Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comRedemption of HousesDuring the time when the Israelites entered the land of Israel under Yehoshua, if a person were to sell a house inside of a walled city, he has up until the end of the first year since the sale to redeem the house. After that point he may not redeem it. Even once the Yovel year arrives, the house does not revert back to the original owner at that time if he has not redeemed it. This is the opposite of a field (see yesterday’s post) which can only be redeemed after two years since its sale and reverts back to the original owner during Yovel.If the Yovel year arrives before the end of the first year since the sale, the house still does not revert back to the original owner unless that original owner redeems it first.Houses that are not within walled cities are considered like fields and do revert back to the original owner during Yovel (if he so wishes). This gives even greater rights to the original owner of such a house than to the original owner of a field who has to wait two years before he can redeem the field.Levite PropertyWhen Yehuoshua divided up the Land of Israel, the Levites were given 48 cities (see Bamidbar 35:7 and Yehoshua 21) and 2,000 amos of land around the walls of these cities. The outer 1,000 amos were used for cultivation and had the status of a field. Nevertheless, the Levites had a unique advantage that they were allowed to redeem their land at any point and didn’t have to wait the requisite two years as other owners of fields did. Additionally, they were allowed to redeem any house that was on their land even if the usual requisite one year since ownership had passed. And once the Yovel year came along, the sold city or house would revert back to the original Levite owner. These rules hold true even if it were another Levite who purchased a city or house from a fellow Levite.So too with his fields do Levites have a special advantage.Usually, if a field is consecrated by its owner and then is subsequently purchased by another, the new owner takes on permanent ownership. By contrast, if a Levite consecrates his field yet does not redeem it and the treasurer of the Temple sells it, the Levite may still redeem it at any time.Helping Someone Who Became PoorIf your fellow, whether it be Jew (born or convert) or Resident Alien* becomes impoverished, help him out. Do not wait till his situation gets really bad but rather help him as soon as you see that he’s falling. Rashi likens this to helping a donkey who is falling. He says when a donkey begins to fall, it is enough for one man to help him get upright. However once he has fallen to the ground, even five men won’t be enough to get him back up.*Side note: This is a Ger Toshav, a non-Jew living in the land of Israel who takes upon themselves not to worship idols but still eats meat that has not be slaughtered in accordance with halacha.Don’t Charge InterestDo not charge interest to such a man. The Chumash cautions one to have fear of G-d in their heart in this regard as charging interest can feel very natural and thus tempting to a person. Alternatively a person might falsely claim that the money they are lending belongs to a non jew and thus they are allowed to charge interest.G-d concludes this section saying that He took the Jews out on condition that they keep the commandments including not charging interest. Also, just as in Egypt He was able to distinguish between the firstborn sons to only kill the Egyptian ones during the plague, so too will He be aware of anyone who falsely claims that the money he is lending out belongs to a non Jew and thus can have interest charged to it.The reward for keeping G-d’s commandments is the Israelites’ possession of the Land of Israel. Whoever lives in Israel, G-d is their G-d. Whoever leaves it, they are like an idolator. Get full access to Sarede’s Substack at sarede.substack.com/subscribe
