ נִמְכֶּרֶת, וְהַדָּמִים חוֹזְרִין לַבְּעָלִים.
12If he sold it one year before the Jubilee, thepurchaser benefits from it for a second year after the Jubilee,23 as implied by the phrase: “years of its crops.”יבמְכָרָהּ שָׁנָה אַחַת לִפְנֵי הַיּוֹבֵל - הֲרֵי הַלּוֹקֵחַ אוֹכֵל אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת" (ויקרא כה, טו).
13If he sold clefts that were filled with water or rocky land that was not fit to sow upon, he may redeem them in less than two years, as implied by the phrase: “years of its crops.” One might infer that it is only a field that is fit to grow crops that is not redeemed in less than two years.יגמָכַר נְקָעִים מְלֵאִים מַיִם, אוֹ סְלָעִים שֶׁאֵינָם רְאוּיִין לִזְרִיעָה - הֲרֵי זֶה פּוֹדֶה בְּפָחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת" (ויקרא כה, טו) - שָׂדֶה הָרְאוּיָה לִתְבוּאָה הִיא שֶׁאֵינָהּ נִגְאֶלֶת אֶלָא אַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים.
Nevertheless, if the original owner did not redeem this land, it returns to him in the Jubilee even though it is not fit to be sown.24וְאִם לֹא נִגְאֲלָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה לִזְרִיעָה - חוֹזֶרֶת לַבְּעָלִים בַּיּוֹבֵל.
14If he sold fruit-trees,25 they may not be redeemed in less than two years, for they are fit to produce crops.ידמָכַר אִילָנוֹת - אֵין נִגְאָלִין לְפָחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי רְאוּיִין לִתְבוּאוֹת.
If he did not redeem them, they are not returned to the owner in the Jubilee, as implied by ibid.:27: “he shall return to his ancestral heritage.” This excludes trees.26וְאִם לֹא גְאָלָן - אֵינָן חוֹזְרִין לַבְּעָלִים בַּיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְשָׁב לַאֲחֻזָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כה, כז; ויקרא כה, כח) - וְלֹא לָאִילָנוֹת.
15If a person sold his field to one person, that person sold it to a second, the second to a third - even if there were 100 consecutive sales - in the Jubilee, it returns to its original owner, as implied by Leviticus 27:24: “In the Jubilee year, the field will return to the one from whom he purchased it, whose ancestral heritage it was.”27טומָכַר שָׂדֵהוּ לְרִאשׁוֹן, וּמְכָרָהּ רִאשׁוֹן לְשֵׁנִי, וְשֵׁנִי לִשְׁלִישִׁי, אַפִלּוּ מֵאָה - בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל תַּחְזֹר לְאָדוֹן רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל יָשׁוּב הַשָּׂדֶה לַאֲשֶׁר קָנָהוּ מֵאִתּוֹ לַאֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֲחֻזַּת הָאָרֶץ" (ויקרא כז, כד).
16If the owner sold it to the first purchaser for 100 dinarim and the latter sold it to the second for 200, should the original owner desire to redeem it, he makes a reckoning only with the first purchaser, as ibid. 25:27 states: “And return the remainder to the man to whom he sold it.”28טזמְכָרָהּ לָרִאשׁוֹן בְּמֵאָה דִּינָר, וְרִאשׁוֹן לְשֵּׁנִי בְּמָאתַיִם, וְרָצָה הָאָדוֹן לִגְאֹל - אֵינוֹ מְחַשֵּׁב אֶלָא עִם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר מָכַר לוֹ" (ויקרא כה, כז).
If the owner sold it to a person for 200 and the latter sold it for 100, the owner makes a reckoning with the final purchaser.29מְכָרָהּ לָרִאשׁוֹן בְּמָאתַיִם, וּמְכָרָהּ הָרִאשׁוֹן לַשֵּׁנִי בְּמֵאָה - הֲרֵי זֶה מְחַשֵּׁב עִם הָאַחֲרוֹן.
Similarly, if he sold the field for 100 and it increased in value30 in the possession of the purchaser until it was appropriate to be sold for 200, the reckoning should be made according to the purchase price.וְכֵן אִם מְכָרָהּ בְּמֵאָה, וְהִשְׁבִּיחָה בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ וַהֲרֵי הִיא רְאוּיָה לְהִמָּכֵר בְּמָאתַיִם - מְחַשֵּׁב לְפִי מַה שֶׁמָּכַר.
If he sold it for 200 and its value diminished31 and it is now fit to be sold for 100, the reckoning should be made according to its present value.וְאִם מְכָרָהּ בְּמָאתַיִם, וְהִכְסִיפָה וַהֲרֵי הִיא רְאוּיָה לְהִמָּכֵר בְּמֵאָה - מְחַשֵּׁב לְפִי מַה שֶׁהִיא.
The general principle is: We always augment the legal power of the seller of an ancestral heritage and weaken the legal power of the purchaser.לְעוֹלָם מְיַפִּין כּוֹחַ הַמּוֹכֵר שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּה, וּמְרִיעִין כּוֹחַ הַלּוֹקֵחַ.
17When a person sells a field that is an ancestral heritage, but he also possesses other fields and sells some of those other fields to redeem his ancestral heritage that he sold, his request to redeem the field is not heeded, for ibid.:26 states: “And he attained enough to redeem it.” We can infer that he must attain something that was not accessible to him at the time he sold it.יזהַמּוֹכֵר שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּה וְהָיוּ לוֹ שָׁדוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת, וּמָכַר מֵאוֹתָן הַשָּׂדוֹת כְּדֵי לִגְאֹל שָׂדֶה שֶׁמָּכַר - אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּמָצָא כְּדֵי גְאֻלָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כה, כו) - עַד שֶׁיִּמְצָא דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מָצוּי לוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמָּכַר.
Similarly, if he borrowed money to redeem the field, his request is not heeded, for that verse states: “And he acquired.” Implied is that he must obtain the means on his own, not through a loan.וְכֵן אִם לָוָה לִגְאֹל - אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהִשִּׂיגָה יָדוֹ" (שם) - לֹא שֶׁיִּלְוֶה.
18If he attained a small amount of resources and desired to redeem half the field he sold, his request is not heeded, for that verse states: “enough to redeem it.” Either he redeems the entire field or he does not redeem at all. If a relative desired to redeem it, he may, as ibid.:25 states: “And his redeemer who is related to him shall come....”32יחמָצָא מְעַט, וְרָצָה לִגְאֹל חֲצִי הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁמָּכַר - אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כְּדֵי גְאֻלָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כה, כו) - אוֹ גּוֹאֵל אֶת כֻּלָּהּ אוֹ אֵינוֹ גּוֹאֵל. וְאִם רָצוּ קְרוֹבָיו לִגְאֹל - גּוֹאֲלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אוֹ דֹדוֹ אוֹ בֶן דֹּדוֹ יִגְאָלֶנּוּ" (ויקרא כה, מט).
19When a person gives his field away as a present, it returns to him in the Jubilee, as ibid.:13 states: “Each man shall return to his ancestral heritage.” This includes one who gave it away as a present.33יטהַנּוֹתֵן שָׁדֵּהוּ מַתָּנָה - הֲרֵי זוֹ חוֹזֶרֶת לוֹ בַּיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תָּשֻׁבוּ אִישׁ אֶל אֲחֻזָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כה, יג) - לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַמַּתָּנָה.
20Brothers who divide an inheritance are considered as purchasers and each one should return his portion to the other in the Jubilee, but their division is not nullified.34 Similarly, a firstborn35 and one who performs yibbum with his brother’s wife,36 return the portion that they received in the Jubilee and take another portion instead of it.כהָאַחִין שֶׁחָלְקוּ - כְּלָקוֹחוֹת הֵן, וּמַחְזִירִין זֶה לְזֶה חֶלְקוֹ בַּיּוֹבֵל; וְלֹא תִבָּטֵל חֲלֻקָּתָן מִכְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיְתָה. וְכֵן הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמְּיַבֵּם אֵשֶׁת אָחִיו - מַחְזִיר בַּיּוֹבֵל חֵלֶק שֶׁנָּטַל, וְנוֹטֵל הַחֵלֶק שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ.
21Different rules apply with regard to a husband who inherits his wife’s property. Although a husband’s inheritance of this property is a Rabbinic ordinance,37 our Sages reinforced their decree as if it were of Scriptural origin and he is not required to return it to the women’s family in the Jubilee year.38כאאֲבָל הַיּוֹרֵשׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיְּרֻשַּׁת הַבַּעַל מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם - עָשׂוּ חִזּוּק לְדִבְרֵיהֶם כְּשֶׁל תּוֹרָה, וְאֵינוֹ מַחְזִיר בַּיּוֹבֵל.
If he inherited a family cemetery from her, he should return it to her family members lest this blemish the reputation of the family39. They should pay him its worth after deducting the value of his wife’s grave, for he is obligated to bury her.40וְאִם יָרַשׁ מִמֶּנָּה בֵּית הַקְּבָרוֹת - יַחְזִיר לִבְנֵי מִשְׁפָּחָה, מִשּׁוּם פְּגָם מִשְׁפָּחָה; וְיִתְּנוּ לוֹ דָּמֶיהָ, וּמְנַכִּין לוֹ דְּמֵי קֶבֶר אִשְׁתּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי חַיָּב בִּקְבוּרָתָהּ.
