Not to sell the land in Israel indefinitely
This page is incomplete.
Help complete the
Mitzvah Minute website.
This Mitzvah's Summary
It is forbidden to sell land in Israel as a permanent, irreversible sale.
The Torah commands that land in Eretz Yisrael cannot be sold “לִצְמִתֻת” — permanently. All sales are conditional, lasting only until the Yovel (Jubilee) year, at which point the land returns to its original family. The reason is explicitly stated: “for the land is Mine.” Israel are tenants of Hashem, not absolute owners.
This mitzvah safeguards the sanctity of the tribal portions given by Hashem, preventing any individual or group from monopolizing the land. It also ensures that economic hardship does not permanently strip families of their ancestral inheritance. Rambam notes that this mitzvah expresses Israel’s covenantal relationship with Hashem: the people may use the land but never sever it from its Divine purpose.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 11:1): Rules that no land in Israel can be sold forever; every sale is only until Yovel.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 337): Teaches that this mitzvah prevents land from being alienated permanently, preserving justice and equality.
- Rashi (Leviticus 25:23): Interprets “לִצְמִתֻת” as “forever,” explaining that Yovel ensures all sales are temporary.
- Ramban (Lev. 25:23): Emphasizes that the land belongs to Hashem; Israel are but “strangers and sojourners” dwelling in His inheritance.
- Talmud (Arachin 29a): Discusses the calculation of land sales based on years remaining until Yovel, affirming that all sales are inherently limited.
Commentaries
Applying this Mitzvah Today
Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals
Faith – אֱמוּנָה
- Ramban (Lev. 25:23) highlights that Israel must recognize the land as Hashem’s, reinforcing faith in His ownership.
Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 11:1) teaches that the limitation of sales sanctifies the land as uniquely holy to Hashem.
Agriculture – חַקְלָאוּת
- Talmud (Arachin 29a) discusses how agricultural land sales are inherently temporary, tied to Yovel’s cycle.
Eretz Yisrael – אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל
- This mitzvah applies only in Israel, preserving its sanctity and inheritance across generations.
Shemitah – שְׁמִטָּה
- The law parallels Shemitah’s principle of release, extending it to land tenure on the Jubilee cycle.
Jubilee year / Yovel – יוֹבֵל
- Yovel is the safeguard ensuring that no land sale can become permanent. (Lev. 25:23.)
Justice – צֶדֶק
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 337) stresses that the law prevents perpetual poverty or wealth consolidation, ensuring fairness.
Community – קְהִלָּה
- By returning land to its families, Yovel strengthens community stability and continuity.
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה
- Land is bound to family inheritance; this mitzvah protects tribal identities within Israel. (Rashi on Lev. 25:23.)
Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם
- By obeying this restriction, Israel shows awe for Hashem’s command and humility in His ownership.
Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם
- The mitzvah is a direct acknowledgment of Hashem’s sovereignty over the land.
Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ
- Protects individuals from losing family heritage permanently, ensuring fairness between people.
