Sifrei on Deuteronomy Sifrei Devarim 111

English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 15:1) "From the end (ketz) of seven years you shall make shemitah (a release)": I might think, from the beginning of the (seventh) year; we, therefore, reason: It is written here "ketz," and, elsewhere, (Ibid. 31:10) "ketz." Just as "ketz" there is at the end and not in the beginning, so, "ketz" here.

2

English · Shraga Silverstein

This verse is not included in this edition.

3

English · Shraga Silverstein

"seven years": I might think (that a period of) seven years (is allotted) for each borrowing (before the loan is "released"); we, therefore, reason: Seven years are required until shemitah (non-working) of the land, and seven years are required until shemitah (release) of loans. Just as in the first instance, the shemitah is universal (i.e., at the same time for all lands), so, in the second, the shemitah is universal (i.e., at the same time for all loans).

4

English · Shraga Silverstein

— But why not go in this direction? viz.: seven years are required for (the release of) a Hebrew man-servant, and seven years are required for (the release of) a loan. Just as in the first instance, seven (distinct) years are required for each man-servant, so, in the second, seven (distinct) years are required for the release of each loan!

5

English · Shraga Silverstein

— Let us see to which instance that of a loan is most like. We derive something (a loan), which is contingent upon the shemitah (year), from something (land-shemitah), which is contingent upon the shemitah (year), and this is not to be refuted by the instance of a Hebrew man-servant, which is not contingent upon the shemitah (year).

6

English · Shraga Silverstein

— But why not go in this direction? viz.: We derive something (loans), which obtains both in Eretz Yisrael and outside of it from something (Hebrew man-servant), which obtains both in Eretz Yisrael and outside of it, and this is not to be refuted by land-shemitah, which obtains only in Eretz Yisrael.

7

English · Shraga Silverstein

It is, therefore, written "seven years" (here) - "seven years" (in respect to land-shemitah) for a gezeirah shavah (identity): Just as the seven years of (land-) shemitah are universal, (and not individual), so, the seven years of loan (-shemitah) are universal.

8

English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Yossi Haglili says: I might think that the seven years (of loan-shemitah) are individual; it is, therefore, written (in this respect, Ibid. 15:9) "The seventh year has drawn near, the year of shemitah." If seven years for each individual, how has it drawn near? It must be, then, that the seven years are universal (and not individual).

9

English · Shraga Silverstein

Rebbi says: I might think that money-shemitah obtains nowadays; it is, therefore, written (Ibid. 2) "And this is the word of the shemitah; release, etc."

10

English · Shraga Silverstein

— When you release land, you release money; but outside of Eretz Yisrael, where you do not release land, you do not release money.

11

English · Shraga Silverstein

It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "because it has been declared shemitah to the L-rd" — (Money-shemitah obtains) both in Eretz Yisrael and outside the land.

Sifrei Devarim 111

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