Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
Full Parashah Reading: Vayikra 26:3-27:34
- The earth belongs to God. In the Land of Israel, you might buy land, but it is never fully your property. This idea is expressed in a few different mitzvot:
- שְׁמִטָּה (shemittah, the year of release) happens every seven years. During a shemittah year, no one can work the land, and crops become public property. Anyone can come and eat.
- יוֹבֵל (yovel) is the 50th year, when the rules of shemittah continue to apply as they do in the 49th year, plus all land gets returned to its original owners. A person who was having money trouble might have had to sell their home or farm. During yovel, they get it back.
- And they don’t have to wait for yovel. Their relatives should help them buy back their land as soon as possible in a process called גְּאוּלָּה (geulah, redemption). The person who bought or seized their land must be prepared to sell it back for a fair price.
- There is a mitzvah not to overcharge for a sale. If someone is in debt to you, treat them with compassion.
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