Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Chapter 12

הַמּוֹכֵר בַּיִת בְּתוֹךְ עִיר הַמֵּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה הֲרֵי זֶה גּוֹאֲלָהּ כָּל י"ב חֹדֶשׁ מִיּוֹם שֶׁמָּכַר בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁמָּכַר. וּכְשֶׁרוֹצֶה לִפְדּוֹת נוֹתֵן כָּל הַדָּמִים שֶׁלָּקַח וְאֵינוֹ גּוֹרֵעַ לַלּוֹקֵחַ כְּלוּם:

A person who sells a house in a city surrounded by a wall may redeem it throughout a twelve month period from the day he sold it whenever he desires, even on the day he sold it. When he redeems it, he returns all the money he received and does not deduct anything from the purchaser.

וְאֵין הַקְּרוֹבִים פּוֹדִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא הַמּוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ אִם הִשִּׂיגָה יָדוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לוֹ לִמְכֹּר מִנְּכָסָיו וְלִפְדּוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל לֹא יַלְוֶה וְיִגְאַל. וְלֹא יִגְאַל לַחֲצָאִין:

Relatives may not redeem it, only the seller himself if he obtains the means. He may sell his property and redeem it, but he may not borrow to redeem it, nor may he redeem it partially.

מֵת הַלּוֹקֵחַ יִפְדֶּה מִיַּד בְּנוֹ. וְכֵן אִם מֵת הַמּוֹכֵר יֵשׁ לִבְנוֹ לִפְדּוֹתָהּ כָּל י"ב חֹדֶשׁ:

If the purchaser dies, [the original owner] may redeem it from his son. Similarly, if the seller dies, his son may redeem it for the duration of the twelve months.

מָכַר לָרִאשׁוֹן וְרִאשׁוֹן לַשֵּׁנִי בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׁנָה מוֹנִין לָרִאשׁוֹן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁלְמָה שָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הֻחְלַט הַבַּיִת בְּיַד הַשֵּׁנִי. שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר מָכַר לַשֵּׁנִי כָּל זְכוּת שֶׁתָּבוֹא לְיָדוֹ. הִגִּיעַ י"ב חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא גְּאָלָהּ הֲרֵי זוֹ נֶחְלֶטֶת בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ. וְכֵן אִם נָתַן הַבַּיִת מַתָּנָה וְלֹא גְּאָלוֹ כָּל י"ב חֹדֶשׁ הֲרֵי זֶה נֶחְלָט בְּיַד זֶה שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ מַתָּנָה:

If [the seller] sold it to one person and he sold it to another, the reckoning is made from [the date of] the first [sale]. When the first year is concluded, the house is established as the property of the [second] purchaser. For the [second] seller sold to the second [purchaser] all the rights that will accrue to him [with regard to this property]. If twelve months pass and it is not redeemed, it is established as the property of the [second] purchaser. Similarly, if [a person] gave a house as a present and did not redeem it within these twelve months, it is established as the property of the recipient of the present.

הָיְתָה שָׁנָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת אֵינוֹ נֶחְלָט עַד סוֹפָהּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ל) "עַד מְלֹאת לוֹ שָׁנָה תְמִימָה" לְהָבִיא חֹדֶשׁ הָעִבּוּר:

During a leap year, the permanent disposition of the property is not brought about until the end of the year, as [Leviticus 25:30] states: "Until a complete year is completed for it." [This wording indicates that] the extra month [of the leap year] is included.

מָכַר שְׁנֵי בָּתִּים אֶחָד בַּחֲצִי אֲדָר רִאשׁוֹן וְאֶחָד בְּרֹאשׁ אֲדָר שֵׁנִי. זֶה שֶׁמָּכַר בְּרֹאשׁ אֲדָר שֵׁנִי כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ אֶחָד בַּאֲדָר שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַבָּאָה עָלְתָה לוֹ שָׁנָה. וְזֶה שֶׁמָּכַר בַּחֲצִי אֲדָר רִאשׁוֹן לֹא עָלְתָה לוֹ שָׁנָה עַד חֲצִי אֲדָר שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַבָּאָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּרַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָעִבּוּר:

[The following rules apply when a person] sold two houses, one in the middle of Adar 1 and the other on Rosh Chodesh Adar II. When the month of Adar arrives in the following year, the year for the house sold on Rosh Chodesh II is completed. The year for the house sold in the middle of Adar I is not completed until the middle of Adar in the following year, for the purchaser took possession in the middle of the extra month [of the leap year].

הִגִּיעַ יוֹם י"ב חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא נִמְצָא הַלּוֹקֵחַ לִפְדּוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ הֲרֵי זֶה מַנִּיחַ מְעוֹתָיו בְּבֵית דִּין וְשׁוֹבֵר אֶת הַדֶּלֶת וְנִכְנָס לְבֵיתוֹ. וְאֵימָתַי שֶׁיָּבוֹא הַלּוֹקֵחַ יָבוֹא וְיִטּל מְעוֹתָיו:

If the final day of the twelfth month arrives and [the seller] cannot find the purchaser to redeem his field from him, he may deposit his money in the court, break down the door, and enter his home. Whenever the purchaser comes, he may take his money.

הַמַּקְדִּישׁ בֵּית עִיר חוֹמָה וּגְאָלוֹ אַחֵר מִיַּד הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלְתָה לוֹ שָׁנָה מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּגְאַל מִיַּד הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ וְלֹא גְּאָלוֹ בְּעָלָיו נֶחְלַט בְּיַד הַגּוֹאֵל. שֶׁאֵין הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ חוֹלֵט אֶלָּא הַלּוֹקֵחַ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ל) "לַקּוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ לְדוֹרוֹתָיו":

When a person consecrates a house in a walled city and another person redeems it from the Temple treasury, when a year passes from the time that it was redeemed from the Temple treasury without it being redeemed by its [original] owner, it becomes established as the property of the one who redeemed it [from the Temple treasury]. For the Temple treasury does not become the permanent owner, the purchaser does, as [implied by Leviticus 25:30]: "the one who purchases it for his generations."

מָכַר בֵּית עִיר חוֹמָה וְהִגִּיעַ יוֹבֵל בְּתוֹךְ שְׁנַת הַמֶּכֶר אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בְּיוֹבֵל. אֶלָּא יִהְיֶה בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַד שֶׁיִּרְצֶה הַמּוֹכֵר לִגְאל כָּל שְׁנַת הַמֶּכֶר אוֹ תִּמָּלֵא שָׁנָה וְיַחְלֹט:

When a person sells a house in a walled city and the Jubilee arrives within the first year after the sale, the house does not revert to its owner in the Jubilee. Instead, it remains in the possession of the purchaser until the seller decides to redeem it throughout the year after its sale or it becomes established as the property [of the purchaser] after that year is completed.

הַמּוֹכֵר בַּיִת בְּבָתֵּי חֲצֵרִים אוֹ בְּעִיר שֶׁאֵינָהּ מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה כָּרָאוּי הֲרֵי זֶה נִגְאָל בְּכֹחַ יָפֶה שֶׁבְּדִין הַשָּׂדֶה וְשֶׁבְּדִין הַבָּתִּים הַמֻּקָּפִין חוֹמָה. כֵּיצַד. אִם רָצָה לִגְאל מִיָּד גּוֹאֵל כְּדִין הַבָּתִּים. הִגִּיעַ י"ב חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא גָּאַל הֲרֵי זֶה גּוֹאֵל עַד שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל כְּדִין הַשָּׂדוֹת. וּבְעֵת שֶׁגּוֹאֵל מְחַשֵּׁב עִם הַמּוֹכֵר וְגוֹרֵעַ לוֹ מַה שֶּׁאָכַל. הִגִּיעַ יוֹבֵל וְלֹא גָּאַל חוֹזֵר הַבַּיִת בְּלֹא דָּמִים כְּדִין הַשָּׂדוֹת:

When a person sells a home in a settlement or in a city that is not surrounded by a wall in the appropriate manner, he may redeem it according to the advantages that apply with regard to both the redemption of an [ancestral] field and the redemption of a home in a walled city. What is implied? If he desires to redeem [the home] immediately, he may, as is the law with regard to a home [in a walled city]. If the twelve months pass and he does not redeem it, he may redeem it until the Jubilee, as is the law regarding a field. When he redeems it, he makes a reckoning with the purchaser and subtracts the value of the benefit he received. If the Jubilee arrives without having redeemed it, the house returns [to the owner] without payment, as is the law with regard to fields.

כָּל שֶׁהוּא לְפָנִים מִן הַחוֹמָה כְּגוֹן הַגִּנּוֹת וְהַמֶּרְחֲצָאוֹת וְהַשּׁוֹבָכוֹת הֲרֵי הוּא כְּבָתִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ל) "אֲשֶׁר בָּעִיר". אֲבָל הַשָּׂדוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר נִגְאָלִין כְּדִין הַשָּׂדוֹת שֶׁחוּץ לָעִיר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ל) "וְקָם הַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר בָּעִיר". בַּיִת וְכָל הַדּוֹמֶה לְבַיִת לֹא הַשָּׂדוֹת:

Any [residential property] within a city's wall, e.g., gardens, bathhouses, and dovecotes, is considered as a house, for [ibid.] states: "that are in the city." Fields that are located in the city may be redeemed according to the rules applying to fields outside the city, as [implied the phrase (ibid.)]: "And the house that will be within the city will be established." [This includes] houses and anything resembling houses, not fields.

בַּיִת שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת עַל אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת אֵינוֹ נֶחְלָט כְּבָתֵי עָרֵי חוֹמָה. וִירוּשָׁלַיִם אֵין הַבַּיִת נֶחְלָט בָּהּ. וּבַיִת הַבָּנוּי בַּחוֹמָה אֵינוֹ כְּבָתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה:

When a house is not four cubits by four cubits, it does not become the permanent property of the purchaser like the houses in a walled city. A house does not become the permanent property of a purchaser in Jerusalem. A house that is built in the wall is not considered as a home in a walled city.

עִיר שֶׁגַּגּוֹתֶיהָ חוֹמָתָהּ אוֹ שֶׁהַיָּם חוֹמָתָהּ אֵינָהּ כְּמֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה:

When the roofs of a city serve as its walls or the sea serves as it wall,it is not considered as a city surrounded by a wall.

אֵין הַמָּקוֹם נִקְרָא עָרֵי חוֹמָה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ חֲצֵרוֹת אוֹ יֶתֶר וּבְכָל חָצֵר מֵהֶן שְׁנֵי בָּתִּים אוֹ יֶתֶר וְיַקִּיפוּהָ חוֹמָה תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִבְנוּ הַחֲצֵרוֹת בְּתוֹכוֹ. אֲבָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּשַׁב וְאַחַר כָּךְ הֻקַּף אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בּוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ חֲצֵרוֹת שֶׁל שְׁנֵי בָּתִּים אֵינוֹ (ויקרא כה כט) "עִיר חוֹמָה" אֶלָּא בָּתִּים שֶׁבּוֹ כְּבָתֵּי הַחֲצֵרִים:

A city is not referred to as a walled city unless it has three or more courtyards and in each of the courtyards, it has two or more houses. [Moreover,] it must have been surrounded by a wall first and then the courtyards were built in its midst. If, however, a place was settled and afterwards, surrounded [by a wall] or it did not have [at least] three courtyards with [at least] two houses [each], it is not considered as a walled city. Instead, its houses are like the houses of a settlement.

אֵין סוֹמְכִין אֶלָּא עַל חוֹמָה הַמֻּקֶּפֶת בִּשְׁעַת כִּבּוּשׁ הָאָרֶץ. כֵּיצַד. עִיר שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁכָּבַשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֻּקֶּפֶת עַתָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כְּבָתֵּי הַחֲצֵרִים. וְעִיר שֶׁהָיְתָה מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ מֻקֶּפֶת עַתָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כְּמֻקֶּפֶת. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁגָּלוּ בְּחֻרְבָּן רִאשׁוֹן בָּטְלָה קְדֻשַּׁת עָרֵי חוֹמָה שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה עֶזְרָא בַּבִּיאָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ כָּל הֶעָרִים הַמֻּקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבִּיאָתָן בִּימֵי עֶזְרָא שֶׁהִיא בִּיאָה שְׁנִיָּה כְּבִיאָתָן בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. מָה בִּיאָתָן בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מָנוּ שְׁמִטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת וְקִדְּשׁוּ בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה וְנִתְחַיְּבוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂר. אַף בִּיאָתָם בִּימֵי עֶזְרָא מָנוּ שְׁמִטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת וְקִדְּשׁוּ בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה וְנִתְחַיְּבוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂר:

We rely only on a wall that surrounded [a city] at the time of the conquest of the land. What is implied? When a city was not surrounded by a wall at the time when Joshua conquered the land even though it is surrounded now, [the houses in it] are considered as the houses of a settlement. [Conversely,] if a city was surrounded by a wall at the time of Joshua, even though it is not surrounded at present, it is considered as walled. When the Jews were exiled after the first destruction [of the Temple], the sanctity of the walled cities from Joshua's time were nullified. When Ezra ascended at the time of the second entry into the land, all of the walled cities of that time became consecrated. For the entry [into the land] at the time of Ezra, i.e., the second entry, was comparable to the entry at the time of Joshua. Just as [after] their entry at the time of Joshua, they counted Sabbatical years and Jubilees, sanctified the homes in walled cities and were obligated in the tithes, so too, [after] their entry in the time of Ezra, they counted Sabbatical years and Jubilees, sanctified the homes in walled cities and were obligated in the tithes.

וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא בְּבִיאָה שְׁלִישִׁית בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ יַתְחִילוּ לִמְנוֹת שְׁמִטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת וִיקַדְּשׁוּ בָּתֵּי עָרֵי חוֹמָה וְיִתְחַיֵּב כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּכְבְּשׁוּהוּ בְּמַעַשְׂרוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ל ה) "וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ". מַקִּישׁ יְרֻשָּׁתְךָ לִירֻשַּׁת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ. מָה יְרֻשַּׁת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ אַתָּה נוֹהֵג [בָּהּ] בְּחִדּוּשׁ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ אַף יְרֻשָּׁתְךָ אַתָּה נוֹהֵג בָּהּ בְּחִדּוּשׁ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ:

Similarly, in the Ultimate Future, upon the third entry to the land, we will begin to count the Sabbatical and Jubilee years and sanctify the homes in walled cities, and every place that will be conquered will be obligated in [the separation of] tithes, as [Deuteronomy 30:5]: "And G-d your Lord will bring you to the land that your ancestors possessed as a heritage and you shall possess." [The verse] equates [the Jews' ultimate] possession with that of their ancestors. Just as when your ancestors took possession of the land as a heritage, they practiced the renewal of all these observances, when you take possession of the land, you should practice the renewal of all these observances.