Arakhin 60

Chapter 60

א הריני כבן עזאי בשוקי טבריא אמר ליה ההוא מרבנן לאביי איכא למידרשינהו לקולא ואיכא למידרשינהו לחומרא ממאי דלקולא אימא לחומרא
1 Behold I am like Ben 'Azzai in the streets of Tiberias!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In an expansive mood he challenged all comers. Ben 'Azzai was famous for his scholarship. and for his eagerness to be challenged on any point of Jewish law. Abaye does not suggest that he is as complacent in his judgment on all other Sages as Ben 'Azzai, but that like the latter he is eager to hear questions and to answer them. Cf. Bek. 58a.');"><sup>1</sup></span> One of the Rabbis said to Abaye: Since these verses may be interpreted both leniently and stringently. Why do you interpret them leniently, perhaps say they should be interpreted stringently?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verses referring to the redemption of the Hebrew slave. Instead of applying v. 52 to depreciation and v. 51 to appreciation in value, so that the slave is always assessed on his higher value.');"><sup>2</sup></span> - Let not that enter your mind, since the All Merciful was lenient to him.
ב לא סלקא דעתיך מדאקיל רחמנא גביה דתניא (דברים טו, טז) כי טוב לו עמך עמך במאכל עמך במשתה שלא תהא אוכל פת נקיה והוא אוכל פת קיבר אתה שותה יין ישן והוא שותה יין חדש אתה ישן על גבי מוכין והוא ישן על גבי קרקע מיכן אמרו הקונה עבד עברי כקונה אדון לעצמו
2 For it was taught: Because he fareth well with thee,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XV, 16.');"><sup>3</sup></span> i.e., he must be with [like] thee in food, with thee in drink, that thou shouldst not eat fine bread and he coarse bread, thou drink old wine and he drink new wine, thou sleep on a soft bed and he on straw. Hence it was said: Whosoever buys a Hebrew slave almost buys a master of himself. But on the contrary, let us deal more stringently with him, in accordance with what R'Jose B'Hanina said. For R'Jose B'Hanina said: Come and see how hard is the very dust<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The very dust, as it were the scent. A real transgression of the law of the seventh year would consist of his storing up fruit for speculation; 'dust' suggests 'shade', something akin to, here, an occupation indirectly related to those forbidden in the seventh year. Selling its produce is such indirect transgression. nevertheless the consequences are as serious as described (R. Gershom) .');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ג אדרבה נחמיר עליה מדרבי יוסי ברבי חנינא דאמר רבי יוסי בר' חנינא בא וראה כמה קשה אבקה של שביעית
3 of [violating the laws of] the seventh year. For a man who sells and buys the produce of the seventh year ultimately must sell his movable property, as it is said: In this year of Jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV. 13.');"><sup>5</sup></span> and it is said: And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbour.
ד אדם נושא ונותן בפירות שביעית לסוף מוכר את מטלטליו שנאמר בשנת היובל הזאת תשובו איש אל אחוזתו וכתיב (ויקרא כה, יד) וכי תמכרו ממכר לעמיתך או קנה מיד עמיתך דבר הנקנה מיד ליד
4 or buy of thy neighbour's hand,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 14. The juxtaposition of these two verses imply that the one is a punishment for transgressing the other.');"><sup>6</sup></span> i.e., something which is acquired from hand to hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., movables.');"><sup>7</sup></span> If he does not perceive this,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That this is punishment inflicted for his transgression.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה לא הרגיש לסוף מוכר את שדותיו שנאמר (ויקרא כה, כה) וכי ימוך אחיך ומכר מאחוזתו
5 he eventually must sell his fields, as it is sai If thy brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possessions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 25. 'Possessions (used esp. for the field inherited) indicates 'immovable property'.');"><sup>9</sup></span> He has no opportunity [of amending his ways]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it does not come to his hand'.');"><sup>10</sup></span>
ו לא באת לידו לסוף מוכר את ביתו שנאמר (ויקרא כה, כט) ואיש כי ימכור בית מושב עיר חומה מאי שנא התם דקאמר לא הרגיש ומאי שנא הכא דקאמר לא באת לידו כדרב הונא דאמר רב הונא כיון שעבר אדם עבירה ושנה בה הותרה לו
6 until he sells his house, as is added: And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled city.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 29.');"><sup>11</sup></span> Why state there: 'If he does not perceive'. and here 'He has no opportunity'? - This is in accord with R'Huna, for R'Huna said: Once a man has committed a transgression and repeated it, it is permitted to him.' Permitted to him', how could you think so? Say, rather, it becomes as permitted to him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The effect of repeated transgression upon the transgressor lies in his becoming insensitive to wrong so that wrong habit hardens and develops into wrong character.');"><sup>12</sup></span> It is not brought home to him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it does not come to his hand'.');"><sup>10</sup></span> until he sells his daughter, as it is said: And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXI, 7.');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ז הותרה לו ס"ד אלא אימא נעשית לו כהיתר
7 and although the [sale of] the daughter is not mentioned in this section, he teaches us that a man should rather sell his daughter than borrow on usury; for in the former case she goes on making deductions [and goes out free], whereas here [the debt] becomes ever larger.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sum paid for the daughter diminishes as the daughter performs the labour implied in her servitude, so that if she be redeemed after some years, it may be small indeed, but a debt contracted upon usurious terms increases from year to year. Whereas there is no reference to the daughter in that section, usury is mentioned therein, and the suggestion is made that he had sold his daughter already. in accord with the advice given.');"><sup>14</sup></span> It is not brought home to him until he sells himself, as it is said: And if thy brother be waxen poor with thee and sell himself to thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 39.');"><sup>15</sup></span> And not even 'unto thee', but unto a proselyte, as it is said: Unto the proselyte,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 47. E.V. 'stranger'.');"><sup>16</sup></span>
ח (לא באת לידו לסוף שלוה ברבית שנאמר (ויקרא כה, כה) וכי ימוך אחיך וגו' וכתיב אל תקח מאתו נשך ותרבית)
8 and not even to a proselyte of righteousness, but to a resident alien, as it is said: Or unto the resident alien.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The difference between the proselyte of righteousness and the resident alien (Ger Toshab) lies in the fact that the former, for the sake of the faith, accepts upon himself all the laws of the Torah, whereas the resident alien, in order to acquire a limited citizenship. renounces idolatry but does not accept the rest of the law.');"><sup>17</sup></span> 'A prose lyte's family', i.e., an idolater. When it is said, 'to the stock', it means one who himself to become a servant to an idol itself! - He replied: But Scripture restores him [to his brethren's regard].
ט לא באת לידו עד שמוכר את בתו שנאמר (שמות כא, ז) וכי ימכור איש [את] בתו לאמה ואע"ג דבתו בהאי ענינא ליתא ניחא לאיניש דליזבין ברתיה ולא ליזיף בריביתא דאילו התם מיגרעא ואזלא ואילו הכא קא מוספא ואזלא
9 For the School of R'Ishmael taught: Since this one went and sold himself to the service of idol worship, [I might have said] let us cast a stone after the fallen?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Performing menial service for the pay, without in any manner being identified with idolatry. Now since this is the foretold and effected punishment of one who even indirectly transgressed the laws of the seventh year, why deal leniently with him?');"><sup>18</sup></span> Therefore it is said: After that he is sold, shall be redeemed, one of his brethren shall redeem him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 48.');"><sup>19</sup></span> But perhaps 'he shall be redeemed' means, he shall not be absorbed by the idolaters, but as far as redemption is concerned, we should indeed deal stringently with him? - Said R'Nahman B'Isaac: It is written, If there be yet increases in the years,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 51.');"><sup>20</sup></span>
י לא באת לידו לסוף שמוכר את עצמו שנאמר (ויקרא כה, לט) כי ימוך אחיך עמך ונמכר לך לא לך אלא לגר שנאמר לגר ולא לגר צדק אלא לגר תושב שנאמר לגר תושב
10 and if there remain but little in the years:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 52. The translation here would seem to indicate the meaning of the verses as understood by R. Nahman.');"><sup>21</sup></span> are there then prolonged years and shortened years?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All years are of the same duration.');"><sup>22</sup></span> But [the meaning is this]. If his value increased, [then his redemption shall be paid] Out of the money that he was bought for;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The meaning is, if his value increased in the years of his service, etc.');"><sup>23</sup></span> and if his value decreased [the basis of the redemption shall be] According unto his [remaining] years! But perhaps [the meaning is this]: If he served two years, with four remaining, let him repay him for four years 'out of the money that he was bought for'; while if he served four years, with two remaining, let him repay two years 'according unto his years'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verses thus may not refer to a rise or fall in values, but be meant literally as the E.V.');"><sup>24</sup></span> - If that were the meaning.
יא משפחת גר זה העובד כוכבים כשהוא אומר או לעקר (משפחת גר) זה הנמכר ונעשה משרת לעבודת כוכבים עצמה
11 let Scripture write: 'If there be yet [shanim] many years'. Why 'in years [he-shanim]'? [It means:] If his value increased [in these] years [then his redemption shall be paid] 'out of the money that he was bought for'; and if his value decreased, in [these] years [the basis of the redemption shall be] 'according unto his [remaining] years'. R'Joseph said: R'Nahman interpreted these verses [with authority] as of Sinai.
יב א"ל הא אהדריה קרא ותנא דבי רבי ישמעאל הואיל והלך ומכר עצמו לעבודת כוכבים אידחה אבן אחר הנופל ת"ל ((ויקרא כה, לב) גאולת עולם תהיה לו וביובל יצא) אימא גאולה תהיה לו דלא ליטמע בעובדי כוכבים ולעולם לענין פדיונו נחמיר
12 HE MAY NOT SELL A DISTANT FIELD etc. Whence do we know these things? For our Rabbis taught: And his hand shall reach,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 26. E.V. 'And he be waxen rich'.');"><sup>25</sup></span> i.e., his own hand, [implying] that he must not borrow to redeem; 'and find' excludes that which he possessed already. He must not sell a remote [field] to redeem a nearer one; nor a bad one to redeem a good one; 'sufficient means to redeem it', i.e., he may redeem it [wholly], but not by halves. Shall we say that [the phrase] 'and he find' means that which is here already? Against this I will raise a contradiction: 'and findeth',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIX, 5. E.V. 'lighteth'.');"><sup>26</sup></span> that excludes the case where he [the victim] brought himself [within the range of the missile].
יג אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק כתיב (ויקרא כה, נא) אם עוד רבות בשנים וכתיב (ויקרא כה, נב) אם מעט נשאר בשנים
13 Hence R'Eliezer said: If after the stone had left his hand the other put out his head an received it [the blow], he [the former] is free.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Mak. 8a.');"><sup>27</sup></span> This shows that 'he find' refers to something that had been [here already before]? - Raba replied: [Here] in our case [we consider] the context of Scripture, and there, too, [we consider] the context of Scripture. Here it corresponds to 'and his hand reaches'; just as 'his hand reaches' means only now, thus also 'and find' means just now.
יד וכי יש שנים מרובות ויש שנים מועטות אלא נתרבה כספו מכסף מקנתו נתמעט כספו כפי שניו
14 And there, too, 'and findeth' corresponds to 'the forest': just as the forest was here before, so does 'and findeth' means that he [the neighbour] was here already before.
טו ואימא היכא דעבד תרתי ופיישי ארבעי ליתב ליה ארבע מכסף מקנתו והיכא דעבד ארבע ופיישי תרתי ליתב ליה תרתי כפי שניו
15 IN THE CASE OF OBJECTS CONSECRATED, etc. Whence do we know these things? - Because our Rabbis taught: And if he [that sanctified the field] will indeed redeem it:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXVII, 19. Indeed endeavours to express the intensive in Heb: And if redeeming, he will redeem. The redundancy is here interpreted also to suggest that he may redeem any way, i.e., by borrowing, or by halves as long as he redeems.');"><sup>28</sup></span> that teaches that he can borrow and redeem and redeem by halves.
טז א"כ נכתוב אם עוד רבות שנים מאי בשנים נתרבה כספו בשנים מכסף מקנתו נתמעט כספו בשנים כפי שניו אמר רב יוסף דרשינהו רב נחמן להני קראי כסיני:
16 Said R'Simeon: What is the reason? Because we find in the case of one who sells a field of possession that [since] his privilege is strengthened in that if the Jubilee arrives and it has not been redeemed it reverts to the owner, his rights are weakened in [so far] that he cannot borrow and redeem, or redeem by halves, whereas he who consecrates a field of possession, since his rights are weakened in that if the Jubilee comes and it is not redeemed, it goes out to the priests, therefore his privilege is strengthened, in [so far] that he may borrow and redeem as well as redeem by halves.
יז לא ימכור ברחוק כו': מנא הני מילי דת"ר (ויקרא כה, כו) והשיגה ידו יד עצמו שלא ילוה ויגאל
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יח ומצא פרט למצוי שלא ימכור ברחוק ויגאול בקרוב ברע ויגאול ביפה כדי גאולתו כדי גאולה הוא גואל ואינו גואל לחצאין
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יט למימרא דמצא השתא משמע ורמינהו {דברים יט } ומצא פרט לממציא עצמו מיכן אמר רבי אליעזר אם משיצאה אבן מתחת ידו הוציא הלה את ראשו וקיבלה פטור אלמא מצא מידי דאיתיה מעיקרא משמע
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כ אמר רבא הכא מענינא דקרא והכא מענינא דקרא הכא דומיא דהשיגה ידו מה השיגה ידו דהשתא אף מצא נמי דהשתא והכא דומיא דיער מה יער מילתא דאיתיה מעיקרא אף מצא מילתא דאיתיה מעיקרא:
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כא ובהקדש כו': מנא ה"מ דת"ר (ויקרא כז, יג) ואם גאל יגאל מלמד שלוה וגואל וגואל לחצאין
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כב אר"ש מה טעם לפי שמצינו במוכר שדה אחוזה שיפה כחו שאם הגיע יובל ולא נגאלה חוזרת לבעלים ביובל הורע כחו שאינו לוה וגואל ואינו גואל לחצאין
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כג אבל מקדיש שדה אחוזה הואיל שהורע כחו שאם הגיע יובל ולא נגאלה יוצא לכהנים יפה כחו שלוה וגואל וגואל לחצאין
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