ב"ה

Torah Reading for Behar

Parshat Behar
Shabbat, 15 Iyar, 5787
22 May, 2027
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Complete: (Leviticus 25:1 - 26:2; Jeremiah 32:6-22)
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First Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

1God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying,   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.   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:
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.   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.   שַׁבָּת לה'.  לְשֵׁם ה', כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּשַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית (עי' ספרא):
3You may sow your field for six years, and you may prune your vineyard for six years, gathering in the land’s produce,   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.   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.   יִֽהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ.  לַשָּׂדוֹת וְלַכְּרָמִים:
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”; 1 and שְׂרֻפָה בָאֵשׁ כְּסוּחָה “it is burned in fire and cut down.” 2   לֹא תִזְמֹֽר.  שֶׁקּוֹצְצִין זְמוֹרוֹתֶיהָ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ לָא תִכְסָח, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "קוֹצִים כְּסוּחִים" (ישעיהו ל"ג), "שְֹרֻפָה בָאֵשׁ כְּסוּחָה" (תהילים פ'):
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.   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.   אֵת סְפִיחַ קְצִֽירְךָ.  אֲפִלּוּ לֹא זְרַעְתָּהּ וְהִיא צָמְחָה מִן הַזֶּרַע שֶׁנָּפַל בָּהּ בְּעֵת הַקָּצִיר וְהוּא קָרוּי סָפִיחַ:
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.   לֹא תִקְצוֹר.  לִהְיוֹת מַחֲזִיק בּוֹ כִּשְׁאָר קָצִיר, אֶלָּא הֶפְקֵר יִהְיֶה לַכֹּל:
נְזִירֶךָ - means: that you have restricted and separated other people from them, not having made them ownerless –   נְזִירֶךָ.  שֶׁהִנְזַרְתָּ וְהִפְרַשְׁתָּ בְנֵי אָדָם מֵהֶם וְלֹא הִפְקַרְתָּם:
לֹא תִבְצֹר - You may not pick. You may not pick those, but only what was made ownerless.   לֹא תִבְצֹר.  אוֹתָם אֵינְךָ בוֹצֵר, אֶלָּא מִן הַמֻּפְקָר:
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.   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.   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:
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.   שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה.  מִן הַשָּׁבוּת אַתָּה אוֹכֵל, וְאִי אַתָּה אוֹכֵל מִן הַשָּׁמוּר (ספרא):
לְךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ וְלַֽאֲמָתֶךָ - For you, for your bondmen and bondwomen. Since it says: “the needy among your people may eat,” 3 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.   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):
וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ וּלְתוֹשָׁבְךָ - As well as for your hired worker and resident alien - even non-Jews.   וְלִשְׂכִֽירְךָ וּלְתוֹשָׁבְךָ.  אַף הַגּוֹיִם (שם):
7All of its produce must be made available to eat for your domestic animals and for the undomesticated animals that are in your land.   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.   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'):
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.   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.   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):
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.   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:
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.   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,” 4 denoting proclamation.   וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ.  לְשׁוֹן "וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בַּמַּחֲנֶה" (שמות ל"ו), לְשׁוֹן הַכְרָזָה (ראש השנה ל"ד):
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.   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):
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.   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.”   וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם.  בִּכְנִיסָתָהּ מְקַדְּשִׁין אוֹתָהּ בְּבֵית דִּין, וְאוֹמְרִים מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת הַשָּׁנָה (ראש השנה כ"ד):
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: 5 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.   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'):
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.   יוֹבֵל הִוא.  שָׁנָה זֹאת מֻבְדֶּלֶת מִשְּׁאָר שָׁנִים בִּנְקִיבַת שֵׁם לָהּ לְבַדָּהּ, וּמַה שְּׁמָהּ? יוֹבֵל שְׁמָהּ, עַל שֵׁם תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר:
וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתוֹ - Each of you must return to his landed property - i.e., purchased fields return to their original owners.   וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתוֹ.  שֶׁהַשָּׂדוֹת חוֹזְרוֹת לְבַעְלֵיהֶן:
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.   וְאִישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ.  לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַנִּרְצָע (קידושין ט"ו):
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.   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…,” 6 as stated in Rosh Hashanah 7 and in Torat Kohanim.   יוֹבֵל הִוא שְׁנַת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה.  מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם וְגוֹ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (דף ח') וּבְתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים:
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.   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:
12It is the Jubilee year. It remains holy for you. You may eat its produce from the field.   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.   קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶה לָכֶם.  תּוֹפֶסֶת דָּמֶיהָ כְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ, יָכוֹל תֵּצֵא הִיא לְחֻלִּין, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר תהיה — בַּהֲוָיָתָהּ תְּהֵא (ספרא; סוכה מ'):
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.   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):
13During this Jubilee year, each of you must return to his landed property.   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”? 8 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.   תָּשֻׁבוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ.  וַהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל אֲחֻזָּתוֹ? אֶלָּא לְרַבּוֹת הַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ וְעָמַד בְּנוֹ וּגְאָלָהּ שֶׁחוֹזֶרֶת לְאָבִיו בַּיּוֹבֵל (שם):
Footnotes

Second Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

14When you sell some movable possession to your fellow Jew or buy something from your fellow Jew, you must not cheat one another.   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.”   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):
אַל־תּוֹנוּ - You must not cheat. This refers to cheating someone out of money.   אַל־תּוֹנוּ.  זוֹ אוֹנָאַת מָמוֹן (בבא מציעא נ"ח):
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.   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 1 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.

  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):
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.   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.   תַּרְבֶּה מִקְנָתוֹ.  תִּמְכְּרֶנָּה בְיֹקֶר:
תַּמְעִיט מִקְנָתוֹ - (lit.) You may decrease its purchase - i.e., you may lower its price.   תַּמְעִיט מִקְנָתוֹ.  תַּמְעִיט בְּדָמֶיהָ:
17None of you may taunt your fellow Jew. You must fear your God, for I am God, your God.   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.”   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):
18You must carry out My rules and safeguard My ordinances and perform them. You will then live on the land securely.   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.” 2 And indeed, the 70 years of the Babylonian exile corresponded to the 70 sabbatical years that they failed to observe.   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:
Footnotes
1.

Torat Kohanim.

Third Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

19The land will yield its produce, you will eat to satiety, and you will live upon the land securely.   יט וְנָֽתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ פִּרְיָ֔הּ וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּ֖ם לָשׂ֑בַע וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לָבֶ֖טַח עָלֶֽיהָ:
וְנָֽתְנָה הָאָרֶץ וגו', וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח עָלֶֽיהָ - The land will yield…and you will live securely. i.e., you will not be worried about a year of drought.   וְנָֽתְנָה הָאָרֶץ וגו', וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח עָלֶֽיהָ.  שֶׁלֹּא תִדְאֲגוּ מִשְּׁנַת בַּצֹּרֶת:
וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשׂבַע - You will eat to satiety - even in your stomach the food will be blessed, i.e., the food will be miraculously filling.   וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשׂבַע.  אַף בְּתוֹךְ הַמֵּעַיִם תְּהֵא בוֹ בְּרָכָה (עי' ספרא):
20If you should wonder, “What will we eat in the seventh year? We cannot sow, and we cannot gather in our produce!”   כוְכִ֣י תֹֽאמְר֔וּ מַה־נֹּאכַ֖ל בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑ת הֵ֚ן לֹ֣א נִזְרָ֔ע וְלֹ֥א נֶֽאֱסֹ֖ף אֶת־תְּבֽוּאָתֵֽנוּ:
וְלֹא נֶֽאֱסֹף - And we cannot gather in - into the house.   וְלֹא נֶֽאֱסֹף.  אֶל הַבַּיִת:
אֶת־תְּבֽוּאָתֵֽנוּ - Our produce - such as wine, fruit of trees, and crops that grew on their own.   אֶת־תְּבֽוּאָתֵֽנוּ.  כְּגוֹן יַיִן וּפֵרוֹת הָאִילָן וּסְפִיחִין הַבָּאִים מֵאֵלֵיהֶם:
21I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will yield enough produce for three years,   כאוְצִוִּ֤יתִי אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ לָכֶ֔ם בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֑ית וְעָשָׂת֙ אֶת־הַתְּבוּאָ֔ה לִשְׁל֖שׁ הַשָּׁנִֽים:
לִשְׁלשׁ הַשָּׁנִֽים - For three years - i.e., for part of the sixth year – from Nisan to Rosh Hashanah, for the entire seventh year, and for part of the eighth year – for they will sow in the eighth year in Marcheshvan and reap only in Nisan.   לִשְׁלשׁ הַשָּׁנִֽים.  לִקְצָת הַשִּׁשִּׁית — מִנִּיסָן וְעַד רֹ"הַ, וְלַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְלַשְּׁמִינִית, שֶׁיִּזְרְעוּ בַשְּׁמִינִית בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְיִקְצְרוּ בְנִיסָן:
22for you will sow in the eighth year, while eating from the old crops. You will eat from the old crop until the ninth year, until the arrival of its crop.   כבוּזְרַעְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁמִינִ֔ת וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּ֖ם מִן־הַתְּבוּאָ֣ה יָשָׁ֑ן עַ֣ד | הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַתְּשִׁיעִ֗ת עַד־בּוֹא֙ תְּב֣וּאָתָ֔הּ תֹּֽאכְל֖וּ יָשָֽׁן:
עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת - Until the ninth year - i.e., until the Festival of Sukot of the ninth year, which is the time when the crop of the eighth year enters the house, for throughout the summer it was in the field in the granaries, and in Tishrei is its time to be gathered into the house. There were also times that one year would need to yield enough produce for four years, in the sixth year before the seventh sabbatical year, when they abstain from agricultural work for two consecutive years: the seventh year and the Jubilee. This verse, however, was stated regarding all the other regular sabbatical years.   עַד הַשָּׁנָה הַתְּשִׁיעִת.  עַד חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שֶׁל תְּשִׁיעִית, שֶׁהוּא עֵת בֹּא תְּבוּאָתָהּ שֶׁל שְׁמִינִית לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הַקַּיִץ הָיוּ בַשָּׂדֶה בַּגְּרָנוֹת, וּבְתִשְׁרֵי הוּא עֵת הָאָסִיף לַבַּיִת; וּפְעָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה צְרִיכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאַרְבַּע שָׁנִים — בַּשִּׁשִּׁית שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַשְּׁמִטָּה הַשְּׁבִיעִית, שֶׁהֵן בְּטֵלִין מֵעֲבוֹדַת קַרְקַע שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים רְצוּפוֹת — הַשְּׁבִיעִית וְהַיּוֹבֵל, וּמִקְרָא זֶה נֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁאָר הַשְּׁמִטּוֹת כֻּלָּן:
23The land must not be sold in such a way as to sever it permanently from its original owner, for the land belongs to Me, for you are sojourners and residents dwelling with Me on My land.   כגוְהָאָ֗רֶץ לֹ֤א תִמָּכֵר֙ לִצְמִתֻ֔ת כִּי־לִ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֧ים וְתֽוֹשָׁבִ֛ים אַתֶּ֖ם עִמָּדִֽי:
וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר - The land must not be sold. This is stated here to add a prohibition to the command to return purchased fields to their original owners in the Jubilee year, namely, that the purchaser not withhold the field for himself.   וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר.  לִתֵּן לָאו עַל חֲזָרַת שָׂדוֹת לַבְּעָלִים בַּיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הַלּוֹקֵחַ כּוֹבְשָׁהּ:
לִצְמִתֻת - means literally “for severance”; in our context, as a sale fixed for perpetuity.   לִצְמִתֻת.  לִפְסִיקָה, לִמְכִירָה פְסוּקָה עוֹלָמִית:
כִּי־לִי הָאָרֶץ - For the land belongs to Me. Do not regard the land begrudgingly, for it is not yours.   כִּי־לִי הָאָרֶץ.  אַל תֵּרַע עֵינְךָ בָהּ שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁלְּךָ (ספרא):
24Throughout the land of your possession, you must also allow the land its redemption:   כדוּבְכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶ֑ם גְּאֻלָּ֖ה תִּתְּנ֥וּ לָאָֽרֶץ:
וּבְכֹל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם - Throughout the land of your possession. The word כֹל “entire” is added to include houses and Hebrew bondmen in the law of redemption. This matter is explained in the first chapter of Kiddushin. 1 But according to its straightforward meaning it is connected to the following passage, teaching us that one who sells his inherited land is entitled to redeem it after two years, either he or his relative, and the purchaser cannot prevent it.   וּבְכֹל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם.  לְרַבּוֹת בָּתִּים וְעֶבֶד עִבְרִי, וְדָבָר זֶה מְפֹרָשׁ בְּקִדּוּשִׁין בְּפֶרֶק רִאשׁוֹן (דף כ"א). וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ סָמוּךְ לְפָרָשָׁה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר אֲחֻזָּתוֹ רַשָּׁאִי לְגָאֳלָהּ לְאַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, אוֹ הוּא אוֹ קְרוֹבוֹ, וְאֵין הַלּוֹקֵחַ יָכוֹל לְעַכֵּב:
Footnotes
1.

Kidushin 21a.

Fourth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

25If your brother Israelite becomes destitute and sells some of his inherited land, his redeemer who is related to him may come forth and redeem that which his relative had sold.   כהכִּֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָכַ֖ר מֵֽאֲחֻזָּת֑וֹ וּבָ֤א גֹֽאֲלוֹ֙ הַקָּרֹ֣ב אֵלָ֔יו וְגָאַ֕ל אֵ֖ת מִמְכַּ֥ר אָחִֽיו:
כִּֽי־יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר - If your brother becomes destitute and sells. This teaches us that a person is not permitted to sell his field unless forced to do so by poverty.   כִּֽי־יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין אָדָם רַשַּׁאי לִמְכֹּר שָׂדֵהוּ אֶלָּא מֵחֲמַת דֹּחַק עֹנִי (עי' ספרא):
מֵֽאֲחֻזָּתוֹ - Some of his inherited land - but not all of it. Scripture thus teaches us correct behavior, namely, that a person should leave a field for himself.   מֵֽאֲחֻזָּתוֹ.  וְלֹא כֻּלָּהּ, לִמֵּד דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּשַׁיֵּר שָׂדֶה לְעַצְמוֹ:
וְגָאַל אֵת מִמְכַּר אָחִֽיו - And redeem that which his relative had sold - and the purchaser may not prevent it.   וְגָאַל אֵת מִמְכַּר אָחִֽיו.  וְאֵין הַלּוֹקֵחַ יָכוֹל לְעַכֵּב:
26If a man does not have a redeemer for his land, but he obtains sufficient means to afford its redemption,   כווְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־לּ֖וֹ גֹּאֵ֑ל וְהִשִּׂ֣יגָה יָד֔וֹ וּמָצָ֖א כְּדֵ֥י גְאֻלָּתֽוֹ:
וְאִישׁ כִּי לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ גֹּאֵל - If a man does not have a redeemer. Is there anyone among the Israelites that has no redeemers? This can therefore only refer to a redeemer who is able to redeem the original owner’s sold property.   וְאִישׁ כִּי לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ גֹּאֵל.  וְכִי יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם בְּיִשְֹרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גּוֹאֲלִים? אֶלָּא גּוֹאֵל שֶׁיּוּכַל לִגְאֹל מִמְכָּרוֹ (קידושין כ"א):
27he must calculate the years for which the land has been sold, and return the difference to the man to whom he sold it, and then he may return to his inheritance.   כזוְחִשַּׁב֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י מִמְכָּר֔וֹ וְהֵשִׁיב֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֹדֵ֔ף לָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָֽכַר־ל֑וֹ וְשָׁ֖ב לַֽאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ:
וְחִשַּׁב אֶת־שְׁנֵי מִמְכָּרוֹ - He must calculate the years for which the land has been sold. How many years were there until the Jubilee year? Such and such. For how much did I sell it to you? For such and such a price. You would have ultimately returned it to me in the Jubilee year. It follows that you actually bought a number of crops at a certain rate for each year: If you ate its produce for three or four years, deduct their value from the total you paid and take back the rest of the sum, and that is what is meant by וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת הָעֹדֵף(lit.) “and return the excess”. i.e., the excess of the purchase price over the consumed crops that the purchaser ate of it, giving this amount back to the purchaser.   וְחִשַּׁב אֶת־שְׁנֵי מִמְכָּרוֹ.  "כַּמָּה שָׁנִים הָיוּ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל? כָּךְ וְכָךְ, וּבְכַמָּה מְכַרְתִּיהָ לְךָ? בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ, עָתִיד הָיִיתָ לְהַחֲזִירָהּ בַּיּוֹבֵל, נִמְצֵאתָ קוֹנֶה מִסְפַּר הַתְּבוּאוֹת כְּפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁל כָּל שָׁנָה, אָכַלְתָּ אוֹתָהּ שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים אוֹ אַרְבַּע, הוֹצֵא אֶת דְּמֵיהֶן מִן הַחֶשְׁבוֹן וְטֹל אֶת הַשְּׁאָר"; וְזֶהוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת הָעֹדֵף בִּדְמֵי הַמֶּקַח עַל הָאֲכִילָה שֶׁאֲכָלָהּ וְיִתְּנֵם לַלּוֹקֵחַ:
לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר מָֽכַר־לוֹ - To the man to whom he sold it - “he” referring to the original seller, who wishes to redeem it.   לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר מָֽכַר־לוֹ.  הַמּוֹכֵר הַזֶּה שֶׁבָּא לְגָאֳלָהּ:
28But if he cannot afford to repay, his sale must remain in the possession of the one who has purchased it until the Jubilee year. It must go out of the purchaser’s possession in the Jubilee year and revert to the original owner’s inheritance.   כחוְאִ֨ם לֹא־מָֽצְאָ֜ה יָד֗וֹ דֵּי֘ הָשִׁ֣יב לוֹ֒ וְהָיָ֣ה מִמְכָּר֗וֹ בְּיַד֙ הַקֹּנֶ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיּוֹבֵ֑ל וְיָצָא֙ בַּיֹּבֵ֔ל וְשָׁ֖ב לַֽאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ:
דֵּי הָשִׁיב לוֹ - (lit.) Enough to repay [the buyer]. From here, we learn that he may not redeem it one part at a time.   דֵּי הָשִׁיב לוֹ.  מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵינוֹ גוֹאֵל לַחֲצָאִין (ספרא; ערכין ל'):
עַד שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל - Until the Jubilee year. עַד “until” indicates that the field may not enter that year in the purchaser’s possession at all, for the Jubilee effects release of property at its onset.   עַד שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל.  שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לְתוֹךְ אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה כְּלוּם, שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל מְשַׁמֵּט בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ (ספרא; ערכין כ"ח):

Fifth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

29When a man sells a residential house inside a walled city, its redemption may take place only until the end of the year of its sale. Thus, its period of redemption is one full year.   כטוְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יִמְכֹּ֤ר בֵּֽית־מוֹשַׁב֙ עִ֣יר חוֹמָ֔ה וְהָֽיְתָה֙ גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ עַד־תֹּ֖ם שְׁנַ֣ת מִמְכָּר֑וֹ יָמִ֖ים תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה גְאֻלָּתֽוֹ:
בֵּֽית־מוֹשַׁב עִיר חוֹמָה - A residential house (lit.) of a walled city - i.e., a house within a city surrounded by a wall from the time of Joshua son of Nun.   בֵּֽית־מוֹשַׁב עִיר חוֹמָה.  בַּיִת בְּתוֹךְ עִיר הַמֻּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן (ספרא):
וְהָֽיְתָה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ - Its redemption may take place. Since it says regarding a field that he may redeem it from two years after sale and onward, whenever he wishes, but within the first two years he may not redeem it, it was necessary to explain regarding this case that the opposite applies: If he wishes to redeem it within the first year, he may redeem it, but after that he may no longer redeem it.   וְהָֽיְתָה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ.  לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּשָׂדֶה שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְגָאֳלָהּ מִשְּׁתֵי שָׁנִים וָאֵילָךְ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּרְצֶה, וּבְתוֹךְ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְגָאֳלָהּ, הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵט בָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא חִלּוּף — שֶׁאִם רָצָה לִגְאֹל בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה גּוֹאֲלָהּ, וּלְאַחַר מִכָּאן אֵינוֹ גוֹאֲלָהּ:
וְהָֽיְתָה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ - Its redemption may take place - i.e., that of the house.   וְהָֽיְתָה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ.  שֶׁל בַּיִת:
יָמִים - (lit.) Days. The days of an entire year are called יָמִים. Similarly we find: “Let the girl remain with us for a year (יָמִים).” 1   יָמִים.  יְמֵי שָׁנָה שְׁלֵמָה קְרוּיִים יָמִים, וְכֵן "תֵּשֵׁב הַנַּעֲרָה אִתָּנוּ יָמִים" (בראשית כ"ד):
30If it is not redeemed by the end of a complete year since its sale, that house in the walled city will remain permanently the property of the person who purchased it, throughout his generations. It will not leave his possession in the Jubilee year.   לוְאִ֣ם לֹֽא־יִגָּאֵ֗ל עַד־מְלֹ֣את לוֹ֘ שָׁנָ֣ה תְמִימָה֒ וְ֠קָ֠ם הַבַּ֨יִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּעִ֜יר אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ (כתיב אשר־לא) חֹמָ֗ה לַצְּמִיתֻ֛ת לַקֹּנֶ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ לְדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו לֹ֥א יֵצֵ֖א בַּיֹּבֵֽל:
וְקָם הַבַּיִתצמיתת - That house…will remain permanently. i.e., it leaves the control of the seller and stays under the control of the purchaser.   וְקָם הַבַּיִת … צמיתת.  יָצָא מִכֹּחוֹ שֶׁל מוֹכֵר וְעוֹמֵד בְּכֹחוֹ שֶׁל קוֹנֶה:
אֲשֶׁר־לֹֽא־חֹמָה - Although the written form לֹא would indicate that the phrase be translated “that has no wall,” we read, i.e., interpret, the word as if it were written לוֹ, i.e.,that has a wall.” Our rabbis of blessed memory 2 stated the meaning of this: although it does not have one now, it is considered a walled city since it had one previously. Although this word is referring to עִיר “city,” which is feminine, and it therefore should have written לָהּ and not לוֹ, since it was necessary to write the word as לֹא in the text, the traditional reading was established as לוֹ, since the sound of לוֹ is similar to לֹא.   אֲשֶׁר־לֹֽא־חֹמָה.  "לוֹ" קָרֵינָן, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִ"לִ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עַכְשָׁיו הוֹאִיל וְהָיְתָה לוֹ קֹדֶם לָכֵן; וְעִיר נְקֵבָה הִיא, וְהֻצְרַךְ לִכְתֹּב "לָהּ", אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב "לֹא" בִּפְנִים, תִּקְּנוּ "לוֹ" בַּמָּסֹרֶת — זֶה נוֹפֵל עַל זֶה:
לֹֽא־יֵצֵא בַּיֹּבֵֽל - It will not leave [his possession] in the Jubilee [year]. Rabbi Safra said: From here, we learn that even if the Jubilee year arrives during the year of sale, the house does not leave him.   לֹֽא־יֵצֵא בַּיֹּבֵֽל.  אָמַר רַב סַפְרָא אִם פָּגַע בּוֹ יוֹבֵל בְּתוֹךְ שְׁנָתוֹ לֹא יֵצֵא (עי' ערכין ל"א):
31Houses in open cities that do not have a surrounding wall are to be considered as the field of the land. Such houses must be allowed their redemption; the house will leave the purchaser’s possession in the Jubilee year.   לאוּבָתֵּ֣י הַֽחֲצֵרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־לָהֶ֤ם חֹמָה֙ סָבִ֔יב עַל־שְׂדֵ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ יֵֽחָשֵׁ֑ב גְּאֻלָּה֙ תִּֽהְיֶה־לּ֔וֹ וּבַיֹּבֵ֖ל יֵצֵֽא:
וּבָתֵּי הַֽחֲצֵרִים - Houses in open cities. The meaning of חֲצֵרִים is as Onkelos translates it: פַצְחִין “open cities without walls,” and there are many instances of such usage in the Book of Joshua, e.g., הֶעָרִים וְחַצְרֵיהֶם “The walled cities and their open towns”; 3 and similarly: בְּחַצְרֵיהֶם וּבְטִירֹתָם “their open towns and their strongholds.” 4   וּבָתֵּי הַֽחֲצֵרִים.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "פַּצְחִין" — עֲיָרוֹת פְּתוּחוֹת מֵאֵין חוֹמָה, וְיֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בְּסֵפֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, "הֶעָרִים וְחַצְרֵיהֶם" (יהושע י"ג), "בְּחַצְרֵיהֶם וּבְטִירֹתָם" (בראשית כ"ה):
עַל־שְׂדֵה הָאָרֶץ יֵֽחָשֵׁב - Are to be considered as field of the land - i.e., they are like fields in that they may be redeemed until the Jubilee year, and revert to the original owner in the Jubilee year if they were not previously redeemed.   עַל־שְׂדֵה הָאָרֶץ יֵֽחָשֵׁב.  הֲרֵי הֵן כְּשָׂדוֹת, הַנִּגְאָלִים עַד הַיּוֹבֵל וְיוֹצְאִין בַּיּוֹבֵל לַבְּעָלִים אִם לֹא נִגְאֲלוּ:
גְּאֻלָּה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ - [Such houses] must be allowed their redemption - immediately, if the seller so wishes. In this respect houses in open cities have an advantage over fields, for fields cannot be redeemed until two years after their sale.   גְּאֻלָּה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ.  מִיָּד, אִם יִרְצֶה, וּבָזֶה יָפֶה כֹחוֹ מִכֹּחַ שָׂדוֹת, שֶׁהַשָּׂדוֹת אֵין נִגְאֲלוֹת עַד שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים (ערכין ל"ג):
וּבַיֹּבֵל יֵצֵֽא - Will leave [the purchaser’s possession] in the Jubilee [year] - for free.   וּבַיֹּבֵל יֵצֵֽא.  בְּחִנָּם:
32Regarding the cities of the Levites: the Levites will have unlimited rights of redemption both of the houses of their cities and of their landed property.   לבוְעָרֵי֙ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם בָּתֵּ֖י עָרֵ֣י אֲחֻזָּתָ֑ם גְּאֻלַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
וְעָרֵי הַֽלְוִיִּם - The cities of the Levites - i.e., the 48 cities that were given to them.   וְעָרֵי הַֽלְוִיִּם.  אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה עִיר שֶׁנִתְּנוּ לָהֶם:
גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָם - Unlimited rights of redemption - i.e., the Levite may redeem it immediately, even before two years have elapsed since the sale, if the Levites sold one of their fields that were given to them within the 2000-cubit area surrounding their cities; or if they sold a house in a walled city, they may always redeem it, and it does not become transferred absolutely to the buyer at the end of one year.   גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָם.  גּוֹאֵל מִיָּד, אֲפִלּוּ לִפְנֵי שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, אִם מָכְרוּ שָׂדֶה מִשְּׂדוֹתֵיהֶם הַנְּתוּנוֹת לָהֶם בְּאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה סְבִיבוֹת הֶעָרִים, אוֹ אִם מָכְרוּ בַיִת בְּעִיר חוֹמָה, גּוֹאֲלִין לְעוֹלָם וְאֵינוֹ חָלוּט לְסוֹף שָׁנָה (שם):
33If someone purchases property from the Levites, the purchased house or inherited city will leave the possession of the purchaser in the Jubilee year, because the houses of the cities of the Levites are their sole inherited property amid the Israelites.   לגוַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִגְאַל֙ מִן־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם וְיָצָ֧א מִמְכַּר־בַּ֛יִת וְעִ֥יר אֲחֻזָּת֖וֹ בַּיֹּבֵ֑ל כִּ֣י בָתֵּ֞י עָרֵ֣י הַֽלְוִיִּ֗ם הִ֚וא אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וַֽאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן־הַֽלְוִיִּם - If someone purchases property from the Levites - i.e., if one buys a house or a city from them.   וַֽאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן־הַֽלְוִיִּם.  וְאִם יִקְנֶה בַיִת אוֹ עִיר מֵהֶם:
וְיֵצֵא בַיּוֹבֵל - 

that sold house or city will leave the possession of the purchaser in the Jubilee year and will revert to the possession of the Levite who sold it; it will not become transferred to the purchaser absolutely like other houses in walled cities belonging to lay Israelites. This instance of the verb גאל thus denotes selling.

Another explanation, rendering גאל as “redeem”: Since it says: “the Levites will have unlimited rights of redemption,” 5 I might think that Scripture is only speaking about an Israelite buyer who bought a house in one of the Levite cities, but if a Levite buys a house from another Levite, it does become transferred absolutely if not redeemed within the year. Scripture therefore states: וַאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן הַלְוִיִּם “And that which is redeemed from the Levites” – i.e., a Levite who redeems from a Levite buyer also has a permanent right of redemption.

  וְיֵצֵא בַיּוֹבֵל.  אוֹתוֹ מִמְכָּר שֶׁל בַּיִת אוֹ שֶׁל עִיר וְיָשׁוּב לַלֵּוִי שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה חָלוּט כִּשְׁאָר בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּגְאֻלָּה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן מְכִירָה; דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה לַלְוִיִּם, יָכוֹל לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא בְּלוֹקֵחַ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁקָּנָה בַיִת בְּעָרֵי הַלְוִיִּם, אֲבָל לֵוִי שֶׁקָּנָה מִלֵּוִי, יִהְיֶה חָלוּט, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַאֲשֶׁר יִגְאַל מִן הַלְוִיִּם — אַף הַגּוֹאֵל מִיַּד לֵוִי גּוֹאֵל גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָם:
וְיָצָא מִמְכַּר־בַּיִת - The purchased house…will leave. According to the previous explanation, this is stating another commandment: And if he did not redeem it beforehand, it leaves the possession of buyer in the Jubilee year and does not become transferred absolutely to the buyer at the end of one year like a house bought from an Israelite.   וְיָצָא מִמְכַּר־בַּיִת.  הֲרֵי זוֹ מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת, וְאִם לֹא גְאָלָהּ, יוֹצְאָה בַיּוֹבֵל וְאֵינוֹ נֶחְלָט לְסוֹף שָׁנָה כְּבַיִת שֶׁל יִשְֹרָאֵל:
כִּי בָתֵּי עָרֵי הַֽלְוִיִּם הִוא אֲחֻזָּתָם - Because the houses of the cities of the Levites are their inherited property. They do not receive an inheritance of fields or vineyards, but only cities to dwell in and their surrounding open spaces. Therefore, these cities are for them in place of regular fields, and may thus be redeemed like fields, so that their possession of their inheritance never be terminated.   כִּי בָתֵּי עָרֵי הַֽלְוִיִּם הִוא אֲחֻזָּתָם.  לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם נַחֲלַת שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים, אֶלָּא עָרִים לָשֶׁבֶת וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הֵם לָהֶם בִּמְקוֹם שָׂדוֹת, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם גְּאֻלָּה כְשָׂדוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תֻּפְקַע נַחֲלָתָם מֵהֶם:
34A field surrounding the open areas of the Levites cities cannot be “sold,” because it is the Levites’ eternal inheritance.   לדוּֽשֲׂדֵ֛ה מִגְרַ֥שׁ עָֽרֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א יִמָּכֵ֑ר כִּֽי־אֲחֻזַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם ה֖וּא לָהֶֽם:
וּֽשֲׂדֵה מִגְרַשׁ עָֽרֵיהֶם לֹא יִמָּכֵר - A field [surrounding] the open areas of their cities cannot be sold - this refers to a sale by the Temple treasurer, and thus implies that if a Levite consecrated his field to the Temple but did not redeem it, and the treasurer subsequently sold it, it does not pass to the priests in the Jubilee year as is stated regarding a field consecrated by an Israelite: “if the treasurer has sold the field to someone else, it may no longer be redeemed.” 6 That is true of the lay Israelite, but the Levite may always redeem it.   וּֽשֲׂדֵה מִגְרַשׁ עָֽרֵיהֶם לֹא יִמָּכֵר.  מֶכֶר גִּזְבָּר, שֶׁאִם הִקְדִּישׁ בֶּן לֵוִי אֶת שָׂדֵהוּ וְלֹא גְאָלָהּ וּמְכָרָהּ גִּזְבָּר, אֵינָהּ יוֹצְאָה לַכֹּהֲנִים בַּיּוֹבֵל כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִם מָכַר אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה לְאִישׁ אַחֵר לֹא יִגָּאֵל עוֹד (ויקרא כ"ז), אֲבָל בֶּן לֵוִי גּוֹאֵל לְעוֹלָם:
35If your brother Israelite is becoming destitute, you must support him as soon as his “hand, i.e., his financial power, begins to falter beside you, so that he can continue to live with you in financial solvency, even if he be a convert or a resident alien.   להוְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ:
וְהֶֽחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ - You must support him - i.e., do not let his fortunes drop and collapse, as then it will be difficult to set him up again; rather, support him as soon as he begins to falter. To what is this comparable? To a slipping load on a donkey – as long as it is still on the donkey, one person can grab it and set it right, but once it has fallen to the ground, even five people cannot set it right.   וְהֶֽחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ.  אַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ שֶׁיֵּרֵד וְיִפֹּל וְיִהְיֶה קָשֶׁה לַהֲקִימוֹ, אֶלָּא חַזְּקֵהוּ מִשְּׁעַת מוֹטַת הַיָּד; לְמָה זֶה דוֹמֶה? לְמַשּׂאוֹי שֶׁעַל הַחֲמוֹר, עוֹדֵהוּ עַל הַחֲמוֹר אֶחָד תּוֹפֵס בּוֹ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ, נָפַל לָאָרֶץ, חֲמִשָּׁה אֵין מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ:
גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב - A convert or a resident - i.e., even if he is a convert or a resident. What is a “resident”? Any non-Jew who accepted upon himself not to worship idols, but who may still eat carcasses of animals that were not ritually slaughtered.   גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב.  אַף אִם הוּא גֵּר אוֹ תוֹשָׁב; וְאֵיזֶהוּ תוֹשָׁב? כָּל שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְאוֹכֵל נְבֵלוֹת (עי' ספרא):
36You must not take interest, interest from him. You must fear your God. Enable your brother Israelite to live with you in financial solvency.   לואַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ:
נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית - Interest, interest. Although it is expressed as two terms, the rabbis equated them. It is expressed as two terms in order to teach us that one who transgresses this prohibition violates two passive commandments.   נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית.  חַד שַׁוִּינְהוּ רַבָּנָן, וְלַעֲבֹר עָלָיו בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין (בבא מציעא ס'):
וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ - You must fear your God. Since a person’s thought naturally inclines to take interest, and it is difficult to refrain from doing so, and he may convince himself that it is permitted as compensation for him not making any profit through his money while it was held by the borrower, it was therefore necessary for Scripture to say: “You must fear your God.” Alternatively, if someone pretends that his money is really that of a non-Jew so that he can lend it to an Israelite on interest, this is a matter of which only his own heart and thoughts can be aware, and for this reason Scripture needed to say: “You must fear your God.”   וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ.  לְפִי שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם נִמְשֶׁכֶת אַחַר הָרִבִּית, וְקָשֶׁה לִפְרֹשׁ הֵימֶנּוּ, וּמוֹרֶה לְעַצְמוֹ הֶתֵּר בִּשְׁבִיל מְעוֹתָיו שֶׁהָיוּ בְטֵלוֹת אֶצְלוֹ, הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ, אוֹ הַתּוֹלֶה מְעוֹתָיו בְּגוֹי כְּדֵי לְהַלְווֹתָם לְיִשְֹרָאֵל בְּרִבִּית, הֲרֵי זֶה דָבָר הַמָּסוּר לְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, לְכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ (שם ס"א):
37You must not give him your money on the condition of being paid back with interest; you must not give him your food on the condition of being paid back with interest.   לזאֶת־כַּ֨סְפְּךָ֔ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן ל֖וֹ בְּנֶ֑שֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּ֖ית לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן אָכְלֶֽךָ:
38I am God, your God, who took you out of Egypt in order to give you Canaan; in order to be a God to you.   לחאֲנִ֗י יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לִֽהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִֽים:
אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵאתִי וגו' - Who took [you] out…. just as I discerned between a firstborn and a non-firstborn, I also recognize and will exact punishment from one who lends money to an Israelite on interest and claims that it belongs to a non-Jew. Another explanation: “who took you out of Egypt” – I redeemed you on condition that you accept My commandments upon yourselves, even if they be difficult for you.   אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵאתִי וגו'.  וְהִבְחַנְתִּי בֵין בְּכוֹר לְשֶׁאֵינוֹ בְכוֹר, אַף אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וְנִפְרָע מִן הַמַּלְוֶה מָעוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִבִּית וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁל גּוֹי הֵם; דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיכֶם מִצְוֹתַי, וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵן כְּבֵדוֹת עֲלֵיכֶם:
לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת־אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן - To give you Canaan - as reward for accepting upon yourselves to fulfill My commandments.   לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת־אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן.  בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ מִצְוֹתַי:
לִֽהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵֽאלֹהִֽים - In order to be a God to you - for whoever lives in the Land of Israel – I consider Myself his God, but whoever leaves I consider to be an idolater.   לִֽהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵֽאלֹהִֽים.  שֶׁכָּל הַדָּר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים וְכָל הַיּוֹצֵא מִמֶּנָּה כְּעוֹבֵד עַ"זָ (ספרא; כתובות ק"י):

Sixth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

39If your brother Israelite living with you becomes destitute, and he is indentured to you as a bondman, you must not work him with labor that makes him appear to be a bondman.   לטוְכִֽי־יָמ֥וּךְ אָחִ֛יךָ עִמָּ֖ךְ וְנִמְכַּר־לָ֑ךְ לֹא־תַֽעֲבֹ֥ד בּ֖וֹ עֲבֹ֥דַת עָֽבֶד:
עֲבֹדַת עָֽבֶד - (lit.) Labor of a bondman - i.e., degrading work that makes him publicly identified as a bondman: e.g., he must not carry his master’s clothes behind him to the bathhouse or tie his boots for him.   עֲבֹדַת עָֽבֶד.  עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל גְּנַאי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִכָּר בָּהּ כְּעֶבֶד, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹלִיךְ כֵּלָיו אַחֲרָיו לְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ וְלֹא יַנְעִיל לוֹ מִנְעָלָיו (עי' ספרא):
40He must be employed by you as an employee or a hired resident. He may only work with you until the Jubilee year.   מכְּשָׂכִ֥יר כְּתוֹשָׁ֖ב יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֑ךְ עַד־שְׁנַ֥ת הַיֹּבֵ֖ל יַֽעֲבֹ֥ד עִמָּֽךְ:
כְּשָׂכִיר כְּתוֹשָׁב - As an employee or a hired resident - i.e., give him agricultural or craft work; treat him like regular hired workers.   כְּשָׂכִיר כְּתוֹשָׁב.  עֲבוֹדַת קַרְקַע וּמְלֶאכֶת אֻמָּנוּת כִּשְׁאָר שְׂכִירִים הִתְנַהֵג בּוֹ:
עַד־שְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל - Until the Jubilee year - i.e., if the Jubilee year occurs before six years have elapsed, the Jubilee releases him from service.   עַד־שְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל.  אִם פָּגַע בּוֹ יוֹבֵל לִפְנֵי שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים הַיּוֹבֵל מוֹצִיאוֹ:
41He must leave you, he and his children with him. He must return to his family and reassume the social status of his fathers,   מאוְיָצָא֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ ה֖וּא וּבָנָ֣יו עִמּ֑וֹ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ וְאֶל־אֲחֻזַּ֥ת אֲבֹתָ֖יו יָשֽׁוּב:
הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּוֹ - He and his children with him. Rabbi Shimon asked: Although it has been stated that he himself was sold, who has sold his children, that Scripture should mention their leaving? This is only stated so that we derive from here, as well as from the extra word “he,” that a Hebrew bondman’s master is obligated to feed him and his children as well.   הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּוֹ.  אָמַר רַ' שִׁמְעוֹן אִם הוּא נִמְכַּר, בָּנָיו מִי מְכָרָן? אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁרַבּוֹ חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת בָּנָיו (קידושין כ"ב):
וְאֶל־אֲחֻזַּת אֲבֹתָיו - (lit.) And to the inherited property of his fathers - means: to the respected status of his ancestors, meaning that one may not belittle him due to this, i.e., the fact that he was a bondman.   וְאֶל־אֲחֻזַּת אֲבֹתָיו.  אֶל כְּבוֹד אֲבוֹתָיו, וְאֵין לְזַלְזְלוֹ בְּכָךְ (ספרא; מכילתא י"ג):
אֲחֻזַּת - thus means: here held social position   אֲחֻזַּת.  חֲזָקַת:
42for they are My servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. They must not be indentured as a non-Jewish bondservant is sold.   מבכִּֽי־עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לֹ֥א יִמָּֽכְר֖וּ מִמְכֶּ֥רֶת עָֽבֶד:
כִּֽי־עֲבָדַי הֵם - For they are My servants - i.e., My deed of purchase, so to speak, predates yours.   כִּֽי־עֲבָדַי הֵם.  שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם (ספרא):
לֹא יִמָּֽכְרוּ מִמְכֶּרֶת עָֽבֶד - They must not be indentured as a bondservant is sold - i.e., by public announcement: “Here is a bondservant for sale,” nor may one have him stand on an auction platform.   לֹא יִמָּֽכְרוּ מִמְכֶּרֶת עָֽבֶד.  בְּהַכְרָזָה — "כָּאן יֵשׁ עֶבֶד לִמְכֹּר" וְלֹא יַעֲמִידֶנּוּ עַל אֶבֶן הַלֶּקַח (ספרא):
43You must not work him with backbreaking labor; you must fear your God.   מגלֹֽא־תִרְדֶּ֥ה ב֖וֹ בְּפָ֑רֶךְ וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
לֹֽא־תִרְדֶּה בוֹ בְּפָרֶךְ - You must not work him with backbreaking labor - i.e., unnecessary tasks given only with the purpose of bothering him, e.g., do not tell him: “Heat up this cup” when there is no need for it; or without specifying a time-limit, such as: “Hoe underneath the vine until I come.” Maybe you will say: “No one can know if this matter is necessary or not, so I will tell him that it is necessary”? It is thus a matter that is the personal province of the master, and that is why it says: “you must fear your God.”   לֹֽא־תִרְדֶּה בוֹ בְּפָרֶךְ.  מְלָאכָה שֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ, כְּדֵי לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, אַל תֹּאמַר לוֹ, הָחֵם לִי אֶת הַכּוֹס הַזֶּה וְהוּא אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, עֲדֹר תַּחַת הַגֶּפֶן עַד שֶׁאָבֹא; שֶׁמָּא תֹאמַר אֵין מַכִּיר בַּדָּבָר אִם לְצֹרֶךְ אִם לָאו, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי לוֹ שֶׁהוּא לְצֹרֶךְ, הֲרֵי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מָסוּר לְלִבּוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְיָרֵאתָ" (שם):
44The bondmen or bondwomen whom you may possess for menial labor must come from the non-Jewish nations around you. You may purchase non-Jewish bondmen or bondwomen from them.   מדוְעַבְדְּךָ֥ וַֽאֲמָֽתְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיוּ־לָ֑ךְ מֵאֵ֣ת הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִיבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם מֵהֶ֥ם תִּקְנ֖וּ עֶ֥בֶד וְאָמָֽה:
וְעַבְדְּךָ וַֽאֲמָֽתְךָ אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיוּ־לָךְ - The bondmen or bondwomen whom you may possess. Should you ask: “Whom then can I use for menial labor? I am not allowed to rule over my Hebrew bondman, and I cannot possess anyone from the nations currently occupying the Land of Israel, for You have warned me regarding them: ‘You must not allow any soul to live.’ 18 Who then will serve me?”   וְעַבְדְּךָ וַֽאֲמָֽתְךָ אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיוּ־לָךְ.  אִם תֹּאמַר אִם כֵּן בְּמָה אֶשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ? בַּעֲבָדַי אֵינִי מוֹשֵׁל, בָּאֻמּוֹת אֵינִי נוֹחֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִזְהַרְתַּנִי לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה, אֶלָּא מִי יְשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי?
מֵאֵת הַגּוֹיִם - The answer is: “from the nations” - they will be your bondservants.   מֵאֵת הַגּוֹיִם.  הֵם יִהְיוּ לְךָ לַעֲבָדִים (שם):
אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיכֶם - Around you. but not those who reside within the borders of your land, for about them I said: “you must not allow any soul to live.”   אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיכֶם.  וְלֹא שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ גְּבוּל אַרְצְכֶם, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָהֶם אָמַרְתִּי לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה:
45You may also purchase bondservants from among the children of female Canaanite residents who live among you, as well as from their family who live among you, to whom they gave birth in your land. They will become part of your estate.   מהוְ֠גַ֠ם מִבְּנֵ֨י הַתּֽוֹשָׁבִ֜ים הַגָּרִ֤ים עִמָּכֶם֙ מֵהֶ֣ם תִּקְנ֔וּ וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹלִ֖ידוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם לַֽאֲחֻזָּֽה:
וְגַם מִבְּנֵי הַתּֽוֹשָׁבִים - Also…from among the children of residents. who came from the surrounding lands to marry Canaanite women in your land and they had children. The son of such a union follows the father’s non-Canaanite nationality and is thus not included in the statement “you must not allow any soul to live,” and you are permitted to acquire him as a bondservant.   וְגַם מִבְּנֵי הַתּֽוֹשָׁבִים.  שֶׁבָּאוּ מִסְּבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם לִשָּׂא נָשִׁים בְּאַרְצְכֶם, וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם, הַבֵּן הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הָאָב, וְאֵינוֹ בִּכְלַל לֹא תְחַיֶּה, אֶלָּא אַתָּה מֻתָּר לִקְנוֹתוֹ כְּעֶבֶד (קידושין כ"ז):
מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ - (lit.) You may purchase…from them. means you may buy them.   מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ.  אוֹתָם תִּקְנוּ:
46You may retain ownership of them for your children after you as an inherited estate, and may thus have them work for you forever. But as for your brethren, the Israelites, no man may work his brother Israelite with backbreaking labor.   מווְהִתְנַֽחַלְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֤ם אַֽחֲרֵיכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֲחֻזָּ֔ה לְעֹלָ֖ם בָּהֶ֣ם תַּֽעֲבֹ֑דוּ וּבְאַ֨חֵיכֶ֤ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אִ֣ישׁ בְּאָחִ֔יו לֹֽא־תִרְדֶּ֥ה ב֖וֹ בְּפָֽרֶךְ:
וְהִתְנַֽחַלְתֶּם אֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶם - this is a hitpa’el (reflexive) form, meaning: “hold onto them as heritable possession for the benefit of your children after you.” One cannot explain it as meaning: “bequeath them to your children,” for if so, it should have written: וְהִנְחַלְתֶּם אוֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶםa hif’il (causative) form. is thus similar to וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם “you must be courageous.” 1   וְהִתְנַֽחַלְתֶּם אֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶם.  הַחֲזִיקוּ בָהֶם לְנַחֲלָה לְצֹרֶךְ בְּנֵיכֶם אַחֲרֵיכֶם; וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ הַנְחִילוּם לִבְנֵיכֶם, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וְהִנְחַלְתֶּם" אוֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶם, וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם כְּמוֹ וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם:
אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו - No man [may work] his brother. This prohibition is repeated here to include a tribal prince with respect to his people and a king with respect to his subjects, that they must not have them perform such “backbreaking labor” described above.   אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו.  לְהָבִיא נָשִׂיא בְעַמָּיו וּמֶלֶךְ בִּמְשָׁרְתָיו שֶׁלֹּא לִרְדּוֹת בְּפָרֶךְ:
Footnotes

Seventh Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

47If a resident alien gains finan­cial means, it will be on account of associating with you, and if your brother Israelite becomes destitute, it may well be on account of associating with him. If your brother Israelite is indentured as a bondman to a resident alien among you, or to an idol of the non-Jewish family of a convert,   מזוְכִ֣י תַשִּׂ֗יג יַ֣ד גֵּ֤ר וְתוֹשָׁב֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וּמָ֥ךְ אָחִ֖יךָ עִמּ֑וֹ וְנִמְכַּ֗ר לְגֵ֤ר תּוֹשָׁב֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ א֥וֹ לְעֵ֖קֶר מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת גֵּֽר:
יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב - although the conjunction ו is used, the phrase refers to one person: an alien who is a resident, as Onkelos translates it עֲרַל תּוֹתָב, and the end of the verse proves this: וְנִמְכַּר לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב (lit.) “if he is indentured to a resident alien,as the ו is absent.   יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב.  גֵּר וְהוּא תוֹשָׁב, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ עָרֵל תוֹתָב, וְסוֹפוֹ מוֹכִיח — וְנִמְכַּר "לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב":
וְכִי תַשִּׂיג יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב עִמָּךְ - (lit.) If a resident alien gains financial means among you. What caused him to become rich? His association with you.   וְכִי תַשִּׂיג יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב עִמָּךְ.  מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשִׁיר? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמְּךָ.
וּמָךְ אָחִיךָ עִמּוֹ - (lit.) And your brother becomes destitute with him. What caused him to become poor? His association with him, in that he followed the non-Jew’s example.   וּמָךְ אָחִיךָ עִמּוֹ.  מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּךְ? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמּוֹ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלָּמַד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו:
מִשְׁפַּחַת גֵּר - The family of a convert. This refers to its non-Jewish members. When it says לְעֵקֶר, it refers to someone sold for an actual idol as an attendant for it – not to serve it as a deity, but to chop wood and to draw water for it.   מִשְׁפַּחַת גֵּר.  זֶה הַגּוֹי, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לְעֵקֶר, זֶה הַנִּמְכָּר לְעֲ"זַ עַצְמָהּ, לִהְיוֹת לָהּ שַׁמָּשׁ, וְלֹא לֶאֱלֹהוּת אֶלָּא לַחֲטֹב עֵצִים וְלִשְׁאֹב מַיִם (ספרא; בבא קמא קי"ג):
48after he is indentured, he must have rights of redemption. One of his brothers must redeem him.   מחאַֽחֲרֵ֣י נִמְכַּ֔ר גְּאֻלָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּ֑וֹ אֶחָ֥ד מֵֽאֶחָ֖יו יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ:
גְּאֻלָּה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ - He must have rights of redemption - immediately. Do not let him become assimilated among non-Jews.   גְּאֻלָּה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ.  מִיָּד, אַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ שֶׁיִּטָּמַע, עַד שְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל שֶׁהֲרֵי כָל עַצְמוֹ לֹא קְנָאוֹ אֶלָּא לְעָבְדוֹ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַיּוֹבֵל יֵצֵא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְמַטָּה וְיָצָא בִּשְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל; וּבְגוֹי שֶׁתַּחַת יָדְךָ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (ספרא; קידושין ט"ז), וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא תָבֹא עָלָיו בַּעֲקִיפִין מִפְּנֵי חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם (בבא קמא קי"ג), אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁבָּא לִגָּאֵל, יְדַקְדֵּק בַּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לְפִי הַמַּגִּיעַ בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה יְנַכֶּה לוֹ הַגּוֹי מִן דָּמָיו, אִם הָיוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנִמְכַּר עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, וּקְנָאוֹ בְּעֶשְׂרִים מָנֶה, נִמְצָא שֶׁקָּנָה הַגּוֹי עֲבוֹדַת שָׁנָה בְּמָנֶה, וְאִם שָׁהָה זֶה אֶצְלוֹ חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וּבָא לִגָּאֵל, יְנַכֶּה לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה מָנִים, וְיִתֵּן לוֹ הָעֶבֶד ט"ו מָנִים, וְזֶהוּ והיה כסף ממכרו במספר שנים:
49Either his uncle or his cousin must redeem him; or the closest relative from his family must redeem him; or, when he becomes able to afford it, he can be redeemed on his own.   מטאֽוֹ־דֹד֞וֹ א֤וֹ בֶן־דֹּדוֹ֙ יִגְאָלֶ֔נּוּ אֽוֹ־מִשְּׁאֵ֧ר בְּשָׂר֛וֹ מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ יִגְאָלֶ֑נּוּ אֽוֹ־הִשִּׂ֥יגָה יָד֖וֹ וְנִגְאָֽל:
50Whoever redeems him must calculate with his purchaser from the year he was indentured to him until the Jubilee year. The purchase price will then be divided by that number of years: the result will then be considered his working rate during his term as a hired worker.   נוְחִשַּׁב֙ עִם־קֹנֵ֔הוּ מִשְּׁנַת֙ הִמָּ֣כְרוֹ ל֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֑ל וְהָיָ֞ה כֶּ֤סֶף מִמְכָּרוֹ֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שָׁנִ֔ים כִּימֵ֥י שָׂכִ֖יר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמּֽוֹ:
כִּימֵי שָׂכִיר יִֽהְיֶה עִמּֽוֹ - Until the Jubilee year - for in fact he had bought him only to serve him until the Jubilee year, for in the Jubilee year he must leave service, as it says below: “he must leave his employer in the Jubilee year.” 1 Scripture is thus speaking of a non-Jew who is under your jurisdiction. Nevertheless, do not act crookedly toward him, because of the desecration of the Name that this will cause. Rather, when the bondman comes to be redeemed, one must be precise with the calculation, meaning that according to the amount that is due for each year, the non-Jew should deduct for him from his total purchase price: If there were 20 years from the time he was sold until the Jubilee year and he bought him for 20 maneh, the result is that the non-Jew bought the work of each year for a maneh. If he stayed with him for five years and now comes to redeem himself, the non-Jew deducts five maneh and the bondman gives him 15 maneh. This is what is meant by: “his purchase price will then be divided by that number of years: the result will then be considered his working rate during his term as a hired worker,” i.e., in the example above, he must calculate the amount due for each year as if he were hired to him for each year for a maneh, and deduct from the total price accordingly for him.   כִּימֵי שָׂכִיר יִֽהְיֶה עִמּֽוֹ.  — חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַמַּגִּיעַ לְכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה יַחֲשֹׁב, כְּאִלּוּ נִשְׂכַּר עִמּוֹ כָּל שָׁנָה בְּמָנֶה, וִינַכֶּה לוֹ:
51If there are still many years remaining until the Jubilee year, he must accordingly return his redemption money to his purchaser out of the money for which he was purchased.   נאאִם־ע֥וֹד רַבּ֖וֹת בַּשָּׁנִ֑ים לְפִיהֶן֙ יָשִׁ֣יב גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ מִכֶּ֖סֶף מִקְנָתֽוֹ:
אִם־עוֹד רַבּוֹת בַּשָּׁנִים - If there are still many years - until the Jubilee year.   אִם־עוֹד רַבּוֹת בַּשָּׁנִים.  עַד הַיּוֹבֵל:
לְפִיהֶן - (lit.) According to them. This is all to be understood as I explained above.   לְפִיהֶן.  הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:
52If only a few years remain until the Jubilee year, he must make the same calculation. He must return the redemption money to the purchaser according to his years that remain.   נבוְאִם־מְעַ֞ט נִשְׁאַ֧ר בַּשָּׁנִ֛ים עַד־שְׁנַ֥ת הַיֹּבֵ֖ל וְחִשַּׁב־ל֑וֹ כְּפִ֣י שָׁנָ֔יו יָשִׁ֖יב אֶת־גְּאֻלָּתֽוֹ:
53He must be considered as an employee hired on a yearly basis. The purchaser must not oppress him with backbreaking labor in your sight.   נגכִּשְׂכִ֥יר שָׁנָ֛ה בְּשָׁנָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמּ֑וֹ לֹֽא־יִרְדֶּ֥נּוּ בְּפֶ֖רֶךְ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ:
לֹֽא־יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ - [The purchaser] must not oppress him with backbreaking labor (lit.) before your eyes - meaning, when you see it.   לֹֽא־יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ.  כְּלוֹמַר וְאַתָּה רוֹאֶה (ספרא):
54If he is not redeemed through any of these ways, he must leave his non-Jewish employer in the Jubilee year, he and his children with him.   נדוְאִם־לֹ֥א יִגָּאֵ֖ל בְּאֵ֑לֶּה וְיָצָא֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֔ל ה֖וּא וּבָנָ֥יו עִמּֽוֹ:
וְאִם־לֹא יִגָּאֵל בְּאֵלֶּה - If he is not redeemed through [any of] these [ways]. He can be redeemed only through these ways, but he is not redeemed by six years having elapsed.   וְאִם־לֹא יִגָּאֵל בְּאֵלֶּה.  בְּאֵלֶּה הוּא נִגְאָל וְאֵינוֹ נִגְאָל בְּשֵׁשׁ (קידושין ט"ו):
הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּֽוֹ - He and his children with him. The non-Jew is obligated to feed his children, just as an Israelite master is.   הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּֽוֹ.  הַגּוֹי חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת בָּנָיו:
55He must be redeemed because the Israelites are servants to Me; they are My servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am God, your God.   נהכִּי־לִ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
כִּי־לִי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים - Because the Israelites are servants to Me - i.e., My deed of purchase, so to speak, predates any other.   כִּי־לִי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים.  שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם:
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God. This indicates that anyone who enslaves them below is considered as if he enslaves God Above, so to speak.   אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.  כָּל הַמְשַׁעְבְּדָן מִלְּמַטָּה כְּאִלּוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה (ספרא):

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 26

1You must not make idols for yourselves, nor may you set up for yourselves a sculpted image or single-stone pedestal. You must not lay a pavement of stones on which to prostrate yourselves in your land, for I am God, your God.   אלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אלילים - You must not make idols for yourselves. 

These commandments are repeated here, addressing one who was sold to a non-Jew, so that he not say: “Just as my master engages in illicit relations, I, too, will behave like him; just as my master serves idols, I, too will behave like him; just as my master desecrates the Sabbath, I, too, will behave like him” – therefore these verses are stated.

All these above passages are also stated in the order they may typically occur: At first Scripture instructs regarding the seventh year. And if a person desired monetary gain and engaged in suspicious dealings with produce of the seventh year, he will eventually have to sell his movable property. Therefore it juxtaposes to it: וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר “When you sell some possession.” 2 What is written in that verse? אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ “or buy (lit.) from the hand of your fellow,” implying something acquired from hand to hand. If he does not repent of his actions, he will eventually have to sell his inherited land. If he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his house. If he still does not repent, he will eventually come to borrow on interest – every later situation is worse than the earlier one. If even then he does not repent, he will eventually have to sell himself; and if even then he does not repent, it will not be enough that he was sold to an Israelite, but he will even have to sell himself to a non-Jew.

  לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אלילים.  כְּנֶגֶד זֶה הַנִּמְכָּר לְגוֹי, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְגַלֶּה עֲרָיוֹת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרוּ מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ; וְאַף הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ נֶאֶמְרוּ עַל הַסֵּדֶר: בַּתְּחִלָּה הִזְהִיר עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְאִם חָמַד מָמוֹן וְנֶחְשַׁד עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, סוֹפוֹ לִמְכֹּר מִטַּלְטְלָיו, לְכָךְ סָמַךְ לָהּ וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר — (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ? אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ — דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד) — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת בֵּיתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף לֹוֶה בְרִבִּית — כָּל אֵלּוּ הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת קָשׁוֹת מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, לֹא דַיּוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְגוֹי:
וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית - A pavement of stone. The term מַשְׂכִּית denotes covering, as in וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי “and I will shield you with My hand,” 3 for the ground is covered with stone flooring.   וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית.  לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ "וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי" (שמות ל"ג), שֶׁמְּכַסִּין הַקַּרְקַע בְּרִצְפַּת אֲבָנִים:
לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ - On which to prostrate yourselves - even to God in heaven, because prostration involves spreading out one’s hands and feet on the ground, and the Torah forbids one to do this except in the Holy Temple.   לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ.  אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הִיא וְאָסְרָה תוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן חוּץ מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מגילה כ"ב):
2You must keep My Sabbaths and fear My Sanctuary. I am God.’”   באֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה:
אֲנִי ה' - I am God - trustworthy to pay reward.   אֲנִי ה'.  נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:

Maftir Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 25

55He must be redeemed because the Israelites are servants to Me; they are My servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am God, your God.   נהכִּי־לִ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
כִּי־לִי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים - Because the Israelites are servants to Me - i.e., My deed of purchase, so to speak, predates any other.   כִּי־לִי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים.  שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם:
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God. This indicates that anyone who enslaves them below is considered as if he enslaves God Above, so to speak.   אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.  כָּל הַמְשַׁעְבְּדָן מִלְּמַטָּה כְּאִלּוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה (ספרא):

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 26

1You must not make idols for yourselves, nor may you set up for yourselves a sculpted image or single-stone pedestal. You must not lay a pavement of stones on which to prostrate yourselves in your land, for I am God, your God.   אלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אלילים - You must not make idols for yourselves. 

These commandments are repeated here, addressing one who was sold to a non-Jew, so that he not say: “Just as my master engages in illicit relations, I, too, will behave like him; just as my master serves idols, I, too will behave like him; just as my master desecrates the Sabbath, I, too, will behave like him” – therefore these verses are stated.

All these above passages are also stated in the order they may typically occur: At first Scripture instructs regarding the seventh year. And if a person desired monetary gain and engaged in suspicious dealings with produce of the seventh year, he will eventually have to sell his movable property. Therefore it juxtaposes to it: וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר “When you sell some possession.” 1 What is written in that verse? אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ “or buy (lit.) from the hand of your fellow,” implying something acquired from hand to hand. If he does not repent of his actions, he will eventually have to sell his inherited land. If he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his house. If he still does not repent, he will eventually come to borrow on interest – every later situation is worse than the earlier one. If even then he does not repent, he will eventually have to sell himself; and if even then he does not repent, it will not be enough that he was sold to an Israelite, but he will even have to sell himself to a non-Jew.

  לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אלילים.  כְּנֶגֶד זֶה הַנִּמְכָּר לְגוֹי, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְגַלֶּה עֲרָיוֹת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרוּ מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ; וְאַף הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ נֶאֶמְרוּ עַל הַסֵּדֶר: בַּתְּחִלָּה הִזְהִיר עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְאִם חָמַד מָמוֹן וְנֶחְשַׁד עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, סוֹפוֹ לִמְכֹּר מִטַּלְטְלָיו, לְכָךְ סָמַךְ לָהּ וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר — (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ? אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ — דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד) — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת בֵּיתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף לֹוֶה בְרִבִּית — כָּל אֵלּוּ הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת קָשׁוֹת מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, לֹא דַיּוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְגוֹי:
וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית - A pavement of stone. The term מַשְׂכִּית denotes covering, as in וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי “and I will shield you with My hand,” 2 for the ground is covered with stone flooring.   וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית.  לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ "וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי" (שמות ל"ג), שֶׁמְּכַסִּין הַקַּרְקַע בְּרִצְפַּת אֲבָנִים:
לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ - On which to prostrate yourselves - even to God in heaven, because prostration involves spreading out one’s hands and feet on the ground, and the Torah forbids one to do this except in the Holy Temple.   לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ.  אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הִיא וְאָסְרָה תוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן חוּץ מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מגילה כ"ב):
2You must keep My Sabbaths and fear My Sanctuary. I am God.’”   באֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה:
אֲנִי ה' - I am God - trustworthy to pay reward.   אֲנִי ה'.  נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:

Haftarah

Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) Chapter 32

6And Jeremiah said: The word of the Lord came to me, saying:   ווַיֹּ֖אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ הָיָ֥ה דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר:
And Jeremiah said, etc.. He did not say this to Zedekiah but Scripture explained why he imprisoned him and then returned to its first statement to explain what the word was that came to Jeremiah.   ויאמר ירמיהו וגו'.  לא לצדקיהו אמר כן אלא פי' הכתוב למה כלאו וחוזר לדבורו הראשון לפרש מה הדבר אשר הי' אל ירמיהו:
7Behold, Hanamel, the son of Shallum your uncle, is coming to you, saying: Buy for yourself my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.   זהִנֵּ֣ה חֲנַמְאֵ֗ל בֶּן־שַׁלֻּם֙ דֹּֽדְךָ֔ בָּ֥א אֵלֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר קְנֵ֣ה לְךָ֗ אֶת־שָׂדִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּֽעֲנָת֔וֹת כִּ֥י לְךָ֛ מִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַגְּאֻלָּ֖ה לִקְנֽוֹת:
is coming. By Divine command.   בא אליך.  על פי הדבור:
8Then Hanamel, my uncle's son, came to me in the prison yard, according to the word of the Lord, and said to me; Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, that is in the country of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is yours, and you have the right of redemption; buy it for yourself." And I knew that this was the word of the Lord.   חוַיָּבֹ֣א אֵ֠לַי חֲנַמְאֵ֨ל בֶּן־דֹּדִ֜י כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־חֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָה֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֡י קְנֵ֣ה נָ֠א אֶת־שָׂדִ֨י אֲשֶׁר־בַּֽעֲנָת֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר | בְּאֶ֣רֶץ בִּנְיָמִ֗ין כִּ֣י לְךָ֞ מִשְׁפַּ֧ט הַֽיְרֻשָּׁ֛ה וּלְךָ֥ הַגְּאֻלָּ֖ה קְנֵה־לָ֑ךְ וָֽאֵדַ֕ע כִּ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה הֽוּא:
9So I bought the field from Hanamel, my uncle's son, which was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, seven shekels and ten pieces of silver.   טוָֽאֶקְנֶה֙ אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה מֵאֵ֛ת חֲנַמְאֵ֥ל בֶּן־דֹּדִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּֽעֲנָת֑וֹת וָֽאֶשְׁקֲלָה־לּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף שִׁבְעָ֥ה שְׁקָלִ֖ים וַֽעֲשָׂרָ֥ה הַכָּֽסֶף:
10And I wrote a bill of sale and signed it and took witnesses, and weighed the silver on a scale.   יוָֽאֶכְתֹּ֚ב בַּסֵּ֙פֶר֙ וָֽאֶחְתֹּ֔ם וָֽאָעֵ֖ד עֵדִ֑ים וָֽאֶשְׁקֹ֥ל הַכֶּ֖סֶף בְּמֹֽאזְנָֽיִם:
11And I took the deed of the purchase, that which was signed according to the law and the conditions, and that which was open.   יאוָֽאֶקַּ֖ח אֶת־סֵ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֑ה אֶת־הֶֽחָת֛וּם הַמִּצְוָ֥ה וְהַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַגָּלֽוּי:
the deed of the purchase. The deed of the sale.   את ספר המקנה.  שטר המכירה:
that which was signed, etc.. With its signature as it was signed according so the law and the statute.   את החתום וגו'.  עם חתימתו כשהוא חתום כדת וחוק:
and that which was open. Which was confirmed in the court by word of its witnesses, and the judges wrote and signed a judicial confirmation. This is the confirmation of the deeds to make the matter open and publicized lest the witnesses die, and our Rabbis explained this concerning a plain, open document and a folded one in Baba Bathra (160b).   ואת הגלוי.  שהוחזק בבית דין על פי עדיו וכתבו וחתמו הדיינין אשרתא דדייני הוא קיום השטרות לעשות הדבר גלוי ומפורסם פן ימותו העדים ורבותינו פירשו לענין גט פשוט ומקושר בבבא בתרא:
12And I gave the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah the son of Maaseiah in the presence of Hanamel my uncle and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, in the presence of all the Jews who sat in the prison yard.   יבוָֽאֶתֵּ֞ן אֶת־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֗ה אֶל־בָּר֣וּךְ בֶּן־נֵֽרִיָּה֘ בֶּן־מַחְסֵיָה֒ לְעֵינֵי֙ חֲנַמְאֵ֣ל דֹּדִ֔י וּלְעֵינֵי֙ הָ֣עֵדִ֔ים הַכֹּֽתְבִ֖ים בְּסֵ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֑ה לְעֵינֵי֙ כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֖ים בַּֽחֲצַ֥ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה:
in the presence of Hanamel my uncle. And until now, he calls him “my uncle’s son.” Perhaps there were two. Otherwise, I do not know what it means. Some are inclined to say that Hanamel was both Jeremiah’s uncle and his uncle’s son; e.g. Reuben married the daughter of his brother Simon, and she bore him Jemuel, and Simon had already begotten Jamin. Hence, Jamin is Jemuel’s uncle, since he is his mother’s brother, and also his uncle’s son, since he is the son of Simon, Jemuel’s father’s brother. This is, however, not the method of expression, for we do not find anywhere in the Bible, that the mother’s brother is called an uncle.   לעיני חנמאל דודי.  ועד עכשיו קראו בן דודי שמא שנים היו ואם אין זאת לא ידעתי מהו ויש נוטים לומר דודו ובן דודו היה חנמאל לירמיה כגון ראובן נשא את בת שמעון אחיו וילדה לו נמואל וכבר הוליד שמעון ימין הרי ימין דודו לנמואל שבן אחי אמו הוא וגם בן דודו שהוא בן שמעון אחי אביו של נמואל ואינה היא המדה שלא מצינו בכל המקרא אח האם קרוי דוד:
13And I charged Baruch in their presence, saying:   יגוָֽאֲצַוֶּה֙ אֶת בָּר֔וּךְ לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר:
14So said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Take these scrolls, this deed of purchase and the signed one and this open scroll, and put them into an earthen vessel so that they remain many years.   ידכֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לָק֣וֹחַ אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֡לֶּה אֵ֣ת סֵפֶר֩ הַמִּקְנָ֨ה הַזֶּ֜ה וְאֵ֣ת הֶֽחָת֗וּם וְאֵ֨ת סֵ֚פֶר הַגָּלוּי֙ הַזֶּ֔ה וּנְתַתָּ֖ם בִּכְלִי־חָ֑רֶשׂ לְמַ֥עַן יַֽעַמְד֖וּ יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים:
So said, etc.. Do not say that I am concealing them for nothing since everyone is going into exile.   כה אמר וגו'.  אל תאמר לחנם אני מצניעם שהרי הכל גולים:
15For so says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be purchased again in this land.   טוכִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ע֣וֹד יִקָּנ֥וּ בָתִּ֛ים וְשָׂד֥וֹת וּכְרָמִ֖ים בָּאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּֽאת:
For so says the Lord. They will ultimately purchase houses.   כי כה אמר ה'.  סופן לקנות בתים:
16And I prayed to the Lord after I had delivered the deed of purchase into the hand of Baruch the son of Neriah, saying,   טזוָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה אַֽחֲרֵ֚י תִתִּי֙ אֶת־סֵ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֔ה אֶל־בָּר֥וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
17"Ho! O Lord God, behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm, and nothing is hidden from You,   יזאֲהָהּ֘ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ הִנֵּ֣ה | אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֗יתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּכֹֽחֲךָ֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל וּבִזְרֹֽעֲךָ֖ הַנְּטוּיָ֑ה לֹֽא־יִפָּלֵ֥א מִמְּךָ֖ כָּל־דָּבָֽר:
nothing is hidden from You. Nothing is hidden; hence You know that we are destined to be exiled, so why did You tell me to buy a field?   לא יפלא.  לא יכחד ויודע אתה שסופנו לגלות ולמה אמרת לי לקנות שדה:
18Who exercises loving-kindness to thousands and requites the iniquity of the fathers in the bosom of the children who follow them, O Great and Mighty God, the Lord of Hosts is His Name.   יחעֹ֚שֶׂה חֶ֙סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים וּמְשַׁלֵּם֙ עֲו‍ֹ֣ן אָב֔וֹת אֶל־חֵ֥יק בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם הָאֵ֚ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַגִּבּ֔וֹר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ:
and requites the iniquity of the fathers in the bosom. Of this generation who follow their ancestors in their evil way.   ומשלם עון אבות אל חיק.  הדור הזה ההולכים אחרי אבותיהם בדרך הרעה:
Great and Mighty. But he did not say, “and awesome.” He said. Heathens are dancing in His Temple. Where then are His awesome deeds? In Tractate Yoma (69b).   הגדול הגבור.  ולא אמר והנורא אמר עובדי אלילים מרקדין בהיכלו איה נוראותיו במסכת יומא:
19Who is great in counsel and mighty in carrying it out, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of mankind, to give everyone in accordance with his ways and in accordance with the fruit of his deeds,   יטגְּדֹל֙ הָֽעֵצָ֔ה וְרַ֖ב הָֽעֲלִֽילִיָּ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־עֵינֶ֣יךָ פְקֻח֗וֹת עַל־כָּל־דַּרְכֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֔ם לָתֵ֚ת לְאִישׁ֙ כִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְכִפְרִ֖י מַֽעֲלָלָֽיו:
20Who performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt until this day, and in Israel and in mankind, and have made a name for Yourself as of this day.   כאֲשֶׁ֣ר שַֹ֠מְתָּ אֹת֨וֹת וּמֹֽפְתִ֚ים בְּאֶ֚רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּבָֽאָדָ֑ם וַתַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֥ שֵׁ֖ם כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
and in mankind. And in other people. Another explanation: Signs that were equal for Israel and for the Egyptians. How so?“And there was the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night” (Exodus 14:20). That guardian angel that served darkness for the Egyptians, served light for the Israelites Midrash Aggadah (source unknown). And Jonathan renders: And for Israel You performed wonders among people.   ובאדם.  בשאר אנשים, ד"א אותות שהיו שקולין לישראל ולמצרים כיצד ויהי הענן והחשך ויאר הלילה (שמות י״ד:כ׳) אותו מזל ששימש חשך למצרים שימש אור לישראל מדרש אגדה:
21And You brought Your people Israel forth out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great fearfulness.   כאוַתֹּצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם בְּאֹת֣וֹת וּבְמֽוֹפְתִ֗ים וּבְיָ֚ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבְאֶזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמוֹרָ֖א גָּדֽוֹל:
22And You gave them this land which You swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.   כבוַתִּתֵּ֚ן לָהֶם֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ לַֽאֲבוֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ:
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Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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