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Ramban on Leviticus 25:14/רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״ה:י״ד

אאַל תּוֹנוּ זוֹ אוֹנָאַת מָמוֹן. בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא עַל אָפְנָיו עַל הָאוֹנָאָה בָּא לְהַזְהִיר, כְּשֶׁתִּמְכֹּר אוֹ תִקְנֶה קַרְקַע דַּע כַּמָּה שָׁנִים יֵשׁ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל וּלְפִי הַשָּׁנִים יִמְכֹּר הַמּוֹכֵר וְיִקְנֶה הַקּוֹנֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי סוֹפוֹ לְהַחְזִיר לוֹ בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל, וְאִם יֵשׁ שָׁנִים מֻעָטוֹת וְזֶה מוֹכְרָהּ בְּדָמִים יְקָרִים הֲרֵי נִתְאַנָּה לוֹקֵחַ, וְאִם יֵשׁ שָׁנִים מְרֻבּוֹת וְיֹאכַל מִמֶּנָּה תְּבוּאוֹת הַרְבֵּה צָרִיךְ לִקְנוֹתָהּ לְפִי הַזְּמַן. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (כאן) "בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי תְבוּאֹת יִמְכָּר לָךְ", לְפִי מִנְיַן שְׁנֵי הַתְּבוּאוֹת שֶׁתְּהֵא עוֹמֶדֶת בְּיַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ תִּמְכֹּר לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (ערכין כט) מִכָּאן, שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ אֵינוֹ מֻתָּר לִגְאֹל פָּחוֹת מִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, אֲפִילּוּ יֵשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ תְּבוּאוֹת בְּאוֹתָן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. וְאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא מִפְּשׁוּטוֹ, מִסְפַּר שָׁנִים שֶׁל תְּבוּאוֹת וְלֹא שֶׁל שִׁדָּפוֹן, וּמִעוּט שָׁנִים שְׁתַּיִם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא כ"ה:ט"ו). וּבֶאֱמֶת שֶׁהוּא הַנָּכוֹן בְּיִשּׁוּב הַמִּקְרָא. אֲבָל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (ב"מ נו) שֶׁאֵין אוֹנָאָה לַקַּרְקָעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ" - דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד, וְהַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה כְּפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ וּלְפִי מִדְרָשׁוֹ לְדִבְרֵי הָרַב בְּקַרְקָעוֹת הוּא, אֲבָל עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ נִצְטָרֵךְ לְהַטּוֹת מִקְרָאוֹת מִפְּשׁוּטָן וְנֹאמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל פָּסוּק עוֹמֵד בְּעַצְמוֹ, יֹאמַר "וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ" דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד, "אַל תּוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו", וְיַחְזֹר וְיֹאמַר, בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל תִּקְנֶה מֵאִתּוֹ הַתְּבוּאוֹת, וּכְמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵי הַתְּבוּאוֹת יִמְכְּרֵם לָךְ, כְּפִי הַשָּׁנִים תַּרְבֶּה וְתַמְעִיט, כִּי עַל כָּל פָּנִים תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ לוֹ בַּיּוֹבֵל. וְכָל זֶה אַזְהָרָה בַּיּוֹבֵל שֶׁיִּזָּהֲרוּ בּוֹ לְעוֹלָם. וְחָזַר וְאָמַר "וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ" (ויקרא כ"ה:י"ז) בִּדְבָרִים. וַאֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב עוֹד סְבָרָא, שֶׁוַּדַּאי הַמְאַנֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לְדַעַת עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו בֵּין בְּמִטַּלְטְלִים בֵּין בְּקַרְקָעוֹת, שֶׁבָּהֶן דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב "אַל תּוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל", שֶׁהוּא מַזְהִיר שֶׁיִּקְנוּ וְיִמְכְּרוּ לְפִי הַשָּׁנִים וְלֹא יוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו, אֲבָל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ חִדְּשׁוּ בָּאוֹנָאָה תַּשְׁלוּמִים בִּשְׁתוּת הַמִּקָּח וּבִטּוּל מִקָּח בְּיוֹתֵר מִשְּׁתוּת, וּמִזֶּה בִּלְבַד מִעֲטוּ הַקַּרְקָעוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָאוֹנָאָה בָּהֶם אֲפִלּוּ בְּיָתֵר מִשְּׁתוּת - מְחִילָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא מְחִילָה בְּמִטַּלְטְלִים בְּפָחוֹת מִשְּׁתוּת, אע"פ שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר לְהוֹנוֹת כֵּן לְדַעַת, אֲבָל אֵין דֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לְבַטֵּל מִמְכָּרָם מִפְּנֵי אוֹנָאָה מוּעֶטֶת כָּזוֹ. וְדָרְשׁוּ חֲכָמִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ אוֹ קָנֹה" דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד, "אַל תּוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו", לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּאוֹנָאָה דִּין מְיֻחָד בְּמִטַּלְטְלִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג בְּקַרְקָעוֹת, וְהוּא חֲזָרַת הַמָּמוֹן, אֲבָל אַזְהָרַת הַלָּאו נוֹהֶגֶת בְּכֻלָּן. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר "וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר" לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, לְמוֹכֵר קַרְקָעוֹת וּלְמוֹכֵר מִטַּלְטְלִין, "אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ" - הַיָּחִיד מֵהֶם, הַמּוֹכֵר הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין מִיָּד לְיָד, וְאָמַר לְכֻלָּן "אַל תּוֹנוּ", וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיִּחֵד וְהִפְרִישׁ הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין רִבָּה בָּהֶן דִּין אוֹנָאָה, וְהִיא בַּחֲזָרַת הַתַּשְׁלוּמִין. וְזֶה דָּבָר נָכוֹן כְּפִי הַמִּדְרָשִׁים שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּרִמְזֵי הַתּוֹרָה. וְאוּלַי יִהְיֶה כָּל זֶה אַסְמַכְתָּא, כִּי הַלָּאו אַזְהָרָה בֵּין בְּקַרְקַע בֵּין בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין, וַחֲזָרַת הַמָּמוֹן בְּיָדָם קַבָּלָה בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין וְלֹא בְּקַרְקָעוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ב"ק יד) דָּבָר הַשָּׁוֶה לְכָל כֶּסֶף, כִּי הַשִּׁעוּרִים כֻּלָּם בִּשְׁתוּת וְיָתֵר עַל שְׁתוּת כְּפִי דֵּעוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְלָמָּה לֹא יוֹצִיאוּ הַקַּרְקָעוֹת מִן הַדִּין הַזֶּה וְהֵם הוֹצִיאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלֵי בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וְאָמְרוּ (ב"מ נא), לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא בְּלוֹקֵחַ מִן הַתַּגָּר אֲבָל בְּלוֹקֵחַ מִבַּעַל הַבַּיִת אֵין לוֹ אוֹנָאָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בַּעֲלֵי בָּתִּים שֶׁלֹּא יִמְכְּרוּ כְּלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁן. וְגַם יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר כִּי הַכָּתוּב יַזְהִיר שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ מִסְפַּר הַשָּׁנִים עַד הַיּוֹבֵל וּלְפִיהֶם יִמְכְּרוּ וְיִקְנוּ, וְלֹא יוֹנוּ בָּהֶם אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו לְהַטְעוֹתוֹ בַּמִּסְפָּר אוֹ לְהַטְעוֹתוֹ בַּמְּכִירָה שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב בָּהּ שֶׁהִיא לַחֲלוּטִין וְיַטְעֵהוּ בְּכָךְ, אֲבָל יֵדְעוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם וְיוֹדִיעוּ זֶה לָזֶה הַמִּסְפָּר כִּי הַמְּכִירָה הִיא בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁגַּם בְּקַרְקָעוֹת יֵשׁ אוֹנָאָה בְּטוֹעִים בַּמִּדָּה וּבַמִּנְיָן וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּפָחוֹת מִשְּׁתוּת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין:

1YE SHALL NOT WRONG ONE ANOTHER. “This refers to overcharging in money matters.” 15. ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS AFTER THE JUBILEE THOU SHALT BUY OF THY NEIGHBOR. “The plain meaning of the verse as indicated by its context is that Scripture is admonishing here against overcharging [as mentioned in the preceding verse, and explains here in detail]: When you sell or buy land, ascertain how many years there are left till the Jubilee, and according to these years the vendor is to sell and the purchaser to buy, for in the end the purchaser must return him [the land] in the year of the Jubilee. Thus if there are but a few years [till the Jubilee] and he sells it at a high price, the purchaser has been wronged, and if there are many years so that the purchaser can eat many crops from it, he must buy it according to the [greater] time [remaining till the Jubilee]. It is referring to this that it is said, according to the number of years of the crops he shall sell unto thee,¹⁶⁸ [meaning]: according to the number of years of crops which the land will remain in the hand of the purchaser, you shall sell it to him. Now our Rabbis have derived from here [the law] that one who sells his field has no right to redeem it before two years [after the date of the sale, for the verse states, according to the number of ‘years’ of the crops he shall sell, and the minimum number of the term ‘years’ is two], even if there were three crops in those two years. [However, although this interpretation of the Rabbis indicates that the verse in speaking of shnei means ‘two years’], it does not lose its literal meaning [i.e., ‘years of’], that is to say, he is to sell by the number of ‘years of’ crops, and not by years when the produce is smitten by blast,¹⁶⁹ and the minimum number implied in ‘years’ is two.” Thus far is Rashi’s language.Now this is indeed the correct interpretation of the verse; however, our Rabbis have said that overcharge does not apply in [the sale of] land, for it is said:¹⁷⁰ “Or buy of thy neighbor’s ‘hand’,¹⁷¹ and this refers to something which is transferred from ‘hand’ to ‘hand’” [i.e., movable goods or chattels]. But this verse according to the Rabbi [Rashi], both in its plain meaning and in its [Rabbinical] interpretation, speaks of [overcharging in the sale of] land! We must then perforce turn the verses away from their simple meaning, and say that each one stands independently [of the others].¹⁷² Thus Scripture is stating: And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy of thy neighbor’s hand,¹⁷¹ that is, something which is transferred from hand to hand, ye shall not wrong one another. Then He states further: “According to the number of years after the Jubilee thou shalt buy¹⁶⁸ of him the crops, and according unto the number of years of the crops he shall sell them unto thee. According to the years you shall increase and reduce the price,¹⁷³ for you will have to return it [i.e., the land] to him in the Jubilee.” All this is an admonition regarding the Jubilee, that they should keep it forever [but it is not intended as a law against overcharging in the sale of land, for in such a transaction the law of overcharge does not apply]. Then He said further, And ye shall not wrong one another, [referring to wronging] by words [i.e., offending].And it further seems to me logical that one who intentionally overcharges his fellowman, definitely transgresses a negative commandment, whether it be [in a sale of] chattels or land, for it is with reference to them that Scripture is saying, Ye shall not wrong one another. According to the number of years after the Jubilee,¹⁷⁴ admonishing that one must buy and sell according to the years [after the Jubilee], and that no man shall wrong another. But our Rabbis laid down a new law regarding overcharge, namely, that [if the amount overcharged was] one-sixth of the total purchase price, [the sale is valid and that extra amount] must be paid back, but the sale is totally invalidated if the amount overcharged was more than one-sixth of the purchase-price. It is only from this law that land has been excluded, since [a person] foregoes an overcharge of even more than a sixth [of the purchase price] in the case of [the sale of land], just as one [is prepared to] forego in the case of chattels an overcharge of less than a sixth [of the purchase-price], although it is forbidden to overcharge intentionally by such [amounts], but people do not usually go back on their purchase on account of such a small overcharging. The Sages interpreted [Scripture to give a basis for this law] because the verse states, And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy something which is transferred from hand to hand, ye shall not wrong one another. From this we learn that in the matter of overcharging there is a special law for chattels which does not apply to land, namely, the return of the money, [i.e., the cancellation of the entire sale if the amount overcharged was more than a sixth of the purchase price], but the negative commandment [forbidding overcharging] applies to all transactions. That is why He said, ‘v’chi thim’kru mimkar’ [“if ‘ye’ sell aught”], which is a plural expression, referring to one who sells land and to one who sells chattels; ‘o kanoh’ (or buys) of thy neighbor’s hand, referring to an individual, who sells chattels from hand to hand, and with reference to all of them He said ye shall not wrong. But since He singled out and specified chattels, [it indicates that] He gave concerning them an additional law regarding overcharging, namely the [right to] return the money [of the purchase-price and thereby cancel the sale]. This is a correct interpretation according to the expositions which our Rabbis have received on the allusions of the Torah.Perhaps all this is only a Scriptural support [for a Rabbinical enactment], for the negative commandment [ye shall not wrong one another] constitutes an admonition applying to both land and chattels [but does not refer at all to cancellation of the entire purchase], and [the right to return] the money the Rabbis received by tradition as applying to chattels and not to [transactions of] land, just as they have said¹⁷⁵ that [land] is a possession that is worth any price. For all these [differing] standards of one-sixth [of the purchase-price, in which case the sale is valid and the amount overcharged must be returned], and more than one-sixth [in which case the entire sale may be cancelled] are based on people’s opinions [and since “land is worth any price” to most people, the Rabbis did not institute these laws of overcharging with respect to land]. And why should the Rabbis not exclude [transactions of] land from this law [of overcharging] just as they excluded from it wares bought from a householder? Thus they said:¹⁷⁶ “[The law of overcharging] is taught only if one buys from a merchant, but if one buys from a private householder, the law of overcharging does not apply,” because private people are not in the habit of selling the possessions that they use [and hence if they do sell them, it is considered as if they had made a specific condition that the buyer cannot complain about the price].¹⁷⁷, in the name of the She’iltoth of Rav Achai Gaon.It is also possible to say that Scripture is warning that they [sellers and purchasers] should take cognizance of the number of years till the Jubilee, and according to them they should sell and buy, and no one should wrong another because of them by misleading him about the number [of years], or by deceiving him about the sale, so that he thinks that it is in perpetuity, and thus he leads him astray thereby. Instead, they must both know and inform one another of this number, since the sale is according to the number of years [remaining] until the Jubilee, for even in [transactions of] land the law of overcharging applies as regards size and number,¹⁷⁸ even if the misleading referred to was less than one-sixth [of the size or the number], and all the more so in the case of chattels [one must be careful not to overcharge].