Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 111/ספרי דברים קי״א
א(דברים טו א) מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, יָכוֹל מִתְּחִלַּת הַשָּׁנָה אוֹ בְּסוֹפָהּ? הֲרֵי אַתְּ דָּן: נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״קֵץ״ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים לא י) ״קֵץ״, מָה קֵץ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן בְּסוֹפָהּ וְלֹא בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ – אַף קֵץ הָאָמוּר כָּאן בְּסוֹפָהּ וְלֹא בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ.
1Pisqa’ 1113011. “At the end of seven years you shall declare a Release-year” (Dt. 15:1).Is it possible to say that[Sabbatical year restrictions on field-work apply]either from the beginning of the [seventh] yearor at the end of that year [and into the eighth]?Look—you can reason as follows:the term end is mentioned here (Dt. 15:1),and the term end is mentioned elsewhere (Dt. 31:10).Just as the end mentioned elsewhererefers to the end of the [harvest] yearand not to the beginning,so, too, the end mentioned hererefers to the end of the yearand not to the beginning.
ב(דברים טו א-ב) תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה... שָׁמוֹט – כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ שְׁמִטָּה אַתָּה מְשַׁמֵּט.
22. “You shall declare a Release-year . . . Every creditor shall release the debtowed him by his kinsman” (Dt. 15:1-2)—[therefore,] whenever you are obliged to release [your land],you are obliged to release [monetary debts as well].
גשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, יָכוֹל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד? הֲרֵי אַתָּה דָן: חִיֵּיב שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בִּשְׁמִטָּה, וְחִיֵּיב שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמִלְוָה. מָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בִּשְׁמִטָּה, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם – אַף שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בְּמִלְוָה, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם.
3“Seven years” (Dt. 15:1).Is it possible to say thatthe seven years [is calculated separately] for each individual debt[from the time of the loan, inclusive of the Sabbatical year]?Look—you can reason as follows:[a land-owner is] obliged to release[ownership of his field’s produce] every seven years;and [a creditor] is obliged[to release all his collectible] loans every seven years.Now, just as the seven years mentioned[in connection with the release] of produce[are calculated] for the entire world[on the same] seven-year schedule[commencing with the first year of the cycle],so, too, the seven years mentioned[in connection with release] from debts[are calculated] for the entire world
דאוֹ כַּלֵּךְ לְדֶרֶךְ זוֹ: חִיֵּיב שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּעֶבֶד עִבְרִי וְחִיֵּיב שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמִלְוָה, מָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בְּעֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, אַף שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בְּמִלְוָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד!
4[on the same] seven-year schedule,[commencing with the first year of the cycle].302, Par. 1Perhaps, we might try this approach:[A slave-owner] is obliged [to release his]Hebrew slave after seven years of servitude,and [a creditor] is obliged[to release his] debts after seven years.Now, just as the seven years mentioned[in connection] with [the term of] the Hebrew slave[are calculated separately] for each individual slaveas seven years [from the date of his indenture,including an intervening Release-year],so, too, the seven years mentioned[in connection with release] from debts[should be calculated] for each individual debtoras seven years [from the date of his loan,including an intervening Release-year]!303, par.1.
הנִרְאֶה לְמִי דוֹמֶה: דָּנִים דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ תָּלוּי בַּיּוֹבֵל מִדָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ תָּלוּי בַּיּוֹבֵל, וְאַל יוֹכִיחַ עֶבֶד עִבְרִי, שֶׁתָּלוּי בַּיּוֹבֵל.
53. Now, let’s find a closer analogy!Compare a matter, [like the release of debts,]unaffected by the Jubilee year,to another matterunaffected by the Jubilee year.Clearly, [the release of] the Hebrew slaveis not a fruitful comparative example,since [his release] is affected by the Jubilee year[which requires his release from servitudeeven if his seven-year term is incomplete (Lv. 25:40)]!
ואוֹ כַּלֵּךְ לְדֶרֶךְ זוֹ: דָּנִים דָּבָר שֶׁנּוֹהֵג בָּאָרֶץ וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִדָּבָר שֶׁנּוֹהֵג בָּאָרֶץ וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְאַל יוֹכִיחַ הֶשְׁמֵט קַרְקַע, שֶׁאֵין נוֹהֵג אֶלָּא בָּאָרֶץ!
6Or, we might try this approach:Compare a matter [like the release of debts],practiced both in the Land and beyond the Land,to another matterpracticed both in the Land and beyond the Land!Clearly, the release of landis not a fruitful comparative example, since it is practiced only in the Land!304, per. 2:4.
זתַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים״ ״שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים״ לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה: מָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בִּשְׁמִטָּה, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם – אַף שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָאָמוּר בְּמִלְוָה, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם.
7The Teaching states:“Seven years” (Dt. 15:1) and “the Seventh year” (Dt. 15:9)—this [repetition] permits an analogical inference:Just as the seven yearsmentioned with regard to the release [of land][is calculated] for the entire world[on the same] seven year schedule,[commencing with the first year of the cycle],so, too, the Seventh year mentioned with regard to debts,[is calculated] for the entire world[on the same] seven year schedule[commencing with the first year of the cycle].
חרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים טו ט) ״קָרְבָה שְׁנַת הַשֶּׁבַע שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה״, אִם שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד – הֵיאַךְ הִיא קְרוֹבָה? אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה: שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם!
84. R. Yose the Galilean says:Indeed, He says:“Be careful lest you say: the Seventh year is drawing near—the Release-year!” (Dt. 15:9) If the Seventh year is calculated [separately] for each individual,how can the Seventh year draw near [for everyone all at once]?From this you may conclude that[the Seventh year is calculated] for the entire world[on the same] seven year schedule[commencing with the first year of the cycle]!305 117.2.
טיָכוֹל יְהֵא הֶשְׁמֵט מִלְוָה נוֹהֵג בַּמִּדְבָּר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים טו א-ב): תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה... שָׁמוֹט,
9Is it possible to say thatthe release of debts was practicedin the wasteland [before entering the Land]?The Teaching states:“You shall declare a Release-year . . . Every creditor shall release the debtowed him by his kinsman” (Dt. 15:1-2)—[even before entering the Land].
יאוֹ אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר (דברים טו א-ב) תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה... שָׁמוֹט – אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה לָאָרֶץ – אַתָּה מְשַׁמֵּט [מִלְוָה], בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ שֶׁאִי אַתְּ עוֹשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה לָאָרֶץ – אֵין אַתְּ מְשַׁמֵּט מִלְוָה?
10Or [it might be argued]— He says:“You shall declare a Release-year . . . Every creditor shall release the debtowed him by his kinsman” (Dt. 15:1-2)—[now this is] only in reference to the Land of Israel,where you are able to declare a Release-year [for produce of the field].[Therefore,] you may also declare a Release-year for debts.[But] beyond the Land,where you cannot declare a Release-year for the Land,neither may you declare a Release-year for debts.
יאתַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים טו ב): ״כִּי קָרָא שְׁמִטָּה לַה׳״, בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ וּבֵין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.
11The Teaching states:“For you have declared a Release-year of HASHEM” (Dt. 15:2)—[the Release-year may be declared] eitherin the Land or beyond the Land! 306