Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 25:24/רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״ה:כ״ד
אוּבְכֹל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם לְרַבּוֹת בָּתִּים וְעֶבֶד עִבְרִי, וְדָבָר זֶה מְפֹרָשׁ בְּקִדּוּשִׁין בְּפֶרֶק רִאשׁוֹן (כא). וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ סָמוּךְ עַל פָּרָשָׁה שֶׁל אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר רַשַּׁאי לְגָאֳלָהּ לְאַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים אוֹ הוּא אוֹ קְרוֹבוֹ, וְאֵין הַלּוֹקֵחַ יָכוֹל לְעַכֵּב, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא כ"ה:כ"ד). וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי שֶׁיִּכְלֹל בְּפָרָשַׁת הַיּוֹבֵל וּבְכֹל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם תִּתְּנוּ גְּאֻלָּה וְיֹאמַר בַּפָּרָשָׁה הַשְּׁנִיָּה כֵּיצַד, "כִּי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ" וְגוֹ'. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי שֶׁיֹּאמַר וּבְכֹל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם, הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה, תִּתְּנוּ הַגְּאֻלָּה הַזֹּאת שֶׁל הַיּוֹבֵל. וְאָמַר "גְּאֻלָּה" כְּמוֹ "גָּאַל ה' עַבְדּוֹ יַעֲקֹב" (ישעיהו מח כ), שֶׁהוֹצִיא עַבְדּוֹ מִיַּד הַמַּחֲזִיקִים בּוֹ, וְכֵן "וְגָאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בִּזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה" (שמות ו ו), אַף זֶה תִּתְּנוּ גְּאֻלָּה לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹצֶה לִגְאֹל אַרְצִי מִיַּד הַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ, שֶׁלֹּא נְתַתִּיהָ אֲנִי לָהֶם בְּחֵלֶק אֲחֻזָּתָם. וְהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר כֵּן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר "כִּי לִי הָאָרֶץ" (ויקרא כ"ה:כ"ג), וְהִנֵּה כָּל הָאָרֶץ לוֹ הִיא, לְפִיכָךְ חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ שֶׁיִּנְהֹג הַיּוֹבֵל בְּאֶרֶץ אֲחֻזָּתֵנוּ בִּלְבַד, לֹא בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְאָמַר "וּבְכֹל" שֶׁהִיא תִּנְהַג בְּכָל אֲחֻזָּתֵנוּ גַּם בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וּבְכָל מְקוֹם הָאֲחֻזָּה, לֹא בְּאֶרֶץ ה' אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּלְבַד:
1AND IN ALL THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION [YE SHALL GRANT A REDEMPTION FOR THE LAND]. “This [expression of ‘in all the land’] includes houses and Hebrew servants [that they too be granted the right of redemption]. This matter is explained in the first chapter of Tractate Kiddushin.190 And according to the plain meaning thereof, it is to be connected with the section [immediately] following, [thus teaching] that he who sells [his land] has the right of redeeming it after two years, either personally or through his relative, and the purchaser cannot prevent it.” This is Rashi’s language. But it does not appear to me to be correct that Scripture should state in general terms in the section dealing with the Jubilee, [mentioned above], And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption [which according to Rashi speaks of the right of the seller to redeem the land of his possession], and then explain in the second section how this law applies: If thy brother be waxen poor etc.191The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Scripture is stating: “And in all the land of your possession, that is, the land which I give you for a possession, ye shall grant this redemption of the Jubilee.” The term “redemption” is like the Eternal hath redeemed His servant Jacob,192 which means that He brought out His servant from the hand of those who held him [captive]. Similarly, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm193 [means “I will take Israel out of Egypt”]. So also [the expression before us] ye shall grant a redemption for the Land means that I wish to redeem My Land from the hand of those who hold it, as I have not given it to them as a part of their possession. It was necessary that this be stated because He had said [as a reason for this law], for ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth) is Mine,194 as referring to the entire earth, and not to any particular land. and since the whole earth is His, therefore He stated additionally that the Jubilee only applies in the Land of our possession, not outside the Land [of Israel]. He stated and in all [‘and in all’ the land of your possession …] meaning that it is to apply to all our possessions, including the other side of the Jordan and all places of [our] possession, and not only in “the Land of the Eternal” wherein the Sanctuary is located [i.e., westward of the Jordan, but the law of the Jubilee is to apply also in the land east of the Jordan where the Sanctuary of G-d may not be built — see Ramban Numbers 21:21].