| 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, |
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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. |
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יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב.
גֵּר וְהוּא תוֹשָׁב, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ עָרֵל תוֹתָב, וְסוֹפוֹ מוֹכִיח — וְנִמְכַּר "לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב":
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| 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. |
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וְכִי תַשִּׂיג יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב עִמָּךְ.
מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשִׁיר? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמְּךָ.
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| 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. |
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וּמָךְ אָחִיךָ עִמּוֹ.
מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּךְ? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמּוֹ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלָּמַד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו:
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| 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. |
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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):
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| 48after he is indentured, he must have rights of redemption. One of his brothers must redeem him. |
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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.
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גְּאֻלָּה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ.
מִיָּד, אַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ שֶׁיִּטָּמַע,
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| 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. |
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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. |
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נוְחִשַּׁב֙ עִם־קֹנֵ֔הוּ מִשְּׁנַת֙ הִמָּ֣כְרוֹ ל֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֑ל וְהָיָ֞ה כֶּ֤סֶף מִמְכָּרוֹ֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שָׁנִ֔ים כִּימֵ֥י שָׂכִ֖יר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמּֽוֹ: |
| עַד שְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל - 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.” 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 |
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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:
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| כִּימֵי שָׂכִיר יִֽהְיֶה עִמּֽוֹ - 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. |
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כִּימֵי שָׂכִיר יִֽהְיֶה עִמּֽוֹ.
— חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַמַּגִּיעַ לְכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה יַחֲשֹׁב, כְּאִלּוּ נִשְׂכַּר עִמּוֹ כָּל שָׁנָה בְּמָנֶה, וִינַכֶּה לוֹ:
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| 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. |
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נאאִם־ע֥וֹד רַבּ֖וֹת בַּשָּׁנִ֑ים לְפִיהֶן֙ יָשִׁ֣יב גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ מִכֶּ֖סֶף מִקְנָתֽוֹ: |
| אִם־עוֹד רַבּוֹת בַּשָּׁנִים - If there are still many years - until the Jubilee year. |
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אִם־עוֹד רַבּוֹת בַּשָּׁנִים.
עַד הַיּוֹבֵל:
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| לְפִיהֶן - (lit.) According to them. This is all to be understood as I explained above. |
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לְפִיהֶן.
הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:
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| 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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לֹֽא־יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ.
כְּלוֹמַר וְאַתָּה רוֹאֶה (ספרא):
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| 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. |
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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. |
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וְאִם־לֹא יִגָּאֵל בְּאֵלֶּה.
בְּאֵלֶּה הוּא נִגְאָל וְאֵינוֹ נִגְאָל בְּשֵׁשׁ (קידושין ט"ו):
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| הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּֽוֹ - He and his children with him. The non-Jew is obligated to feed his children, just as an Israelite master is. |
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הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּֽוֹ.
הַגּוֹי חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת בָּנָיו:
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| 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. |
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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. |
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כִּי־לִי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים.
שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם:
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| 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. |
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אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.
כָּל הַמְשַׁעְבְּדָן מִלְּמַטָּה כְּאִלּוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה (ספרא):
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| 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. |
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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.” 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.
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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:
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| וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית - A pavement of stone. The term מַשְׂכִּית denotes covering, as in וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי “and I will shield you with My hand,” for the ground is covered with stone flooring. |
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וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית.
לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ "וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי" (שמות ל"ג), שֶׁמְּכַסִּין הַקַּרְקַע בְּרִצְפַּת אֲבָנִים:
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| 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. |
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לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ.
אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הִיא וְאָסְרָה תוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן חוּץ מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מגילה כ"ב):
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| 2You must keep My Sabbaths and fear My Sanctuary. I am God.’” |
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באֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| אֲנִי ה' - I am God - trustworthy to pay reward. |
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אֲנִי ה'.
נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:
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