Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Chapter 10

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לִסְפֹּר שֶׁבַע שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וּלְקַדֵּשׁ שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ח) "וְסָפַרְתָּ לְךָ שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים" וְגוֹ' (ויקרא כה י) "וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם אֵת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים". וּשְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת אֵלּוּ מְסוּרִין לְבֵית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל בִּלְבַד:

It is a positive commandment to count sets of seven years and to sanctify the fiftieth year, as [Leviticus 25:8-10] states: "And you shall count seven years for yourselves... and you shall sanctify the fiftieth year." These two mitzvot are entrusted to the High Court alone.

ומֵאֵימָתַי הִתְחִילוּ לִמְנוֹת. מֵאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ג) "שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְמֹר כַּרְמֶךָ" [עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל אֶחָד מַכִּיר אֶת אַרְצוֹ. וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים עָשׂוּ] בְּכִבּוּשׁ הָאָרֶץ וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּחִלּוּק. נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלֹשׁ וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַלְפַּיִם לַיְצִירָה מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מֵאַחַר מוֹלַד אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהִיא שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה לַיְצִירָה הִתְחִילוּ לִמְנוֹת. וְעָשׂוּ שְׁנַת עֶשֶׂר וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת לַיְצִירָה שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת אַחַת וְעֶשְׂרִים מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ שְׁמִטָּה. וּמָנוּ שֶׁבַע שְׁמִטּוֹת וְקִדְּשׁוּ שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת אַרְבַּע וְשִׁשִּׁים מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ:

When did the counting begin? After the fourteen years following the entry into Eretz [Yisrael]. [This is derived from Leviticus 25:3]: "Six years shall you sow your field and six years shall you trim your vineyard." [Implied is that] each person must recognize his [portion of the] land. [The people] took seven years to conquer the land and seven years to divide it. Thus the counting began after the 2503rd year after the creation, from Rosh HaShanah, after the conjunction [of the sun and the moon before the creation] of Adam, which was in the second year of the creation. They declared the [two thousand,] five hundred, and tenth year after the creation which was the 21st year after the entry into Eretz Yisrael as the Sabbatical year. They counted seven Sabbatical years and then sanctified the fiftieth year which was the 64th year after they entered Eretz [Yisrael].

שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹבְלִים מָנוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ וְעַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ. וְשָׁנָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ בָּהּ שֶׁחָרַב הַבַּיִת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית הָיְתָה וּשְׁנַת שֵׁשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים בַּיּוֹבֵל הָיְתָה. שֶׁאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וְעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים עָמַד בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁחָרַב הַבַּיִת בָּטַל מִנְיָן זֶה. מִשֶּׁבָּטְלָה נִשְׁאֲרָה הָאָרֶץ חֲרֵבָה שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְנִבְנָה בַּיִת שֵׁנִי. וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה עָמַד. וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית מִבִּנְיָנוֹ עָלָה עֶזְרָא וְהִיא הַבִּיאָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה. וּמִשָּׁנָה זוֹ הִתְחִילוּ לִמְנוֹת מִנְיָן אַחֵר. וְעָשׂוּ שְׁנַת י"ג לְבִנְיַן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי שְׁמִטָּה. וּמָנוּ שֶׁבַע שְׁמִטּוֹת וְקִדְּשׁוּ שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה שָׁם יוֹבֵל בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי מוֹנִין הָיוּ אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי לְקַדֵּשׁ שְׁמִטּוֹת:

The Jewish people counted 17 Jubilee years from the time they entered [Eretz Yisrael] until they departed. The year they departed, when the Temple was destroyed the first time, was the year following the Sabbatical year and the 36th year in the Jubilee cycle. For the First Temple stood for 410 years. When it was destroyed, this reckoning ceased. After it ceased, the land remained desolate for seventy years. Then the Second Temple was built and it stood for 420 years. In the seventh year after it was built, Ezra ascended [to Eretz Yisrael]. This is referred to as the second entry. From this year, they began another reckoning. They designated the thirteenth year of the Second Temple as the Sabbatical year and counted seven Sabbatical years and sanctified the fiftieth year. Although the Jubilee year was not observed in [the era of] the Second Temple, they would count it in order to sanctify the Sabbatical years.

נִמְצֵאתָ לָמֵד שֶׁהַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָרַב בָּהּ הַבַּיִת בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָהּ מִתִּשְׁרֵי שֶׁאַחַר הַחֻרְבָּן כִּשְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁהֲרֵי מִתִּשְׁרֵי הוּא הַמִּנְיָן לִשְׁמִטִּים וּלְיוֹבְלוֹת אוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית הָיְתָה. וּשְׁנַת ט"ו מִן הַיּוֹבֵל הַתְּשִׁיעִי הָיְתָה. וּלְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה שָׁנָה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה וְשֶׁבַע לַחֻרְבָּן שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת שְׁמוֹנִים וְשִׁבְעָה וְאֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת לְמִנְיַן שְׁטָרוֹת שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת שֵׁשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים לַיְצִירָה הִיא שְׁנַת שְׁמִטָּה וְהִיא שְׁנַת אַחַת וְעֶשְׂרִים מִן הַיּוֹבֵל:

It follows that the year in which the [Second] Temple was destroyed, [more precisely, the year] beginning from Tishrei that was approximately two months after the destruction - for the reckoning of Sabbatical and Jubilee years begins in Tishrei - was the year following the Sabbatical year. It was the fifteenth year of the ninth Jubilee cycle. According to this reckoning, this year which is the 1107 year after the destruction, which is the 1487th year according to the reckoning of legal documents, which is 4936th year after the creation, is a Sabbatical year and it is the 21st year of the Jubilee cycle.

אֲבָל כָּל הַגְּאוֹנִים אָמְרוּ שֶׁמָּסֹרֶת הִיא בִּידֵיהֶם אִישׁ מִפִּי אִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא מָנוּ בְּאוֹתָן הַשִּׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁבֵּין חֻרְבַּן בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וּבִנְיַן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי אֶלָּא שְׁמִטּוֹת בִּלְבַד בְּלֹא יוֹבֵל. וְכֵן מִשֶּׁחָרַב בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה לֹא מָנוּ שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע שֶׁבַע בִּלְבַד מִתְּחִלַּת שְׁנַת הַחֻרְבָּן. וְכֵן עוֹלֶה בַּגְּמָרָא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה חֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה שֶׁהוּא קַבָּלָה:

Nevertheless, all of the Geonim have said that they have received a tradition, transferred from teacher to student that in the seventy years between the destruction of the First Temple and the building of the Second Temple, they counted only Sabbatical years, not the Jubilee year. Similarly, after the destruction of the Second Temple, they did not count the fiftieth year. Instead, they counted only sets of seven from the beginning of the year of the destruction. [This interpretation] is also apparent from the Talmud in Avodah Zarah. This reckoning is a received tradition.

וּשְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה יְדוּעָה הִיא וּמְפֻרְסֶמֶת אֵצֶל הַגְּאוֹנִים וְאַנְשֵׁי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֻלָּן לֹא מָנוּ אֶלָּא לִשְׁנֵי חֻרְבָּן מַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתָן שֶׁבַע שֶׁבַע. וּלְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה תְּהִי שָׁנָה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא שְׁנַת שֶׁבַע וּמֵאָה וְאֶלֶף לַחֻרְבָּן מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית. וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ סוֹמְכִין. וּכְפִי הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה אָנוּ מוֹרִין לְעִנְיַן מַעַשְׂרוֹת וּשְׁבִיעִית וְהַשְׁמָטַת כְּסָפִים שֶׁהַקַּבָּלָה וְהַמַּעֲשֶׂה עַמּוּדִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּהוֹרָאָה וּבָהֶן רָאוּי לְהִתָּלוֹת:

[The reckoning of] the Sabbatical year is well-known and renowned among the Geonim and the people of Eretz Yisrael. None of them make any reckoning except according to the years of the destruction. According to this reckoning, this year, which is the 1107th year after the destruction is the year following the Sabbatical year. We rely on this tradition and we rule according to it with regard to the tithes, the Sabbatical year, and the nullification of debts, for the received tradition and deed are great pillars in establishing [Halachic] rulings and it is appropriate to rely on them.

שְׁנַת יוֹבֵל אֵינָהּ עוֹלָה מִמִּנְיַן שְׁנֵי הַשָּׁבוּעַ. אֶלָּא שְׁנַת תֵּשַׁע וְאַרְבָּעִים שְׁמִטָּה וּשְׁנַת חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹבֵל. וּשְׁנַת חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַחַת תְּחִלַּת שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים שֶׁל שָׁבוּעַ וְכֵן בְּכָל יוֹבֵל וְיוֹבֵל:

The Jubilee year is not counted in the set of Sabbatical years. Instead, the 49th year is a Sabbatical year and the fiftieth year is a Jubilee year. Then the 51st year is the first of the six years of the [next] Sabbatical cycle. This is true of every Jubilee year.

מִשֶּׁגָּלָה שֵׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן וְשֵׁבֶט גָּד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בָּטְלוּ הַיּוֹבְלוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה י) "וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ לְכָל ישְׁבֶיהָ" בִּזְמַן שֶׁכָּל יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ עָלֶיהָ. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ מְעֻרְבָּבִין שֵׁבֶט בְּשֵׁבֶט אֶלָּא כֻּלָּן יוֹשְׁבִין כְּתִקְנָן. בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל [נוֹהֵג בָּאָרֶץ] נוֹהֵג בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה י יב) "יוֹבֵל הִיא" בְּכָל מָקוֹם בֵּין בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת:

From the time the tribes of Reuven and Gad and half the tribe of Menasheh were exiled, [the observance] of the Jubilee year ceased, as [implied by Leviticus 25:10]: "You shall proclaim freedom throughout the land to all of its inhabitants." [One can infer that this commandment applies only] when all of its inhabitants are dwelling within it. [Moreover,] they may not be intermingled, one tribe with another, but rather each tribe is dwelling in its appropriate place. When the Jubilee is observed in Eretz [Yisrael], it should also be observed in the Diaspora, as [implied by the phrase used in the above verse:] "It is the Jubilee," [i.e.,] in every place. [This applies] whether the Temple is standing or whether the Temple is not standing.

וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל נוֹהֵג נוֹהֵג דִּין עֶבֶד עִבְרִי. וְדִין בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה. וְדִין שְׂדֵה חֲרָמִים וְדִין שְׂדֵה אֲחֻזָּה. וּמְקַבְּלִין גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב וְנוֹהֶגֶת שְׁבִיעִית בָּאָרֶץ וְהַשְׁמָטַת כְּסָפִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁאֵין הַיּוֹבֵל [נוֹהֵג] אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג אֶחָד מִכָּל אֵלּוּ חוּץ מִשְּׁבִיעִית בָּאָרֶץ. וְהַשְׁמָטַת כְּסָפִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

When [the laws of] the Jubilee year are observed, the laws of a Hebrew servant are observed, as are the laws of homes in a walled city, the laws of a field given as a dedication offering, and the laws of ancestral fields. We accept [a gentile as] a resident alien and the Sabbatical year is observed in Eretz [Yisrael] and debts are nullified in all places according to Scriptural Law. In the era when the Jubilee year is not observed, none of these mitzvot are observed except the Sabbatical year in Eretz [Yisrael] according to Rabbinic Law and also the nullification of debts in all places according to Rabbinic Law, as we explained.

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לִתְקֹעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָר בָּעֲשִׂירִי לְתִשְׁרֵי בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל. וּמִצְוָה זוֹ מְסוּרָה לְבֵית דִּין תְּחִלָּה (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ט) "וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ שׁוֹפַר תְּרוּעָה") וְכָל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד חַיָּב לִתְקֹעַ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ט) "תַּעֲבִירוּ שׁוֹפָר". וְתוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָר תֵּשַׁע כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. וּמַעֲבִירִין שׁוֹפָר בְּכָל גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל:

It is a positive commandment to sound the shofar on the tenth of Tishrei in the Jubilee year. This mitzvah is entrusted to the [High] Court first, as [Leviticus 25:9] states: "You shall sound a shofar blast. Each and every individual is also obligated to sound the shofar, as [the verse] continues: "and you shall sound the shofar." We sound nine shofar blasts in the same way as we sound them on Rosh HaShanah. We sound the shofar throughout the boundaries of [Eretz] Yisrael.

שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל יוֹבֵל וְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה אֶחָד הוּא לְכָל דָּבָר. וְאֶחָד רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְאֶחָד הַיּוֹבֵל לַתְּקִיעוֹת. אֶלָּא שֶׁבַּיּוֹבֵל תּוֹקְעִין בֵּין בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁקִּדְּשׁוּ בּוֹ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ בֵּין בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁלֹּא קִדְּשׁוּ בּוֹ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ. וְכָל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד חַיָּב לִתְקֹעַ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּית דִּין יוֹשְׁבִין וְשֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין:

[The requirements] of shofar used for the Jubilee and Rosh HaShanah are the same in all matters. Both on Rosh HaShanah and in the Jubilee the tekiyot are sounded except in the Jubilee year, they are sounded both in the court that sanctifies the new moon and in a court that does not sanctify the moon. [Moreover,] for the entire time the court is in session, every individual is obligated to sound [the shofar even] outside the presence of the court.

וּבְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת לֹא הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁקִּדְּשׁוּ בּוֹ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ. וְאֵין כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד תּוֹקֵעַ אֶלָּא בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין:

When Rosh HaShanah falls on the Sabbath, by contrast, [the shofar] would be sounded only in a court that sanctified the new moon. Every individual may sound [the shofar] only in the presence of the court.

שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים מְעַכְּבִין בַּיּוֹבֵל. תְּקִיעָה וְשִׁלּוּחַ עֲבָדִים וְהַחְזָרַת שָׂדוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן. וְזוֹ הִיא שְׁמִטַּת קַרְקַע:

[The observance of] three matters are of critical importance with regard to the Jubilee year: the sounding of the shofar, the release of servants, and the return of fields to their owners. This is referred to as "the release of land."

מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לֹא הָיוּ עֲבָדִים נִפְטָרִים לְבָתֵּיהֶן וְלֹא מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין לַאֲדוֹנֵיהֶן. וְלֹא הַשָּׂדוֹת חוֹזְרוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן. אֶלָּא עֲבָדִים אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִים וּשְׂמֵחִים וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים תָּקְעוּ בֵּית דִּין בַּשּׁוֹפָר נִפְטְרוּ עֲבָדִים לְבָתֵּיהֶן וְחָזְרוּ שָׂדוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן:

From Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur, servants would not be released to their homes, nor would they be subjugated to their masters, nor would the fields return to their [original] owners. Instead, the servants would eat, drink, and rejoice, with crowns on their heads. When Yom Kippur arrives and the shofar is sounded in the court, the servants are released to their homes and the fields are returned to their owners.

דִּין הַיּוֹבֵל בִּשְׁבִיתַת הָאָרֶץ וְדִין הַשְּׁמִטָּה אֶחָד הוּא לְכָל דָּבָר. כָּל שֶׁאָסוּר בַּשְּׁבִיעִית מֵעֲבוֹדַת הָאָרֶץ אָסוּר בִּשְׁנַת יוֹבֵל. וְכָל שֶׁמֻּתָּר בַּשְּׁבִיעִית מֻתָּר בַּיּוֹבֵל. וּמְלָאכוֹת שֶׁלּוֹקִין עֲלֵיהֶן בַּשְּׁבִיעִית לוֹקִין עֲלֵיהֶן בַּיּוֹבֵל. וְדִין פֵּרוֹת שְׁנַת יוֹבֵל בַּאֲכִילָה וּבַמְּכִירָה וּבַבִּעוּר כְּדִין פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית לְכָל דָּבָר:

With regard to the land being allowed to rest, the laws of the Jubilee year are the same of those of the Sabbatical year. Whatever agricultural labors are forbidden in the Sabbatical year are forbidden in the Jubilee year. Whatever is permitted in the Sabbatical year is permitted in the Jubilee. Whenever the performance of a labor is punishable by lashes in the Sabbatical year, it is punishable by lashes in the Jubilee year. [Similarly,] the laws governing the eating, sale, and removal of the produce of the Jubilee year are the same as those governing the produce of the Sabbatical year in all respects.

יְתֵרָה שְׁבִיעִית עַל הַיּוֹבֵל שֶׁהַשְּׁבִיעִית מְשַׁמֶּטֶת כְּסָפִים וְלֹא יוֹבֵל. וְיוֹתֵר יוֹבֵל עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל מוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים וּמַשְׁמִיט קַרְקַע. וְזֶהוּ דִּין מְכִירַת שָׂדוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וְהִיא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה כד) "גְּאֻלָּה תִּתְּנוּ לָאָרֶץ". יוֹבֵל מְשַׁמֵּט קַרְקַע בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ וּשְׁבִיעִית אֵינָהּ מְשַׁמֶּטֶת כְּסָפִים אֶלָּא בְּסוֹפָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

The Sabbatical year has an added dimension lacking in the Jubilee, for debts are nullified in the Sabbatical year, and they are not nullified in the Jubilee. The Jubilee year has an added dimension lacking in the Sabbatical year, for in the Jubilee, servants are released and land is released. This refers to the laws regarding the sale of land in the Torah. This is a positive commandment, as [Leviticus 25:24] states: "You shall grant redemption to the land. The Jubilee year releases land at its beginning, while the Sabbatical year does not release debts until its conclusion, as explained.