The Sanhedrin must sanctify the fiftieth (Jubilee) year

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 331) notes that sanctifying Yovel expresses trust in Hashem’s sovereignty, affirming that property and time belong ultimately to Him.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 10:12) stresses that sanctification elevates the year into holiness, requiring formal declaration by the Sanhedrin.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• Yovel restores land to its original owners and frees slaves, ensuring fairness in society. (Leviticus 25:10.)

Compassion – רַחֲמִים

• By freeing slaves and relieving debt-burdened families, Yovel embodies compassion and restores dignity to the vulnerable. (Rashi on Lev. 25:10.)

Community – קְהִלָּה

• The Sanhedrin’s proclamation is for all Israel, binding the entire community into a shared cycle of liberty and equality. (Sifra Behar 2:3.)

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Sanctifying the year acknowledges Hashem as the true Master of land and people, instilling awe and reverence. (Sefer HaChinuch 331.)

Shemitah – שְׁמִטָּה

• Yovel builds upon Shemitah’s cycle of rest and release, elevating it to a national reset. (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 8b.)

Jubilee year / Yovel – יוֹבֵל

• This mitzvah is the formal act that establishes the fiftieth year as Yovel, with its laws of freedom and return. (Leviticus 25:10.)

High Court / Judges – סַנְהֶדְרִין / שֹׁפְטִים

• The responsibility falls to the Sanhedrin, who proclaim the year’s holiness and ensure Yovel is binding. (Rambam, Shemitah V’Yovel 10:12.)

Kingship – מַלְכוּת

• Commentators note that kings would often lead or join in Yovel proclamations, uniting leadership with the court in sanctifying national cycles.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• Declaring Yovel sanctifies time as Divine, expressing obedience and loyalty to Hashem’s covenant.

Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ

• Yovel restores social equality—returning land, freeing slaves, and reuniting families—strengthening justice and compassion between people.