Carry out the laws of sold family properties
This page is incomplete.
Help complete the
Mitzvah Minute website.
This Mitzvah's Summary
Family land sold due to poverty must be redeemable, and if not redeemed earlier, it returns to its original family in the Jubilee year.
This mitzvah requires that land sold in Israel remain redeemable by the family, and that it automatically return to its original owner in the Jubilee year. The Torah emphasizes that “the land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine” (Leviticus 25:23). A relative redeemer (go’el) may buy back the land at any time, or the seller himself if his finances improve. If neither occurs, Yovel ensures that the land returns to its ancestral family.
Rambam explains that this mitzvah preserves Israel’s tribal inheritance, preventing the permanent loss of ancestral lands. It is both an economic safeguard and a spiritual truth: ownership of the land belongs ultimately to Hashem. The cycles of redemption and return protect family dignity, prevent poverty from becoming generational, and remind Israel of their covenantal connection to the land.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 11:1–3): Codifies that all fields return to their ancestral families at Yovel, regardless of the buyer’s wishes.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 336): Teaches that the mitzvah prevents perpetual inequality, restoring balance and preserving tribal inheritances.
- Talmud (Arachin 29b–30a): Details the laws of calculating redemption prices based on years remaining until Yovel.
- Rashi (Leviticus 25:25): Notes that the redeemer must be the closest relative, emphasizing family responsibility.
- Ramban (Lev. 25:24): Interprets the mitzvah as affirming Hashem’s mastery of the land, which cannot be alienated permanently.
Commentaries
Applying this Mitzvah Today
Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals
Faith – אֱמוּנָה
- Ramban (Lev. 25:24) emphasizes that the land ultimately belongs to Hashem, teaching Israel to trust in His providence and covenant.
Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 11:1) explains that returning land at Yovel sanctifies the cycles of time and land as holy to Hashem.
Agriculture – חַקְלָאוּת
- Talmud (Arachin 29b) discusses agricultural land sales and how redemption is calculated based on remaining years until Yovel.
Eretz Yisrael – אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל
- The mitzvah applies only in the Land of Israel, ensuring tribal inheritances remain intact.
Shemitah – שְׁמִטָּה
- Yovel builds upon Shemitah principles of rest and release, expanding them to property ownership.
Jubilee year / Yovel – יוֹבֵל
- This mitzvah is central to Yovel, mandating that land sales cannot extend beyond the Jubilee cycle. (Leviticus 25:28.)
Justice – צֶדֶק
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 336) notes that the mitzvah prevents permanent inequality, ensuring fair distribution of land.
Compassion – רַחֲמִים
- By restoring land to poor families, the law demonstrates compassion for those who had to sell due to hardship.
Community – קְהִלָּה
- The restoration of property at Yovel reinforces national unity, preventing fragmentation of land and people.
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה
- Rashi (Lev. 25:25) highlights that the closest relative redeems land, underscoring family responsibility and loyalty.
Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם
- Recognizing Hashem’s ownership of the land sanctifies Israel’s covenant with Him.
Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ
- The mitzvah restores fairness and prevents exploitation, strengthening bonds between people.
