Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Chapter 7

פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית אֵין אוֹכְלִין מֵהֶן אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין מָצוּי בַּשָּׂדֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ז) "וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ וְלַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצֶךָ תִּהְיֶה כָל תְּבוּאָתָהּ לֶאֱכל". כָּל זְמַן שֶׁחַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת מִמִּין זֶה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה אַתָּה אוֹכֵל מִמַּה שֶּׁבַּבַּיִת. כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה חַיָּב לְבַעֵר אוֹתוֹ הַמִּין מִן הַבַּיִת וְזֶהוּ בִּעוּר שֶׁל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית:

The produce of the seventh year can only be eaten as long as that species is still growing in the field, as it is said (Leviticus 25:7) "Your cattle and the beasts in your land may eat all its yield." [We understand this to mean that] for as long as beasts are eating this species in the field, you may eat whatever is stored at home. When it is no longer in the field, this species must be destroyed at home - this is known as bi'ur shevi'it.

כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ גְּרוֹגָרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ אוֹכֵל מֵהֶן כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַתְּאֵנִים בָּאִילָנוֹת בַּשָּׂדֶה. כָּלוּ הַתְּאֵנִים מִן הַשָּׂדֶה אָסוּר לֶאֱכל מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁבַּבַּיִת אֶלָּא מְבַעֵר אוֹתָן:

How so? If, for example, one has dried figs from the seventh year at home, they me be eaten for as long figs grow on the trees in the field. When there are no longer figs in the field, those at home may not be eaten and must be destroyed.

הָיוּ לוֹ פֵּרוֹת מְרֻבִּין מְחַלְּקָן מְזוֹן שָׁלֹשׁ סְעֻדּוֹת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. וְאָסוּר לֶאֱכל אַחַר הַבִּעוּר בֵּין לַעֲנִיִּים בֵּין לַעֲשִׁירִים. וְאִם לֹא מָצָא אוֹכְלִין בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר שׂוֹרֵף בָּאֵשׁ אוֹ מַשְׁלִיךְ לְיָם הַמֶּלַח וּמְאַבְּדָן לְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁמְּאַבֵּד:

If one has a lot of fruit that needs to be destroyed, it should be distributed in the community, in the quantity of three meals at a time. After the time of destruction, it may not be eaten, neither by rich nor poor. If one could not find anybody to distribute it to at the time of destruction, it should be burned in a fire or thrown into the Dead Sea or destroyed in any way possible.

הָיוּ לוֹ צִמּוּקִין שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית. וְכָלוּ הָעֲנָבִים מִן הַשָּׂדֶה מִן הַגַּגּוֹת וְהַפַּרְדֵּסִים שֶׁהֵן הֶפְקֵר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן יֵשׁ עֲנָבִים בַּגְּפָנִים שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַחֲצֵרוֹת אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל מִן הַצִּמּוּקִין מִפְּנֵי עֲנָבִים אֵלּוּ שֶׁבְּחָצֵר. לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן מְצוּיִין לַחַיָּה. אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ עֲנָבִים קָשִׁים בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאֵינָן נִגְמָרִין אֶלָּא בְּסוֹף הַשָּׁנָה הֲרֵי זֶה אוֹכֵל מִן הַצִּמּוּקִין בִּשְׁבִילָן. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:

If one has raisins left over from Shemitah, and, there were no longer any grapes in the fields, gardens, and orchards that are hefker, even if there remain grapes on the vines in the courtyards, one may not eat the raisins given the grapes in the courtyard, because they are not accessible to (street) animals. If, however, there are firm grapes that do not mature until year's close [i.e. still growing], one can eat the raisins because of those. Similar laws apply similarly.

אִילָן שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בְּשָׁנָה וְהָיוּ לוֹ מִפֵּרוֹתָיו הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה אוֹכֵל מֵהֶן כָּל זְמַן שֶׁפֵּרוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת מְצוּיוֹת בַּשָּׂדֶה. שֶׁהֲרֵי מֵאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין בַּשָּׂדֶה. אֲבָל פֵּרוֹת הַסְּתָו אֵין אוֹכְלִים בִּשְׁבִילָן. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדּוֹמִין לַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת:

When a tree produces fruit twice a year and one still possesses fruit from its first crop, he may partake of it as long as the second crop is still in the field. For [the requirement that] this species be [available] in the field [is met]. We do not, however, [continue to] partake [of stored fruit] because of fruit that grows in the fall, because it is considered as the produce of a different year.

הַכּוֹבֵשׁ שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּבָשִׁים בְּחָבִית אַחַת. כָּל שֶׁכָּלָה מִינוֹ מִן הַשָּׂדֶה יְבָעֵר מִינוֹ מִן הֶחָבִית. וְאִם הִתְחִיל בָּהּ הֲרֵי הַכּל כִּמְבֹעָר. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבַעֵר אָכֳלֵי אָדָם כָּךְ מְבַעֵר אָכֳלֵי בְּהֵמָה מִן הַבַּיִת. וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲכִילָן לִבְהֵמָה אִם כָּלָה אוֹתוֹ הַמִּין מִן הַשָּׂדֶה:

When a person pickles three types of produce in one barrel, if one of these types of produce is no longer available in the field, that type of produce should be removed from the barrel. If he began partaking of [the pickled produce], the entire [mixture] is considered as having been removed. Just as one is obligated to remove food [stored for] human consumption, so too, must he remove animal fodder from his home and he may no longer feed it to an animal if that type of produce is no longer available in the field.

וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבַעֲרִין אֶת הַפֵּרוֹת כָּךְ מְבַעֲרִין אֶת הַדָּמִים. כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁמָּכַר רִמּוֹנִים שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית וַהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹכֵל בִּדְמֵיהֶן. וְכָלוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים מִן הָאִילָנוֹת שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה וְנִשְׁאַר אֶצְלוֹ מִן הַדָּמִים שֶׁמָּכַר בָּהֶן חַיָּב לְבַעֲרָן:

Just as one must remove the produce of the Sabbatical year, so too, one must remove the money [received in exchange for it]. What is implied? One sold pomegranates of the Sabbatical year and used the money received in return for them [to purchase] food. When there are no longer any pomegranates on the trees in the field, but he remains in possession of the money he received for selling them, he is obligated to remove it from his possession.

כֵּיצַד עוֹשֶׂה. קוֹנֶה בָּהֶן. מַאֲכָלוֹת וּמְחַלְּקָן מְזוֹן שָׁלֹשׁ סְעֻדּוֹת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. אוֹ יַשְׁלִיכֵם לְיָם הַמֶּלַח אִם לֹא מָצָא אוֹכְלִין:

What should he do? He should purchase food with this money and distribute it, [providing] three meals to every person [he desires]. Alternatively, if he does not find people to partake of such food, he should cast the money into the Mediterranean Sea.

שָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת לְבִעוּר. אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה כֻּלָּהּ הָהָר וְהַשְּׁפֵלָה וְהָעֵמֶק אֶרֶץ אַחַת. עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן כֻּלּוֹ שִׁפְלַת לוּד וְהַר שִׁפְלַת לוּד וּמִבֵּית חוֹרוֹן עִם הַיָּם אֶרֶץ אַחַת. וְהַגָּלִיל כֻּלּוֹ הָעֶלְיוֹן וְהַתַּחְתּוֹן וּתְחוּם טְבֶרְיָא אֶרֶץ אַחַת. וְאוֹכְלִין בְּכָל אַחַת וְאַחַת מִשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן עַד שֶׁיִּכְלֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבָּהּ:

[Eretz Yisrael is divided into] three lands [with regard to the obligation of] biyur: a) the entire land of Yehudah, its mountainous portion, its plain, and its valley, is all one region. b) the entire [West] Bank of the Jordan, [including] the plain of Lod, the mountains [around] the plain of Lod, [the area of] Beit Choron, with the sea, is all one region; and c) the entire Galilee, the upper [Galilee], the lower [Galilee], and the area of Tiberias, is one region. In each of these three regions, one may partake [of a species of produce stored at home] until the last [traces of that produce] cease [to exist in the entire region's fields].

כֵּיצַד. הָיוּ לוֹ פֵּרוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה. אוֹכֵל מֵהֶן כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ מֵאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין בְּכָל אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה כֻּלָּהּ. וְכֵן אִם הָיוּ לוֹ פֵּרוֹת גָּלִיל. וְכֵן בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן:

What is implied? If one possesses produce in the land of Yehudah, one may partake of it as long as this species is found [in the fields of] the entire land of Yehudah. Similar laws apply if he possesses produce from the Galilee or from the [West] Bank of the Jordan.

וְשָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת אֵלּוּ כֻּלָּן חֲשׁוּבוֹת כְּאֶרֶץ אַחַת לְחָרוּבִין וּלְזֵיתִים וְלִתְמָרִים. וְאוֹכְלִין בַּתְּמָרִים עַד שֶׁיִּכְלֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבְּצֹעַר. וְאֵימָתַי הוּא כָּלֶה. עַד הַפּוּרִים. וְאוֹכְלִין בְּזֵיתִים עַד הָעֲצֶרֶת. וּבַעֲנָבִים עַד הַפֶּסַח שֶׁל מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית. וּבִגְרוֹגְרוֹת עַד הַחֲנֻכָּה:

These three regions are considered as one entity with regard to carobs, olives, and dates. One may eat dates [throughout Eretz Yisrael] until the last dates are no longer available in Tzo'ar. From when are they no longer available? Purim. We may eat olives until Shavuot and grapes until Pesach of the eighth year. Dried figs may be eaten until Chanukah.

הַמּוֹלִיךְ פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּלוּ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא כָּלוּ אוֹ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא כָּלוּ לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּלוּ חַיָּב לְבַעֵר. לְפִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין עָלָיו חֻמְרֵי מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא מִשָּׁם וְחֻמְרֵי מָקוֹם שֶׁהָלַךְ לְשָׁם. וּפֵרוֹת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁיָּצְאוּ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִתְבַּעֲרִים בִּמְקוֹמָן וְלֹא יַעֲבִירֵם מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם:

When a person transports produce of the Sabbatical year from a region in which it is no longer available [in the field] to a region where it is available, or from a region where it is available to a region in which it is no longer available, he is obligated in biyur. [The rationale is that] we place upon him the stringencies of the place from which he departed and those of the place to which he journeyed. When the produce of Eretz Yisrael has been brought to the Diaspora, it should be destroyed in its place. It should not be transported from one place to another.

כְּלָל גָּדוֹל אָמְרוּ בַּשְּׁבִיעִית כָּל שֶׁהוּא מַאֲכַל אָדָם אוֹ מַאֲכַל בְּהֵמָה אוֹ מִמִּין הַצּוֹבְעִין אִם אֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם בָּאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לוֹ וּלְדָמָיו שְׁבִיעִית וְחַיָּב בְּבִעוּר הוּא וְדָמָיו. כְּגוֹן עֲלֵי הַלּוּף הַשּׁוֹטֶה וַעֲלֵי הַדַּנְדַּנָּה וְהָעֵלְשִׁין מַאֲכַל אָדָם. וּכְגוֹן הַחוֹחִים וְהַדַּרְדָּרִין מַאֲכַל הַבְּהֵמָה. וּכְגוֹן אִסְטִס וְקוֹצָה מִמִּין הַצּוֹבְעִין. וְאִם הָיָה מִתְקַיֵּם בָּאָרֶץ כְּגוֹן הַפּוּאָה וְהַרִכְפָּה מִמִּין הַצּוֹבְעִין אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁבִיעִית וּלְדָמָיו שְׁבִיעִית אֵין לָהֶם בִּעוּר וְלֹא לִדְמֵיהֶם שֶׁהֲרֵי מִתְקַיֵּם בָּאָרֶץ אֶלָּא נֶהֱנִין וְצוֹבְעִין בּוֹ עַד רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה:

A great general principle was stated with regard to [the produce of] the Sabbatical year: Whenever [produce] is [used as] food for humans, animal fodder, or as one of the dyes, if it will not be maintained in the earth, the laws of the Sabbatical year apply to it and to money received for it and the requirements of biyur apply to it and to money received for it, e.g., the leaves of wild onions, mint, and endives, are considered as food for humans, brambles and thorn are considered as animal fodder, and woad and safflower are considered as dyes. If the species is maintained in the earth, e.g., madder and dyer's rocket from the dyes, even though the laws of the Sabbatical year apply to it and to money received for it. The requirements of biyur do not apply to it or to money received for it, because it is maintained in the earth. Instead, one may benefit from it and use it as dye until Rosh HaShanah.

וְכָל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְיֻחָד לֹא לְמַאֲכַל אָדָם וְלֹא לְמַאֲכַל בְּהֵמָה וְאֵינוֹ מִמִּין הַצּוֹבְעִים. הוֹאִיל וְאֵינוֹ לְעֵצִים יֵשׁ לוֹ וּלְדָמָיו שְׁבִיעִית. אֲבָל אֵין לָהֶם בִּעוּר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם בָּאָרֶץ אֶלָּא נֶהֱנִין בּוֹ אוֹ בְּדָמָיו עַד רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כְּגוֹן עִקְּרֵי הַלּוּף הַשּׁוֹטֶה וְעִקַּר הַדַּנְדַּנָּה וְהָעַקְרְבָנִין:

Whenever a plant is not set aside to be [used as] food for humans, animal fodder, or as one of the dyes, since it is not used as kindling fuel, the laws of the Sabbatical year apply to it and to money received for it, but the requirements of biyur do not apply to it or to those monies. [This applies] even if it will not be maintained in the earth. Instead, we may benefit from it and the money received for it until Rosh HaShanah. Examples [of this category include] the roots of wild onions and mint and the scorpion-like herb.

קְלִפֵּי רִמּוֹן וְהַנֵּץ שֶׁלּוֹ קְלִפֵּי אֱגוֹזִים וְהַגַּרְעִינִין יֵשׁ לָהֶם שְׁבִיעִית וְלִדְמֵיהֶם שְׁבִיעִית אֲבָל אֵין לָהֶם בִּעוּר וְלֹא לִדְמֵיהֶם. לוּלְבֵי זְרָדִים וְהֶחָרוּבִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם וְלִדְמֵיהֶם שְׁבִיעִית וּבִעוּר. לוּלְבֵי הָאֵלָה וְהַבָּטְנָה וְהָאֲטָדִין יֵשׁ לָהֶן וְלִדְמֵיהֶן שְׁבִיעִית אֲבָל אֵין לָהֶם בִּעוּר. אֲבָל לְעָלִים שֶׁלָּהֶן יֵשׁ בִּעוּר:

The laws of the Sabbatical year apply to the peels and the buds of pomegranates, the shells of nuts, and the seeds [of other fruits] and to the money received for them, but the requirements of biyur do not apply to them or to those monies. The laws of the Sabbatical year apply to the tips of the branches of grape vines and carob trees and to the money received for them, as do the requirements of biyur. The laws of the Sabbatical year apply to the tips of the branches of the evergreen oak, the pistachio tree, and the box thorn bush and to the money received for them, but the requirements of biyur do not apply to them. The requirement of biyur does apply to their leaves.

אֵיזוֹ הִיא שְׁעַת בִּעוּר הֶעָלִין בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּבּוֹלוּ וְנוֹשְׁרִין מֵאִילָנוֹתֵיהֶן. עֲלֵי זֵיתִים וַעֲלֵי קָנִים וַעֲלֵי חָרוּבִין אֵין לָהֶם בִּעוּר לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן נוֹבְלוֹת וְכָלוֹת:

When is the time for biyur? For leaves, it is when they wither and fall from the tree. The leaves of olive trees, reeds, and carob trees do not have a time of biyur, because they never wither and fall away.

וְעַד מָתַי יִהְיֶה אָדָם רַשַּׁאי לִלְקֹט עֲשָׂבִים לַחִין בַּשְּׁבִיעִית עַד שֶׁיִּיבַשׁ הַמָּתוֹק וִיגַבֵּב. עֲשָׂבִים יְבֵשִׁים עַד שֶׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית:

Until when does a person have the license to gather fresh grass in the Sabbatical year? Until the bitter [apples] become dried out. He may gather dried grasses until the second rains of the eighth year.

וְעַד מָתַי יִהְיוּ הָעֲנִיִּים מֻתָּרִין לְהִכָּנֵס בְּפַרְדֵּסוֹת בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית לְאִסּוּף פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית. עַד שֶׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה:

Until when are the poor permitted to enter the orchards in the eighth year to gather the fruits of the Sabbatical year? Until the second rains descend.

הַוֶּרֶד וְהַכֹּפֶר וְהַלֹּטֶם יֵשׁ לָהֶן וְלִדְמֵיהֶן שְׁבִיעִית. הַקְּטָף וְהוּא שָׂרָף הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהָאִילָנוֹת מִן הֶעָלִים וּמֵהָעִקָּרִים אֵין לוֹ שְׁבִיעִית. וְהַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַפַּגִּים יֵשׁ לוֹ וּלְדָמָיו שְׁבִיעִית:

The laws of the Sabbatical year apply to roses, cloves, and chestnuts and to the money received for them. The laws of the Sabbatical year do not apply to balsam sap that flows from trees, from their leaves, and their roots. They do apply to [sap] that flows from underdeveloped berries and the money received for it.

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּאִילַן מַאֲכָל. אֲבָל בְּאִילַן סְרָק אַף הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הֶעָלִין וּמִן הָעִקָּרִים כִּפְרִי שֶׁלָּהֶן וְיֵשׁ לוֹ וּלְדָמָיו שְׁבִיעִית:

When does the above apply? When the tree produces edible fruit. If, however, the tree is not fruitbearing, the sap that flows from its leaves and roots is considered as its fruit and the laws of the Sabbatical year apply to it and to the money received for it.

הַכּוֹבֵשׁ וֶרֶד שְׁבִיעִית בְּשֶׁמֶן שֶׁל שִׁשִּׁית יְלַקֵּט אֶת הַוֶּרֶד וְהַשֶּׁמֶן מֻתָּר. כְּבָשׁוֹ בְּשֶׁמֶן שֶׁל מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית חַיָּב לְבַעֵר הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁהֲרֵי הַוֶּרֶד יָבֵשׁ הוּא וּכְבָר נִתְחַיֵּב בְּבִעוּר:

When a person pickles a rose from the Sabbatical year in the oil of the sixth year, he may gather the rose and it is permitted [to use] the oil [in an ordinary manner]. If he pickles [a rose] in the oil of the eighth year, he is obligated to perform biyur with the oil. [The rationale is] at that time, the rose is dry and the obligation of biyur has already fallen upon it.

חָרוּבִין שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁכְּבָשָׁן בְּיֵין שִׁשִּׁית אוֹ בְּיֵין מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית חַיָּב לְבַעֵר הַיַּיִן. שֶׁהֲרֵי טַעַם פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית בּוֹ. זֶה הַכְּלָל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ בְּפֵרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת מִין בְּמִינוֹ בְּכָל שֶׁהוּא וְשֶׁלֹּא בְּמִינוֹ בְּנוֹתֵן טָעַם:

When carobs of the Sabbatical year were left to soak in the wine of the sixth year or in the wine of the eighth year, biyur must be performed with the wine, because it has absorbed the flavor of the produce of the Sabbatical year. This is the general principle: When the produce of the Sabbatical year becomes mixed with other produce of the same species, even the slightest amount [causes the entire mixture to be considered as the produce of the Sabbatical year]. When it becomes mixed with other species, [the ruling depends on whether it has] imparted its flavor [or not].