Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the meaning of the verse about the field returning in the Jubilee year?
A: This verse (Leviticus 27:24) teaches that during the Yovel (Jubilee) year, any land sold in the previous 50 years returns to its original owner. This ensures that no family permanently loses its ancestral inheritance in the Land of Israel, as explained by Rashi and the Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah v’Yovel 10:8).
Q: Why is the Jubilee year important in Judaism?
A: The Jubilee year (Yovel) is a foundational Torah concept that emphasizes social justice, economic fairness, and the sanctity of the Land of Israel. As the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 9a) explains, it reminds us that ultimately, all land belongs to Hashem, and we are merely temporary stewards.
Q: How does the Jubilee law apply today?
A: While the full laws of Yovel currently do not apply (as explained in Rambam’s Hilchot Shemitah v’Yovel 10:3 due to the lack of all tribes living in Israel), the principles of economic fairness and the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel remain eternally relevant according to Torah thought.
Q: What can we learn from the concept of land returning in the Jubilee?
A: The Torah teaches us several lessons through this mitzvah: 1) Wealth is temporary (as the Midrash Tanchuma notes), 2) The Land of Israel has special holiness, 3) Social equality is important, and 4) Ultimately everything belongs to Hashem, as emphasized by many Jewish commentators including the Sforno on this verse.
Q: Who originally owned the land before it was sold?
A: The land belonged to the ancestral families who received portions when Joshua divided the Land of Israel among the tribes (as described in Joshua 13-19). The Torah (Leviticus 25:23-24) makes clear that these tribal allocations were meant to remain with each family permanently, with the Jubilee system ensuring this continuity.
Verse Context: The Yovel (Jubilee) Year
The verse (Vayikra 25:13) discusses the laws of the Yovel (Jubilee) year, a central mitzvah in the Torah that occurs every 50 years. During Yovel, all ancestral lands sold in the interim return to their original owners, ensuring that tribal inheritances remain intact. This reflects the principle that the Land of Israel is a Divine gift to the Jewish people, and no sale is permanent.
Rashi's Explanation
Rashi (Vayikra 25:13) clarifies that the verse emphasizes the return of land to its original owner without additional payment. Even if the buyer had cultivated the land for decades, the seller reclaims it in Yovel at no cost. This underscores that land in Eretz Yisrael is not truly "sold" but temporarily transferred until Yovel.
Rambam's Legal Perspective
Rambam (Hilchot Shemittah v’Yovel 10:8) explains that this law applies only to ancestral land (achuzah), not to houses in walled cities (which follow different rules, as stated in Vayikra 25:29-30). The return of land in Yovel reinforces the Torah’s vision of economic justice, preventing permanent wealth disparities.
Midrashic Insight
The Midrash (Torat Kohanim 25:13) links this mitzvah to the broader theme of Divine ownership: "The land is Mine, and you are but strangers and sojourners with Me" (Vayikra 25:23). Yovel reminds us that all possessions are temporary, and ultimate ownership belongs to Hashem.
Key Halachic Principles