בָּעֵת֩ הַהִ֨יא יֽוּבַל־שַׁ֜י לַיהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת עַ֚ם מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ וּמוֹרָ֔ט וּמֵעַ֥ם נוֹרָ֖א מִן־ה֣וּא וָהָ֑לְאָה גּ֣וֹי ׀ קַו־קָ֣ו וּמְבוּסָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּזְא֤וּ נְהָרִים֙ אַרְצ֔וֹ אֶל־מְק֛וֹם שֵׁם־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת הַר־צִיּֽוֹן׃ (ס)
En aquel tiempo será traído presente SEÑOR de los ejércitos, el pueblo tirado y repelado, pueblo asombroso desde su principio y después; gente harta de esperar y hollada, cuya tierra destruyeron los ríos; al lugar del nombre de SEÑOR de los ejércitos, al monte de Sión.
Ramban
YOVEIL HI’ (IT IS A JUBILEE). “This [the fiftieth] year is distinguished from all other years by being given a special name. And what is that name? Its name is yoveil [literally: ‘the ram’s horn’] on account of the blowing of the Shofar.” This is Rashi’s language, and such also is the opinion of the commentators143R’dak in Sefer Hashorashim (Book of Roots), under the root yoveil. that [the word yoveil here] is of the roots: ‘b’keren hayoveil’ (with the ram’s horn);144Joshua 6:5. ‘shofroth ha’yovlim’ (the rams’ horns).145Ibid., Verse 4. But I do not find this acceptable, because of [the expression here] shall be unto you [it shall be a Jubilee unto you]; for what sense is there in saying of a year that “it shall be ‘a blowing’ unto you”146For since Rashi explained that the term yoveil means “blowing the Shofar,” then it follows that ‘yoveil hi’ the fiftieth year shall be unto you means that “the fiftieth year shall be blowing the Shofar to you.” But how can this be said of a year? Mizrachi in defense of Rashi writes that Rashi means that “the year in which every man returns to his possession and to his family, is called yoveil (Jubilee) on account of the blowing of the Shofar,” but not that the word yoveil means “blowing.” and you shall return [every man unto his possession etc.]? Perhaps Scripture is stating: “It is a Jubilee distinguishable by that name which I have called it, and it shall be unto all of you known by the blowing of the Shofar which you will do thereon, reminding you of the purport [of the Jubilee year], that in it every man shall return unto his possession, and every man unto his family.” Similarly, A Jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you147Verse 11. means that it shall be a Jubilee unto you, that ye shall not sow, neither reap, that is to say, it is known by its name that it is to be so.
But all this appears to me to be incorrect. For the meaning of shofroth ha’yovlim145Ibid., Verse 4. is “the horns of the rams,” and Yonathan [ben Uziel] also translated there: “shofroth [made] of rams’ horns.” It is also so stated in the Gemara:148Rosh Hashanah 26 a. “What intimation is there that the term yoveil is an expression for a ram? In Arabic they call a ram yovlo.” Now the Shofar used on the Day of Atonement [in the Jubilee year] does not necessarily need to be a ram’s horn, for all shofroth (horns) are valid on it, and in the opinion of our Mishnah149Ibid., 26 b. and all the Tannaim (Sages of the Mishnah), the commandment is [preferably to be performed in the year of the Jubilee] with the horn of wild goats. If so, why then would the [Jubilee] year be called “the year of the ram?”
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the meaning of yoveil is like “sending forth.” In my opinion, Scripture does not call the year yoveil with reference to the blowing [of the Shofar], but with reference to “the liberty” [that it brings to the inhabitants of the Land]; for this term is not mentioned in the first verse which states, Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn.150Above, Verse 9. But when He stated [in the verse before us] and ye shall proclaim liberty throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof, meaning that they shall all be free to reside wherever they please, He continued by saying ‘yoveil hi,’ that it is a year in which every man is “carried away” to his possession, and his feet “transport him” to his family afar off to sojourn.151Isaiah 23:7. This term [yoveil] is used in connection with many subjects. Thus: ‘yuval’ (there shall be brought) a present unto the Eternal of hosts,152Ibid., 18:7. and it is further stated: and on ‘yuval’ it spreadeth out its roots;153Jeremiah 17:8. streams and ‘yivlei mayim’,154Isaiah 30:25. which mean “channels through which water is conveyed.” And the Land shall yield ‘yevulah';155Further, 26:4. and neither shall ‘yevul’ be in the vines156Habakkuk 3:17. also signify a kind of “bringing” [of produce or fruits], just as they are called t’vuah [“produce,” which is of the root “bringing”]. Similarly in Aramaic [as will be explained]. Thus: and carry it quickly157Numbers 17:11. the Targum renders: “v’ovil quickly.” Thus the meaning of it shall be ‘yoveil’ unto you is “it is a year which ‘brings’ [liberty] and it shall be so to all of you, that you shall come and return every man unto his possession, and every man unto his family.” And He stated again [in the following verse], A ‘yoveil’ shall that fiftieth year be unto you147Verse 11. meaning that the fiftieth year shall be to you only for yoveil [“bringing” liberty], and not for anything else, and ye shall not sow, neither reap,147Verse 11. but instead it shall be holy158Verse 12. and every man shall return unto his possession,159Verse 13. so that the year shall be for all of you a yoveil [bringing everyone back to his possession and family], as its name indicates.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the term d’ror (liberty) is related to the expression, ‘dor’ (a generation) passeth away, ‘v’dor’ (and a generation) cometh.160Ecclesiastes 1:4. See Kithvei Haramban, Vol. I, p. 186, where in his sermon on Ecclesiastes Ramban alludes to a text from the Sefer Habahir which asks: “But does not a generation first ‘come’ and then ‘pass away,’ so why then does the verse change the order? It is to allude to the fact that a generation cometh means that ‘it had already come beforetime.’” See also in Genesis 38:8, Vol. I, p. 469, Note 155. Similarly, yoveil means that everyone will return to the yoveil (source) whence his roots are, and this shall be unto you, [until that time].161Abusaula.
But all this appears to me to be incorrect. For the meaning of shofroth ha’yovlim145Ibid., Verse 4. is “the horns of the rams,” and Yonathan [ben Uziel] also translated there: “shofroth [made] of rams’ horns.” It is also so stated in the Gemara:148Rosh Hashanah 26 a. “What intimation is there that the term yoveil is an expression for a ram? In Arabic they call a ram yovlo.” Now the Shofar used on the Day of Atonement [in the Jubilee year] does not necessarily need to be a ram’s horn, for all shofroth (horns) are valid on it, and in the opinion of our Mishnah149Ibid., 26 b. and all the Tannaim (Sages of the Mishnah), the commandment is [preferably to be performed in the year of the Jubilee] with the horn of wild goats. If so, why then would the [Jubilee] year be called “the year of the ram?”
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the meaning of yoveil is like “sending forth.” In my opinion, Scripture does not call the year yoveil with reference to the blowing [of the Shofar], but with reference to “the liberty” [that it brings to the inhabitants of the Land]; for this term is not mentioned in the first verse which states, Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn.150Above, Verse 9. But when He stated [in the verse before us] and ye shall proclaim liberty throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof, meaning that they shall all be free to reside wherever they please, He continued by saying ‘yoveil hi,’ that it is a year in which every man is “carried away” to his possession, and his feet “transport him” to his family afar off to sojourn.151Isaiah 23:7. This term [yoveil] is used in connection with many subjects. Thus: ‘yuval’ (there shall be brought) a present unto the Eternal of hosts,152Ibid., 18:7. and it is further stated: and on ‘yuval’ it spreadeth out its roots;153Jeremiah 17:8. streams and ‘yivlei mayim’,154Isaiah 30:25. which mean “channels through which water is conveyed.” And the Land shall yield ‘yevulah';155Further, 26:4. and neither shall ‘yevul’ be in the vines156Habakkuk 3:17. also signify a kind of “bringing” [of produce or fruits], just as they are called t’vuah [“produce,” which is of the root “bringing”]. Similarly in Aramaic [as will be explained]. Thus: and carry it quickly157Numbers 17:11. the Targum renders: “v’ovil quickly.” Thus the meaning of it shall be ‘yoveil’ unto you is “it is a year which ‘brings’ [liberty] and it shall be so to all of you, that you shall come and return every man unto his possession, and every man unto his family.” And He stated again [in the following verse], A ‘yoveil’ shall that fiftieth year be unto you147Verse 11. meaning that the fiftieth year shall be to you only for yoveil [“bringing” liberty], and not for anything else, and ye shall not sow, neither reap,147Verse 11. but instead it shall be holy158Verse 12. and every man shall return unto his possession,159Verse 13. so that the year shall be for all of you a yoveil [bringing everyone back to his possession and family], as its name indicates.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the term d’ror (liberty) is related to the expression, ‘dor’ (a generation) passeth away, ‘v’dor’ (and a generation) cometh.160Ecclesiastes 1:4. See Kithvei Haramban, Vol. I, p. 186, where in his sermon on Ecclesiastes Ramban alludes to a text from the Sefer Habahir which asks: “But does not a generation first ‘come’ and then ‘pass away,’ so why then does the verse change the order? It is to allude to the fact that a generation cometh means that ‘it had already come beforetime.’” See also in Genesis 38:8, Vol. I, p. 469, Note 155. Similarly, yoveil means that everyone will return to the yoveil (source) whence his roots are, and this shall be unto you, [until that time].161Abusaula.
Chizkuni
יובל היא, “it is a Jubilee year,” the expression יובל from the root יבל “to bring home,” reflects the extraordinary function of this year, namely to release slaves and to enable them to return to their original homes. Compare the use of this root in the transitive mode in Isaiah 23,7: יובילוה רגליה, “her own feet shall carry her far off”, or Psalms 60,11: מי יובילני עיר מצור?, ”would that I be brought to the fortified city!” Compare also Isaiah 18,7: ביום ההוא יובל שי, “on that day a gift will be brought from a people far removed.”[What follows really belongs to verse 10, the author may have had his reasons why he decided to place this here. Ed.]
Rav Hirsch
Wäre תשי von נשה, so würde ש ein Dagesch haben. So weist es wie יהי ,תחי auf eine Wurzel שיה hin. שיה ist aber die Wurzel von שי, eine Huldigungsgabe, לך יובילו מלכים שי (Ps. 68, 30), יובל שי לד׳ צבאות (Jes.18, 7) wie גַי von גיה. Hat er dich erst geboren, so bringst du deinen Hort, statt Ihm zu huldigen, andern zur Huldigung, d. h. gibst du ihn als ferner für dich wert- und bedeutungslos auf, um damit anderen zu huldigen, ותשכח אל מחוללך, habe ich es doch erlebt, daß du selbst Gottes vergaßest, noch indem Er in deiner Erzeugung begriffen war, noch ehe du, wie z. B. in der Wüste, an das Ziel einer selbständigen Existenz gelangt warst und noch auf dem Wege dahin in jedem Augenblicke dich von Gott getragen und seine Waltung dir gegenwärtig fühlen musstest! Auch dieses צור ילדך תשי, diese Leichtfertigkeit, nach kaum erreichten besseren Zuständen das altjüdische Verhältnis zu Gott zu verleugnen, um mit dieser Verleugnung einer anderen Macht zu huldigen und deren Gunst zu erlangen, ist kein vereinzeltes Faktum in der jüdischen Entwicklungsgeschichte.