Midrash su Levitico 25:23

(Lev. 25:14:) “When you sell property to your kinsman.” This text is related (to Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth, [and he does not know that loss will come to him].” This verse speaks about many people. “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth.” This was Cain. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “You moved quickly to inherit the world. By your life, you shall have a loss [in the matter].” Ergo (in Prov. 28:22), “and he does not know that loss will come to him.” And what happened to him? That he wandered about the world, as stated (in Gen. 4:12), “you shall become a ceaseless wanderer on the earth.” Another interpretation (of Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth”: This was Ephron the Hittite.¹See Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 6:5; and the parallels listed there; and Tanh. (Buber), Deut. 4:4. When Abraham's wife Sarah died, Abraham went to Ephron for him to sell him the cave. Ephron said to him, “Give me its price.” He said to him (in Gen. 23:15), “What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between you and me?” Abraham began piling up the silver for Ephron, as stated (in Gen. 23:16), “So Abraham heeded Ephron, and Abraham weighed out […].” Ben Ma'ma said, “Although R. Hanina has said, ‘All the shekels in the Torah are sela'im,’ these [shekels] are an exception, since they are centenaria.²The word is Latin. One centenarium was worth 100,000 sesterces. According to a fourth-century inscription of northern Africa, a centenarium was a hundred pieces (e.g., of gold). See A. Souter, A Glossary of Later Latin to 600 A.D. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1957). [So it was] four hundred centenaria [that] Abraham piled up before Ephron.” When Ephron saw the silver, he moved quickly and hastily, as stated (in Gen. 23:6), “bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You have moved quickly after money. By your life, you shall have a loss in the matter.” And what was his loss? R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said, “Every [mention of] Ephron which is written here [in Scripture], before he took the silver from Abraham, is written plene as 'prwn (i.e., with the vowel o represented by the Hebrew consonant w); but this [usage] (in Gen. 23:16) is deficient (hsr), ‘and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron ('prn). It is written with the w missing (hsr).” Another interpretation (of Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth”: This is the one who lends at interest, because he is anxious to become wealthy. He lends in order to receive interest from the borrower and becomes wealthy from the interest. But a curse is given through his riches, as stated (ibid., cont.), “and he does not know that loss will come to him.” Another interpretation (of Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth”: This represents those who engage in business in the sabbatical year, in that they move quickly to become rich. They do not observe the sabbatical year, and think they will become rich. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “By your life, you shall have a loss in the matter.” Since he did not observe the sabbatical year, the curse began entering into his money, and he sells [all that he had]. What is written above the matter (in Lev. 25:2), “the land shall observe a Sabbath for the Lord.” And after that it is written (in vs. 14), “When you sell property.” R. Eleazar Haqappar said, “It is written (in Cant. 5:15), ‘His legs are pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold.’ This column has a capital above and a pedestal³Gk.: basis. below.”⁴See Lev. R. 25:8. R. Samuel ben Guriah said, “You have no section in the Torah which does not have a capital above and a pedestal below.⁵The parallel in Lev. R. 25:8 explains that each section can be expounded with reference to what precedes and follows it. What is written above of the matter (in Lev. 25:1-2)? ‘Then the Lord spoke unto Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “Speak unto the Children of Israel [….] ‘the land shall observe [a Sabbath for the Lord].’”’ Then after that [comes] the section on the jubilee (in vs. 8), ‘And you shall count seven [Sabbaths of years].’ If one has not observed the sabbatical year and the jubilee, or [even] one of them, in the end, I will make it that he will sell his land, [as stated] (in vs. 14), ‘When you sell property to your kinsman.’⁶T’Arakh. 5:9; below, 9:8. [If] he repents, [all] is well; but if not, he will end up selling his field, as stated (in vs. 25), ‘When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property.’ [If] he repents, that is preferable; but if not, he will end up selling his house, as stated (in vs. 29), ‘And when someone sells a dwelling house.’ [If] he repents, that is preferable; but if not, he will end up going around [begging] at doorways, as stated (in vs. 35), ‘And when your relative becomes poor [… you shall maintain him as a foreigner and sojourner and let him live near you].’ [If] he repents, that is preferable; but if not, he will end up being sold to you, as stated (in vs. 39), ‘And when your relative becomes poor] near you and is sold to you.’ [If] he repents, that is preferable; but if not, he will end up being sold to the gentiles, as stated (in vs. 47), ‘And when a foreigner and a sojourner near you becomes wealthy, [while your relative near him becomes poor and is sold to a sojourning foreigner near you….].’ Now it is not merely the individual himself [at issue here], but that person and all Israel; for so you find in the days of Jeremiah, because they profaned the sabbatical year, they were sold to the gentiles, as stated (in II Chron. 36:17-18), ‘So He brought up the king of the Chaldeans upon them [….] And all the vessels of the house of God […] and the treasures of the house of the Lord […].’ Behold the case of [all] Israel.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “See how they will be sold to the gentiles because they profaned the sabbatical year.” He said to him, “Master of the world, did You not say this (in Lev. 25:35), ‘And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails near you, [you shall maintain him as a foreigner and sojourner and let him live near you]?’ Fulfill what You said to them and called them, ‘My relatives (ah) and friends,’ as stated (in Ps. 122:8), ‘For the sake of My relatives (ah) and friends’: (Lev. 25:35:) ‘And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails near you,’ [i.e.,] when their strength fails before Nebuchadnezzar, the Divine Presence, as it were, will be with them. It is so stated (in Is. 43:14), ‘for your sake I have sent to Babylon.’ (Lev. 25:35, cont.:) ‘You shall maintain (literally, hold on to) him.’ Hold them (i.e., Israel), lest they perish. But how? (Lev. 25:35, cont.:) ‘As a foreigner and sojourner and let him live near you.’ Although they became foreigners and sojourners in Babylon, if You do not give them grace, they will perish, [so just] ‘let him live near You.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Because of their sins I have sold My house to the Chaldeans.” It is so stated (in Lev. 25:29), “And when someone sells a dwelling house.” This is the house of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Ps. 132:13), “For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for His dwelling.” And what happened [to it]? (II Kings 25:9 = Jer. 52:13:) And he burned the house of the Lord [...].” (Lev. 25:29, cont.:) “A walled city.” This is the city of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated] (in II Chron. 36:19), “and they broke down the wall of Jerusalem […].” That is what the Holy One, blessed be He, says (in Lev. 25:47), “And when a foreigner and a sojourner [near you] becomes wealthy.” This wealthy foreigner is Nebuchadnezzar, and this sojourner is the Median Empire. (Ibid., cont.:) “And is sold to a sojourning foreigner.” This [sojourning foreigner] is the Greek Empire. (Ibid., cont.:) “Or to a foreigner's family.” This is the Edomite Empire (i.e., Rome). Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, why were they sold to these empires?” He said to him, “Because they profaned the sabbatical year.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 36:20–21), “Then he carried off unto Babylon those left from the sword,” and the end of the Scripture is “[until the land made up] its Sabbaths; as long as it lay desolate, it observed Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses at the end of all of these sections, “Is it your wish that they do not go into exile? [Then] warn them concerning the sabbatical years and the jubilees.” That is what He has said at the end of all the sections (in Lev. 26:2), “You shall observe My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord.” What is the meaning of “I am the Lord?” I am the one who is going to give you a good reward, if you observe them; but if not, I am going to exact retribution from them through the Empires. Therefore, say to them to be careful about the sabbatical year. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 25:2), “the land shall observe a Sabbath for the Lord,” so that they do not attain [the punishments in] those sections written below (in Lev. 26:14-45). (Lev. 25:14:) “When you sell property to your kinsman or buy from your neighbor's hand, do not deceive.” [Thus] you shall not deceive one another. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “For I also sold the whole world to Abraham and did not deceive him. He [then went back and sold it to Me,” as stated (Genesis 14:19), “the Buyer⁷Qoneh. A more traditional rendering of this word here would be MAKER. of heaven and earth.” When? When Abraham observed the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He. Before the Torah was given to Israel, our father Abraham kept it [and observed all the commandments that are in the Torah]. R. Samuel bar Nahman said in the name of R. Alexandra, “Abraham even observed the [rabbinic precept of] eruvim of cooked foods.”⁸See Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 3:1, and the notes there. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 26:5), “Because ('qb 'shr) Abraham heeded [My voice and kept My charge: My commandments, My statutes, and My Torahs].” What is the meaning of 'qb?⁹Gen. R. 95:3; Cant. R. 5:16:1; PR 21:12; cf. Ned. 32a. R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “At the age of three years Abraham recognized the Holy One, blessed be He.”¹⁰So also Numb. R. 18:21. According to other traditions Abraham recognized his creator at the age of forty-eight (Gen. R. 30:8; 46:2; Cant. R. 5:16:1), at the age of fifty (PR 21:12), or at the age of one (Gen. R. 95:3). How is this shown? 'Qb is a number. (I.e., 'ayin) is seventy, q (i.e., qof) is one hundred, [and] b (i.e., bet) is two, for a total of one hundred seventy-two. Now (according to Gen. 25:7) Abraham lived one hundred seventy-five [years]. Deduct from them. [The result is] three, when he was little. Ergo, at the age of three years Abraham recognized the Holy One, blessed be He. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw how Abraham loved the commandments, He began buying heavenly and earthly [places] for him, as stated (in Gen. 14:19), “Blessed be Abram of God most high, Buyer of heaven and earth.” So also it says (Gen. 13:15), “For all the land (or earth) which you see, to you I will give it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “All the world is wholly Mine; and I bought it for Abraham, because he has observed My commandments. But you, through your sins, have caused him to be [like] an alien who rents a house from its owners, for so Jeremiah has said (in Jer. 14:8), ‘why are you like a foreigner in the land […]?’ When you sinned before Me, I sold you, as stated (in Ps. 44:13), ‘You shall sell Your people for no money […].’ For that reason, if someone has to sell a house, a field, or [some] article, you shall not deceive one another.” It is therefore written (in Lev. 25:14), “shall not deceive his brother.” (Lev. 25:15-18:) “According to the years after the jubilee […]. According to the multitude of years, you shall increase […]. A man shall not deceive his brother […]. So you shall carry out my statutes and judgements.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Just as I sold my people and returned again to reinstate them, as stated (Jer. 3:14), ‘”Turn back, faithless children,” says the Lord; “for I am a master to you.”’ It is also written (in Is. 52:3), ‘For thus says the Lord, “You were sold for free, and you shall be redeemed for no money.”’ So too you should not sell the land absolutely, as stated (in Lev. 25:23), ‘[it] shall not be sold permanently.’ The Land [of Israel] is dear to me because I have made it holier than all the [other] lands in the world.” You yourself know, when the Land of Israel was distributed to the tribes, it did not pass from tribe to tribe. Rather [it was distributed] to each tribe separately. You yourself know. Look at how many lawsuits the daughters of Zelophehad brought, so that their inheritance would not pass from one tribe to another. Moreover the Holy One, blessed be He, conceded to their words, as stated (in Numb. 27:7), “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right.” (Numb. 36:9:) “Thus no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another.” Therefore, if a redeemer is found for it, fine; but if not, whoever buys it acquires it until the jubilee. Then on the jubilee he releases it. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 25:41), “Then he shall depart from you, he and his children with him and he shall return to his family.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “When the year of the redemption draws near, I will redeem you, as stated (in Is. 63:4), ‘For a day of vengeance was in My heart, but there came My year of redemption.’”

Resh Lakish said: "Whoever observes carefully the precepts concerning Tzitzith will, as a reward, have two thousand eight hundred servants to wait upon him; for it is said (Zech. 8, 23.) Thus said the Lord of Hosts, 'In those days it shall come to pass that ten men out of all the languages of the nations, shall take hold — yea, they shall take hold of the skirts of him that is a Jew, saying. Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' " We are taught that R. Nechemia says: "As a punishment for gratuitous hatred, the penalty is strife at the home of that man; and his wife will have miscarriages; and the sons and daughters of that man will die prematurely." R. Elazar, the son of R. Juda, said: "The punishment for the sin of neglecting to separate Challah is an unblessed harvest gathering; a curse will be sent upon the prices of food; and they will sow, but strangers will eat them up, as it is said (Lev. 26, 16.) Then will I also do this unto you; I will inflict on you terror, consumption and fever that consume the eyes and cause sorrow to the heart; and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it up. Do not read Behala (terror) but B'chala (on account of Challah), and if the separation of Challah is observed, then, blessings will follow, as it is said (Ezek. 44, 30.) And the first of your dough shall you give to the priest, to cause a blessing to rest on thy house." The punishment for the sin of neglecting laws concerning Terumah and tithes, is that the sky will withhold rain and dew; high prices [in food] will prevail; there will be no profits, and men will run about to earn a livelihood and will not succeed; as it is said (Job 24, 19.) Drought and heat speedily consume the snow waters; so doth the grave those who have sinned. What does that prove? In the academy of R. Ishmael it was taught that it means: "On account of your failure to discharge the duties which I commanded you to perform during the summer you will be robbed during the snow-water winter." But if they do give [Terumah and tithes] they will be blessed, as it is said (Malachi 3, 10.) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be provision in my house, and prove me but herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing Aad b'li duy? What is meant by Aad b'li duy? Rami b. Chama in the name of Rab said: "Until your lips grow tired of saying it is enough;" The penalty for the sin of robbery is an invasion of locusts; famine prevails, and people will be fed on the flesh of their own sons and daughters; as it is said (Amos 4, 1.) Hear this word, O ye cows of Bashan, that are on the Mount of Samaria, who oppresseth the poor, who crusheth the needy. (Fol. 33a) Raba said: "For instance, those women of Mechuza who eat but do nothing [they force their husbands to deal dishonestly and to rob]; and it is also written (Ib. ib. 9.) I had smitten you with blasting and mildew, etc., and your vineyards, your fig-trees and your olive trees did the caterpillar devour. It is also written (Joel 1, 4.) What the caterpillar left hath the cankerworm eaten, and that which the cankerworm left hath the crickets eaten; and it is also written (Is. 9, 19.) And he snatcheth on the right hand and is (yet) hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and is not (yet) satisfied; every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. Do not read Zero'o (his arm) but read Zaro (his children)." As punishment for the sin of delaying sentence, perverting sentence, corrupting sentence, and neglecting to study the Torah, the sword [of an enemy], with its terrible preying system, pestilence and famine, will come. People will eat but will never be satisfied; they will eat their bread by weight; as it is written (Lev. 26, 25.) And I will bring over you the sword, avenging the quarrel of my covenant. And it is also written (Ib. ib. 26.) When I break unto you the staff of bread; and ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread by weight, and ye shall eat and not be satisfied, i.e., the word Brith (covenant) refers to the Torah, for it is written (Jer. 33, 25.) If my covenant (Brith) were not by day and night, etc., and it is written (Lev. 26, 43.) Because even they despised my ordinances. As punishment for the sin of swearing in vain, swearing falsely, defaming of the name of God, and desecration of the Sabbath, wild beasts multiply, cattle are destroyed, the people decrease, and the roads become desolate, as it is said (Lev. 25, 23.) And if notwithstanding these things, ye will not be reformed by me. Do not read B'aile (these things) but read it B'ala (swearing), and it is written (Ib. ib. 22.) And I will send out against you the beasts of the field, etc. [Hence we know that the above punishment is for swearing falsely]. It is written concerning swearing falsely (Ib. 19.) And ye shall not swear by my name falsely and thou shalt not thus profane the name of God (Chilalta); concerning the defamation of the name of God it is written (Ib. 22, 12.) So that they profane not my Holy name (T'chalalu), and concerning the desecration of the Sabbath, it is written (Ex. 31, 14.) Every one that defileth it (Mechalaleha) shall surely be put to death. We infer from the word, Chillul (profanation) which appears in all three places [that the punishment for defaming God's name and desecrating the Sabbath is the multiplication of wild beasts, as it is in the case of swearing falsely]. As a punishment for the sin of shedding blood, the Temple is destroyed and the Shechina departs from Israel, as it is written (Num. 35, 33.) And ye shall not defile, etc., and ye shall not render unclean the land which ye inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell, i.e., but if ye do render unclean the land which ye inhabit, then ye will neither inhabit it nor will I live in your midst. As a punishment for the sin of adultery, idolatry and for the neglect of the laws concerning land in the Sabbatical years and the years of Jubilee exile comes, and other nations come and occupy the places of those exiled; as it is written (Lev. 18, 2.) For all these abominations have the men of the land done, etc., and again (Ib.) And the land became defiled, etc. Wherefore I have visited its iniquity upon it, etc. It is also written (Ib. ib. 28.) That the land may not submit you forth when ye defile it. Concerning the warning against idolatry, it is written (Ib. 26, 30.) And I shall cast your carcasses, etc. It is also written further And I will make desolate your sanctuary, etc. And ye will be scattered among the nations. Concerning the warning in the matters of the Sabbatical year and the year of Jubilee, it is written (Ib. ib. 34.) Then shall the land satisfy its Sabbath, all the days of its desolation, when ye are in the land of the enemies, etc. All the days of its supposed desolation shall it rest.

(Exod. 25:2): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, <AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE>. It is not written here: "And let them take a priestly share," but AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME (li) A PRIESTLY SHARE. Anything about which li ("to me" or "for me") is used, <belongs to the Holy One> in this world and in the world to come.¹³Lev. R. 2:2; Sifre to Numb. 11:16 (92); cf. Numb. R. 15:17; cf. below, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 8:9. (Lev. 25:23:) BUT THE LAND MAY NOT BE SOLD PERMANENTLY, FOR [THE LAND] BELONGS TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come. [(Numb. 8:17:) FOR EVERY FIRST-BORN AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BELONGS TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come. (Numb. 8:14:) AND THE LEVITES SHALL BELONG TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come.] So also the priestly share <belongs to the Holy One> in this world and in the world to come.