## Kli Yakar on Leviticus Chapter 25

###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:1:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:1:1)

**וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר.** מַה עִנְיַן שְׁמִטָּה אֵצֶל הַר סִינַי כוּ׳ קָרוֹב לִשְׁמֹעַ כְּשֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה אֶל הַר סִינַי אַחַר שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת שֶׁסָּפְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מ״ט יוֹם מִן פֶּסַח עַד עֲצֶרֶת, נִתְקַדֵּשׁ אָז אוֹתוֹ הָהָר וְנֶאֱסַר בִּזְרִיעָה וַחֲרִישָׁה בְּיוֹם חֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁבּוֹ נִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה, וְהוּא זְמַן מְשִׁיכַת הַיּוֹבֵל לִקְרֹא דְּרוֹר וְחָפְשִׁי לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, חֵרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר שֶׁל מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן הִגִּיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה עִנְיַן הַשְּׁמִטָּה וְהַיּוֹבֵל, לוֹמַר שֶׁבְּמִסְפַּר שִׁבְעָה וּבְמִסְפַּר מ״ט אֲנִי נוֹתֵן קְדֻשָּׁה זוֹ לְכָל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ דִּמְיוֹן וְיִחוּס עִם הַר סִינַי מִצַּד הֱיוֹתָהּ אֲוִירָא דְמַחְכִּים וְאֵין תּוֹרָה כְּתוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהַר סִינַי, עַל כֵּן רָאוּי לִתֵּן גַּם לָאָרֶץ הַהִיא קְדֻשַּׁת הַר סִינַי אַחַר מִסְפַּר מ״ט שָׁנָה וְכֵן בְּמִסְפַּר שִׁבְעָה, אוֹ כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי בִּקְרִיאַת דְּרוֹר וְהַעֲבָרַת שׁוֹפָר, מְצֹרָף לִשְׁאָר טְעָמִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמִצְוָה זוֹ, עַל כֵּן נֶאֱמַר בְּהַר סִינָי. וְדָבָר זֶה נָכוֹן וְקָרוֹב לִשְׁמֹעַ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying.** What is the connection between the sabbatical year and Mount Sinai, etc.? It seems reasonable to suggest that when Moses ascended Mount Sinai after the seven weeks during which Israel counted forty-nine days from Passover to Shavuot, that mountain was sanctified and prohibited for sowing and plowing on the fiftieth day when the Torah was given. This was the time for extending the Jubilee to proclaim freedom and liberty for all of Israel — freedom upon the tablets through the sound of the shofar at the giving of the Torah. At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses about the sabbatical and Jubilee years, indicating that through the number seven and the number forty-nine, I am bestowing this holiness upon all the Land of Israel, which has a similarity and relationship with Mount Sinai because it has an atmosphere that makes one wise, and there is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel and Mount Sinai. Therefore, it is fitting to give that land the sanctity of Mount Sinai after the count of forty-nine years, and likewise with the count of seven years. Alternatively, it is to create a commemoration of the Mount Sinai event through the proclamation of freedom and the sounding of the shofar, along with the other reasons for this commandment. Therefore, it is stated *at Mount Sinai*. And this explanation is correct and reasonable to hear.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:2:1)

**וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַה׳.** בְּטַעַם מִצְוָה זוֹ יֵשׁ דֵּעוֹת חֲלוּקוֹת, כִּי רַבִּים אוֹמְרִים שֶׁהַטַּעַם הוּא שֶׁתִּשְׁבּוֹת הָאָרֶץ כְּדֵי שֶׁתּוֹסִיף תֵּת כֹּחָהּ לִזְרוֹעַ, וּלְדֵעָה זוֹ נָטָה הָרַב הַמּוֹרֶה. וְרַבִּים חוֹלְקִים עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁאִם חָשְׁשָׁה הַתּוֹרָה לָזֶה שֶׁלֹּא תֶּחֱלַשׁ הָאֲדָמָה, לָמָּה יִתְחַיְּבוּ גָּלוּת עַל שְׁמִטַּת הָאָרֶץ, יִהְיֶה עָנְשָׁם שֶׁלֹּא תּוֹסִיף הָאָרֶץ תֵּת כֹּחָהּ לָהֶם. וְעוֹד שֶׁאֵין זֶה שַׁבָּת לַה׳ כִּי אִם לְצֹרֶךְ הָאָרֶץ, וּמַהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״אָז תִּרְצֶה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתֶיהָ״, מָה תַּרְוִיחַ בָּזֶה שֶׁיִּגְלוּ מִמֶּנָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֵשְׁבוּ עָלֶיהָ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לְעוֹלָם בָּהּ יַעֲבֹדוּ, וְאֵיךְ תִּשְׁבּוֹת הָאָרֶץ בָּהְשַׁמָּהּ מֵהֶם. וּבָעֲקֵדָה נָתַן טַעַם אַחֵר וְאָמַר שֶׁתַּכְלִית מִצְוָה זוֹ לִזְכֹּר חִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם וְלִזְכֹּר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם וְסוֹף יְמֵי חֶלְדּוֹ, וְכֵן כָּתַב מהרי״א וְהוֹסִיף עוֹד נוֹפֶךְ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ. וְגַם זֶה רָחוֹק מִכִּלְיוֹתַי, כִּי הוּא דּוֹמֶה לִיהוּדָה וְעוֹד לִקְרָא, כִּי יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַתְּמִידִי בְּכָל שָׁבוּעַ בָּא לִזְכֹּר חִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם, וְאִם הוּא לֹא יוֹעִיל – מַה יּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ זֶה הַבָּא לְעִתִּים רְחוֹקִים.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the land shall rest a sabbath unto the Lord.** Regarding the reason for this commandment, there are divided opinions. Many say that the reason is for the land to rest so that it will increase its strength for sowing, and to this opinion the Guide [Maimonides] inclined. Many disagree with Him and say that if the Torah was concerned about the land becoming weakened, why would exile be the punishment for neglecting the land’s sabbatical? Their punishment should be that the land would no longer give its strength to them. Furthermore, this wouldn’t be a sabbath *unto the Lord* but rather for the benefit of the land. And what is meant by *then shall the land be pleased with its sabbaths*? What benefit is there in Israel being exiled from it while gentiles settle on it, who would always work it? How would the land rest when it is desolate from them?
In the Akeidah [by Rabbi Isaac Arama], a different reason is given, stating that the purpose of this commandment is to remember the creation of the world and to recall the days of old and the end of one’s life. Similarly wrote Abarbanel, who added His own insights. But this too is far from my understanding, as it resembles “Judah and more” [adding unnecessary explanations], because the weekly Sabbath already serves as a reminder of the world’s creation. If that is not effective, how would this one that comes at distant intervals help?


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:2
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:2:2)

וּכְדֵי לְיַשֵּׁב כַּמָּה דִקְדּוּקִים בִּלְשׁוֹן הַפָּרָשָׁה, אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁטַּעַם מִצְוָה זוֹ הִיא לְהַשְׁרִישׁ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִדַּת הָאֱמוּנָה וְהַבִּטָּחוֹן בַּה׳, כִּי חָשַׁשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פֶּן בְּבוֹאָם אֶל הָאָרֶץ יִתְעַסְּקוּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הָאֲדָמָה עַל הַמִּנְהָג הַטִּבְעִי, וְכַאֲשֶׁר כַּבִּיר מָצְאָה יָדָם יִשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת ה׳ וְיָסִירוּ בִּטְחוֹנָם מִמֶּנּוּ, וְיַחְשְׁבוּ כִּי כֹּחָם וְעֹצֶם יָדָם עָשָׂה לָהֶם אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה וְעוֹלָם כְּמִנְהָגוֹ נוֹהֵג, וְיַחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁהָאָרֶץ שֶׁלָּהֶם הִיא וְהֵם הַבְּעָלִים וְאֵין זוּלָתָם. עַל כֵּן הוֹצִיאָם ה׳ מִן הַמִּנְהָג הַטִּבְעִי לְגַמְרֵי, כִּי בְּשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים דֶּרֶךְ הָאֻמּוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים זֶרַע וְשָׁנָה אַחַת בּוּר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַכְחִישׁ חֵילָהּ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר ״שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ״ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה, וַאֲנִי מַבְטִיחֲךָ לְהוֹסִיף כֹּחָהּ שֶׁלֹּא תַּכְחִישׁ. וְעוֹד נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁזְּרַעְתָּהּ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים אִם בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית לֹא יַכְחִישׁ חֵילָהּ הִנֵּה לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת לֹא יוֹסִיף לָהּ זֶה כֹּחַ, וְאָמַר ה׳, אַדְּרַבָּה, שֶׁבַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית יוֹסִיף לָהּ כֹּחַ כָּל כָּךְ עַד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת בִּרְכָתִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים״. וְאִם הָיָה הַנֵּס שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה הַתְּבוּאָה לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הֲרֵי זֶה מַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים, אֲבָל וְשָׁלִישִׁים עַל כֻּלּוֹ, שֶׁהַתְּבוּאָה שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית אַף אִם לֹא יִהְיֶה בָּהּ כִּי אִם שִׁעוּר אֲכִילָה לְשָׁנָה אַחַת מִכָּל מָקוֹם יִשְׁלַח ה׳ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה בַּאֲסָמֵיהֶם שֶׁיֹּאכַל קִמְעָא וּמִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּמֵעָיו עַד שֶׁתַּסְפִּיק הַתְּבוּאָה לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, מִדְּקָאָמַר ״וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה״ בְּהֵ״א הַיְדִיעָה, וְהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וְעָשָׂת תְּבוּאָה לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים״, אֶלָּא שֶׁרָמַז בְּהֵ״א הַיְדִיעָה שֶׁאוֹתָהּ הַתְּבוּאָה שֶׁהִיא רְגִילָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה גַּם בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית, וְיוֹסֵף ה׳ כֹּחַ בָּאָרֶץ עַד שֶׁאוֹתָהּ הַתְּבוּאָה תַּסְפִּיק לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, וְזֶה וַדַּאי נֵס נִגְלֶה וְגָדוֹל מִכֻּלָּם. וְעַל יְדֵי כָּל הַמּוֹפְתִים הַלָּלוּ אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּיָדֶךָ תֵּדַע כִּי לִי כָּל הָאָרֶץ. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִהְיוּ עֵינֶיךָ נְשׂוּאוֹת אֶל ה׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בִּירִידַת הַמָּן לְיוֹמוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינֵיהֶם נְשׂוּאוֹת אֶל ה׳ תָּמִיד וְיִבְטְחוּ בּוֹ תָּמִיד, כָּךְ עִנְיַן הַשְּׁמִטָּה שֶׁלֹּא יַעַבְדוּ הָאֲדָמָה כָּל שָׁנָה שְׁבִיעִית, אֵין זֶרַע וְאֵין קָצִיר, וְיִסְמְכוּ עַל הַנֵּס. וְזֶה טַעַם נָכוֹן וּבָרוּר יוֹתֵר מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁדִּבְּרוּ בּוֹ הַמְפָרְשִׁים.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**In order to resolve several exact inferences in the section’s language,** I say that the reason for this commandment is to root Israel in the trait of faith and trust in God. For the Holy One, blessed be He, was concerned that when they would come to the land, they would engage in working the land according to natural custom, and when they would become very successful, they would forget God and remove their trust from Him. They would think that their own strength and might had brought them this wealth, and that the world follows its natural course, and they would think that the land is theirs and they are the owners with no one else above them.
Therefore, God removed them entirely from the natural custom. For in six years, it is the way of nations to sow for two years and let the land lie fallow for one year so as not to weaken its strength. But the Holy One, blessed be He, said *Six years you shall sow your field* — every single year — and I promise you to increase its strength so it will not be weakened. And there is a miracle within a miracle, that after sowing for six years, if in the sixth year the land’s strength is not weakened, at the very least it should not gain additional strength. Yet God said, on the contrary, in the sixth year He would add so much strength to it that it is said, *I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will produce a crop sufficient for three years*.
And if the miracle was that the crop would provide for three years, this is already miraculous, but it goes three times beyond that. The crop produced in the sixth year, even if it would only be enough to feed for one year, nevertheless God will send His blessing to their storehouses so that they eat a little and it becomes blessed in their stomachs until the crop is sufficient for three years. This is indicated by the phrase *and it will produce the crop* with the definite article *the*, when it could have said “and it will produce crop for three years.” But the definite article hints that the same crop that is normally produced year by year will be produced in the sixth year as well, and God will add strength to the land so that the same crop will be sufficient for three years. This is certainly an obvious and greatest miracle of all.
And through all these wonders which I have placed in your hand, you will know that *the earth is Mine*. And through this, your eyes will be lifted to God, just as we found with the daily descent of the manna so that their eyes would always be lifted to God and they would trust in Him constantly. So too is the matter of the sabbatical year, that they would not work the land for the entire seventh year — no sowing and no harvesting — and they would rely on the miracle. This is a correct reason, clearer than anything the commentators have said about it.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:3
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:2:3)

וּלְפִי זֶה דִּין הוּא שֶׁיִּתְחַיְּבוּ גָּלוּת בַּעֲוֹן הַשְּׁמִיטָה, מִצַּד חֶסְרוֹן הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁבָּהֶם, כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בַּה׳ וְלֹא בָּטְחוּ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ (תהלים עח כב) שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לָהֶם נֵס כָּזֶה בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַתְּבוּאָה לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיה ה א): ״שׁוֹטְטוּ בְּחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ אִם יֵשׁ אִישׁ מְבַקֵּשׁ אֱמוּנָה וְאֶסְלַח לָהּ״. גַּם הָאָרֶץ עַצְמָהּ תַּקְפִּיד עַל זֶה מְאֹד, כִּי רְצוֹנָהּ שֶׁיִּתְגַּלְגֵּל זְכוּת זֶה עַל יָדָהּ לְחַזֵּק הָאֱמוּנָה בַּה׳ עַל יָדָהּ. וְעוֹד שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יַאֲמִינוּ כִּי כֻלָּם אֵינָן רַק אֲרִיסִים בַּקַּרְקַע וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, וּבְדָבָר זֶה הָאָרֶץ חֲפֵצָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ בַּעְלָהּ וַאֲדוֹנָהּ כִּי לוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ הָאָרֶץ. וּבְבִטּוּל הַשְּׁמִיטּוֹת שֶׁיַּחֲזִיקוּ הֵמָּה כִּבְעָלִים בָּאָרֶץ רָאוּי הוּא שֶׁתַּקְפִּיד הָאָרֶץ עַל זֶה. לָכֵן נֶאֱמַר: ״אָז תִּרְצֶה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתֶיהָ״. אֲבָל עַל הָאֻמּוֹת לֹא תַּקְפִּיד אִם יִנְהֲגוּ בָהּ מִנְהַג הַטִּבְעִי, כִּי בְּלָאו הָכֵי כָּל הַנְהָגָתָם עַל פִּי הַטֶּבַע וְאֵין בָּהֶם אֱמוּנָה. וְאַחַר הַצָּעָה זוֹ נָבֹא לְבֵאוּר הַפְּסוּקִים כִּי הֵמָּה מַסְכִּימִים לְכַוָּנָה זוֹ הָאֲמִתִּית אֲשֶׁר אֵין סָפֵק בָּהּ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And according to this, it is proper that they should be exiled for the sin of [not observing] the sabbatical year,** due to their lack of faith, for *they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation* (Psalms 78:22) that He would perform such a miracle for them in making the produce last for three years. And as it is written, *Roam through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in its open places, if you can find a man, if there is one who executes judgment, who seeks faith, and I will pardon her* (Jeremiah 5:1). The land itself is also very particular about this, because it desires that this merit should be brought about through it, to strengthen faith in God through it. Furthermore, through this they will believe that they are all merely sharecroppers on the land, and the Holy One, blessed be He, is the owner of the field. And in this matter, the land desires that the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself be its owner and master, for the land belongs to Him. And by annulling the sabbatical years, they act as if they are the owners of the land, so it is fitting that the land should be particular about this. Therefore it says, *Then the land will be appeased regarding its sabbaths*. But the land will not be particular if the gentiles treat it according to the natural way, because in any case, all their conduct is according to nature, and they have no faith. And after this introduction, we will come to explain the verses, for they are consistent with this true intention, about which there is no doubt.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:3:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:3:1)

**שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְגוֹ׳.** כְּבָר אָמַרְנוּ שֶׁזּוֹ הַבְטָחָה שֶׁלֹּא יַכְחִישׁ חֵילָהּ אַף אִם יִזְרַע שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים רְצוּפִים וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁנָה בּוּר אַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים זֶרַע. וְעַל צַד הַשָּׂכָר אָמַר ״כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם״, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֲנִי הַנּוֹתֵן לְךָ הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא בְּחֵילְךָ יָרַשְׁתָּ אָרֶץ, וְיֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא תִּטְעֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁלְּךָ הָאָרֶץ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מְצַוְּךָ ״וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַה׳״, לֹא לְשֵׁם תּוֹסֶפֶת כֹּחַ בָּאָרֶץ כִּי אִם לְשֵׁם ה׳, לְגַלּוֹת כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה. וּבִזְכוּת שֶׁתִּשְׁבּוֹת לְשֵׁם ה׳ תִּזְכֶּה לְמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְגוֹ׳ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת תְּבוּאָתָהּ״, לְאַפּוֹקֵי אִם לֹא תִשְׁבּוֹת לְשֵׁם ה׳ אָז תִּתְחַיֵּב גָּלוּת וְלֹא תִזְרַע אֲפִלּוּ בְּשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים. וְאִם תֹּאמַר שֶׁתִּזְרָעֶהָ מִכָּל מָקוֹם יָבֹזּוּ זָרִים יְגִיעֲךָ וְלֹא תֶאֱסֹף תְּבוּאָתָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שופטים ו ג): ״וְהָיָה אִם זָרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעָלָה מִדְיָן וַעֲמָלֵק וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ״, וּכְתִיב (דברים כח לח): ״זֶרַע רַב תּוֹצִיא הַשָּׂדֶה וּמְעַט תֶּאֱסֹף״. וְאָמַר ״שָׂדֶךָ״ לְמַעֵט שָׂדֶה שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים, לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם לֹא תִּשְׁבּוֹת אֲזַי תֵּלֵךְ בַּגּוֹלָה וְתִהְיֶה עֶבֶד לָאֻמּוֹת וְתִזְרַע שָׂדֶה שֶׁלָּהֶם וְלֹא שָׂדְךָ, אֲבָל בִּזְכוּת הַשְּׁמִיטָה תִּזְרַע שָׂדְךָ וְכַרְמְךָ. וְעוֹד הִזְכִּיר ״שָׂדֶךָ״ לְמַעֵט שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִיטָה שֶׁבּוֹ אֵין הַשָּׂדֶה שָׂדְךָ כִּי אִם הֶפְקֵר לַכֹּל, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁבְּשָׁנָה זוֹ אַתָּה מוֹדֶה כִּי לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ, אִם כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁיִּתְפַּרְנְסוּ מִמֶּנָּה בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ עֲנִיֵּי עַמּוֹ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ יִתְרוֹן עֲלֵיהֶם. וְאָמַר בִּזְכוּת ״וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַה׳״ תִּזְכֶּה שֶׁשֵּׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ, אֲבָל אִם תִּרְצֶה לְהַחֲזִיק בְּפֵרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית כְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת אָז תָּבֹא לִידֵי עֲנִיּוּת, שֶׁתִּמְכֹּר הַשָּׂדֶה וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂדְךָ כִּי אִם שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים, כְּדַעַת הַמִּדְרָשׁ (תנחומא בהר א) הַדּוֹרֵשׁ סְמִיכוּת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת ״כִּי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ״ לְעוֹשֶׂה סְחוֹרָה בְּפֵרוֹת שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית, שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לָבוֹא לִידֵי עֹנִי וְלִמְכֹּר בֵּיתוֹ וְשָׂדֵהוּ. וְזֶהוּ דּוֹמֶה לְמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תענית ו:): כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה כַּלֵֵּה לִבְהֶמְתְּךָ בַּבַּיִת, כִּי כָל זְמַן שֶׁחַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת אָז בִּזְכוּת הַצְּדָקָה יִהְיֶה גַּם לִבְהֶמְתְּךָ, אֲבָל אִם תַּחֲזִיק בָּהּ כְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת לְבִלְתִּי נְתוֹן לַחַיָּה בַּשָּׂדֶה אָז תִּכְלֶה הַפְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס שֶׁגַּם לְךָ לֹא יִהְיֶה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Six years you shall sow your field, etc.** We have already said that this is a promise that the land will not lose its fertility even if it is sown for six consecutive years without leaving it fallow every third year. As a reward, the verse states *When you come into the land which I give you*, because truly I am giving you the land, and not by your own power did you inherit it: There is concern that you might mistakenly think the land is yours; therefore I command you, *and the land shall observe a Sabbath to the Lord*. Not for the purpose of adding strength to the land, but rather for the Lord’s sake, to reveal that He, blessed be He, is the owner of the field. And by virtue of your allowing it to rest for the Lord’s sake, you will merit what is said: *Six years you shall sow your field, etc., and gather in its produce*. This excludes the case where you do not allow it to rest for the Lord’s sake, in which case you will be liable to exile and will not sow even during the six years. And even if you do sow regardless, strangers will plunder your labor and you will not gather its produce, as it is written *And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites and Amalekites came up and destroyed* (Judges 6:3), and it is written *You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in* (Deuteronomy 28:38).
And the verse says *your field* to exclude the fields of others, suggesting that if you do not observe the Sabbatical year, you will go into exile and become a slave to the nations, sowing their fields and not your own. But by virtue of observing the Sabbatical year, you will sow your field and your vineyard. Furthermore, it mentions *your field* to exclude the Sabbatical year, during which the field is not yours but rather ownerless, available to all. Since in this year you acknowledge that the land belongs to the Lord, it is fitting that the poor of His people should be sustained from it in this year, and you should have no advantage over them.
And the verse says that by virtue of *the land shall observe a Sabbath to the Lord*, you will merit that *six years you shall sow your field*. But if you wish to claim the fruits of the seventh year as an owner, then you will be brought to poverty, having to sell your field, and it will no longer be *your field* but will belong to others. This is like the opinion of the Midrash (Tanchuma, Behar 1), which interprets the juxtaposition of the passages *if your brother becomes poor* as referring to one who conducts business with the fruits of the seventh year, who will ultimately come to poverty and sell his house and field. This is similar to what our Sages said (Taanit 6b): *When the wild animal has no more to eat from the field, your cattle will have no more to eat at home*. For as long as the wild animal eats, then by virtue of charity there will also be food for your cattle, but if you claim ownership and do not allow the wild animal in the field to eat, then the money will vanish from your pocket and you will have nothing for yourself either.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:3:2
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:3:2)

וּמִטַּעַם זֶה נֶאֱמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית וְגוֹ׳ שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע״ וְגוֹ׳, הִקְדִּים הַשָּׂדֶה אֶל הַזְּרִיעָה לוֹמַר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּטְעֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁהַשָּׂדֶה שָׂדְךָ וְלֹא שֶׁל ה׳, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מְצַוְּךָ שֶׁלֹּא תִזְרַע כִּי בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי שֶׁל ה׳ הִיא וְלֹא שֶׁלְּךָ. ״וְאֶת עִנְּבֵי נְזִירֶךָ״ שֶׁהִפְרַשְׁתָּ לְךָ וְלֹא רָצִיתָ לִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ לַאֲחֵרִים בִּמְזִמּוֹת זוּ אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁבְתָּ כִּי הַכֶּרֶם כַּרְמְךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מְצַוְּךָ ״לֹא תִבְצֹר״, כִּי בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע שֶׁאֵין נָכוֹן שֶׁתִּנְזוֹר וְתַפְרִישׁ אֶת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם מֵהֶם אֶלָּא יַד כֻּלָּם יִהְיֶה שָׁוָה בָהּ, לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ וּבְיָדוֹ לִנְזוֹר לְתִתָּהּ לְמִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה, וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיוֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ מִשֻּׁלְחָן גָּבוֹהַּ. וְזֶה טַעַם הַיּוֹבֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (כה כג): ״וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר לִצְמִיתֻת״, כִּי אֵין הָאָדָם יָכוֹל לִמְכֹּר דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, כִּי לַה׳ תֵּבֵל וּמְלוֹאָהּ, וְהוּא נְתָנָהּ אֶל הָאָדָם זְמַן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה הַקְּצוּבִים לִסְתָם אָדָם בֵּינוֹנִי מִיּוֹם הֱיוֹתוֹ בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף אַחַר קִנְיְנֵי הַזְּמַן עַד הֱיוֹתוֹ בֶּן שִׁבְעִים, עַל כֵּן אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְכֹּר נַחֲלָה כִּי אִם עַל חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה לֹא יוֹתֵר.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And for this reason it says adjacently, “And in the seventh year… your field you shall not sow, etc.”** The text places “field” before “sowing” to teach that you should not mistakenly think that the field is yours and not God’s. Therefore, I command you not to sow, so that you will know that it belongs to God and not to you. And *the grapes of your separation* which you set aside for yourself and did not want to give to others, with this intention that you thought the vineyard was your vineyard — therefore I command you *you shall not harvest*. For by this you will know that it is not proper for you to separate and withhold [the produce] from people; rather, everyone’s hand should be equal in it, so that you will know that *the earth is the Lord’s*, and it is in His power to decide to give it to whomever He wishes. *And the poor of your people shall eat* from the High Table [i.e., God’s table]. And this is the reason for the Jubilee year, as it says (25:23): *And the land shall not be sold in perpetuity*. For a person cannot sell something that is not his, as *the world and its fullness belong to God*. And He gave it to man for a period of 50 years, which is the allocated lifespan for an average person from the day he is 20 years old to pursue temporal acquisitions until he is 70 years old. Therefore, he cannot sell an inheritance except for up to 50 years, no more.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:8:1)

**וְסָפַרְתָּ לְךָ שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתוֹת שָׁנִים.** טַעַם הַיּוֹבֵל כְּטַעַם הַשְּׁמִיטָה, וְנוֹסָף עַל זֶה יֵשׁ עוֹד דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים בְּגוֹ, מִדְּקָאָמַר ״וְסָפַרְתָּ לְךָ״ שְׁמַע מִנַּהּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּמְיוֹן וְיִחוּס לְשָׁנִים אֵלּוּ עִם מִסְפַּר יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה עַל הָרֹב בָּאִים בְּמִסְפַּר חֲמִשִּׁים, כִּי יְמֵי שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה, וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנִים רִאשׁוֹנִים אֵינָן בִּכְלַל זֶה, כִּי לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּר עוֹנָשִׁין עֲדַיִן בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה עַל כֵּן כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ זְמַן נֶחְשָׁבִים לִבְלִי מָה, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם עַיִר פֶּרֶא יִוָּלֵד (איוב יא יב) וַעֲדַיִן אֵין אוֹר שִׂכְלוֹ שָׁלֵם לְהָבִין בַּמּוּשְׂכָּלוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יַטֶּה אֲשֻׁרוֹ מִנִּי דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר, וּמִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה הוּא מַתְחִיל לִסְפֹּר כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע כַּמָּה יִשָּׁאֵר לוֹ בַּשָּׁנִים אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם נָבוֹן תַּחְבּוּלוֹת יִקְנֶה, וְסַמָּא דְחַיֵּי יִהְיֶה לוֹ לְבַדּוֹ וְאֵין לְזָרִים אִתּוֹ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״וְסָפַרְתָּ לְךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, אִם תִּסְפֹּר לְךָ לְטוֹבָתְךָ וְלַהֲנָאָתְךָ כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא כָּל יָמֶיךָ בִּדְבָרִים רוּחָנִיִּים, אָז ״וְהָיוּ לְךָ יְמֵי שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתוֹת הַשָּׁנִים״, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר יִהְיוּ לְךָ לְבַדֶּךָ וְלֹא לְזָרִים אִתָּךְ. אֲבָל אִם תְּכַלֶּה בְּהֶבֶל יָמֶיךָ לֶאֱסֹף וְלִכְנוֹס אָז לֹא לְךָ יִהְיֶה הַזֶּרַע, כִּי תַּעֲזוֹב לַאֲחֵרִים חֵיל וְחוֹמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתָ וַאֲשֶׁר נָטַעְתָּ, כִּי עַל הָרֹב אֵין הָאָדָם יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִיק בְּשֶׁלּוֹ כִּי אִם מִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אֵלּוּ, אֲבָל שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים מִשְּׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים שֶׁהוּא שְׁנַת הַשִּׁבְעִים מִיּוֹם הֻלַּדְתּוֹ, אָז הַכֹּל שָׁוִים בְּהוֹנוֹ וּרְכוּשׁוֹ וְלֹא יִקְצוֹר עוֹד קְצִירוֹ וְאֶת עִנְּבֵי נְזִירוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִבְדִּיל וְהִסְתִּיר בְּיוֹם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּמֵאֲנוּ יָדָיו לִנְגוֹעַ, וְהָיְתָה עֵינוֹ צָרָה בּוֹ מִתֵּת לְאֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו וַאֲפִלּוּ לְעַצְמוֹ לֹא נָתַן, קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מְהַנֶּה לַאֲחֵרִים, הִנֵּה בַּזְּמַן הַהוּא יִגֶּל יְבוּל בֵּיתוֹ נִגָּרוֹת בְּיוֹם אַפּוֹ (שם כ כח), וְהַכֹּל הֶפְקֵר וְהַכֹּל שָׁוִים בּוֹ כֶּעָשִׁיר וְהֵלֶךְ, וְהוּא זְמַן קְרִיאַת דְּרוֹר וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדוֹנָיו.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And you shall count for yourself seven sabbaths of years.** The reason for the jubilee is like the reason for the sabbatical year, and additionally, there are other underlying matters, as it says *and you shall count for yourself*, which implies that there is a similarity and relationship between these years and the number of days in a person’s life, which typically reach about fifty, as *the days of our years are seventy years*. The first twenty years are not included in this count because a person is not yet liable for punishment in the heavenly court; therefore, all their actions during that time are considered insignificant, as *man is born a wild donkey’s colt* (Job 11:12), and their intellectual light is not yet complete to understand concepts that would prevent them from straying from the straight path. From that point onward, they begin to count so that they know how many years remain in which they can acquire wise strategies and the elixir of life will be for them alone, with no strangers beside them.
Therefore it says, *and you shall count for yourself, etc.*. If you count for yourself, for your benefit and pleasure, in order to spend all your days in spiritual matters, then *the days of the seven sabbaths of years shall be for you*, meaning they will be for you alone and not for strangers with you. But if you waste your days in vanity, gathering and hoarding, then the produce will not be yours, for you will leave your wealth and the walls you built and what you planted to others. For typically, a person can only hold onto their possessions for this number of years, but the fiftieth year from the twentieth year, which is the seventieth year from their birth, then everyone is equal regarding their wealth and possessions, and they will no longer reap their harvest or the grapes of their separation which they isolated and hid during their active days, and their hands refused to touch, and their eye was miserly about giving to one of their brothers, and even to themselves they did not give — all the more so they did not benefit others at that time. Behold, at that time, *the increase of his house will depart, flowing away in the day of His anger* (Job 20:28). Everything becomes ownerless, and everyone is equal in it, like the rich man who has departed, and it is a time of proclaiming freedom, and the servant is free from his master.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:2
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:8:2)

וּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה דָּבָר זֶה לְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֵי הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִּשְׂבַּעְנָה הוֹן, צִוָּה ה׳ לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים, לֹא יִזָּרַע וְלֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ, כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּה לְקַדֵּשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית לָדַעַת וּלְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ, כָּךְ צִוָּה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים לְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי יֵשׁ גְּבוּל וְקִצְבָּה לְכָל מַעֲשָׂיו, וְכִי הוּא אֵינוֹ בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה בְּהֶחְלֵט אֶלָּא הוּא כְּגֵר בָּאָרֶץ, וְאֵין לוֹ כֹּחַ בָּהּ כִּי אִם חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה. לְפִיכָךְ ״וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר לִצְמִיתֻת״, כִּי לֹא הִשְׁלִיטוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים לִמְכֹּר דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנָּתַן טַעַם וְאָמַר: ״כִּי לִי הָאָרֶץ כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי״, מִדְּסָמַךְ ״אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי״ אֶל ״תּוֹשָׁבִים״, שְׁמַע מִנַּהּ שֶׁדַּוְקָא לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כִּי אָז אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי שָׁם אַתֶּם תּוֹשָׁבִים, אֲבָל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אַתֶּם גֵּרִים, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָתַן לְךָ הָאָרֶץ בְּתוֹרַת אֲרִיסוּת אוֹ בְּתוֹרַת שְׁאֵלָה, וְאֵיךְ תִּמְכֹּר דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And in order that this matter should be a remembrance between the eyes of man, whose desire for wealth is never satisfied,** God commanded to sanctify the fiftieth year, where one should neither sow nor work the land. Just as He commanded to sanctify the seventh year to know and make known that the land belongs to God, so too He commanded to sanctify the fiftieth year to make known that there is a limit and boundary to all his [man’s] actions, and that he is not the absolute owner of the field, but rather he is like a stranger in the land, and he has power over it for only 50 years. Therefore, *the land shall not be sold in perpetuity* (Leviticus 25:23). For God did not give him authority to sell something that is not his, and this is the reason given, as it says: *For the land is Mine; for strangers and residents you are with Me* (Leviticus 25:23). From the juxtaposition of *you are with Me* to *residents*, it can be inferred that this is specifically in the World to Come, because then *you are with Me* — there you are residents, but in this world you are strangers. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, gave you the land in the manner of sharecropping or as a loan, so how can you sell something that is not yours?


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:3
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:8:3)

וְעִנְיַן הַעֲבָרַת שׁוֹפָר וּקְרִיאַת דְּרוֹר, וּבְיוֹם כִּפּוּרִים דַּוְקָא, דּוֹמֶה לְיוֹם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבּוֹ יָצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חֵרוּת מִן הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע וְיִסּוּרִין, וְכֵן יוֹם כִּפּוּר זְמַן חֵרוּת מִיַּד מֶלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם, הוּא שָׂטָן הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע. וְכָל זֶה לְהַזְכִּיר לָאָדָם יוֹם הַחֵרוּת בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי, וְשֶׁתָּמִיד יִהְיֶה לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו זְמַן הַחָפְשִׁי וְהַחֵרוּת, וְכֵן כָּתַב מַהֲרִי״א ע״ש. וְכָל זֶה עַל צַד הָרֶמֶז אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ דָּרְכוּ רֹב מְפָרְשֵׁי תּוֹרָתֵנוּ. אֲבָל לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ הַשְּׁמִיטָה וְהַיּוֹבֵל טַעַם אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, וְהוּא כְּדֵי שֶׁנָּשִׂים בִּטְחוֹנֵנוּ בַּה׳ וְלֵידַע כִּי לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל הַזֹּאת ״מִן הַשָּׂדֶה תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת תְּבוּאָתָהּ״, לֹא תַּחֲזִיק הַשָּׂדֶה כְּשָׂדְךָ אֶלָּא כִּסְתָם שָׂדֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the matter of the sounding of the shofar and the proclamation of freedom, specifically on Yom Kippur,** is similar to the day of the giving of the Torah, when Israel became free from the evil inclination and suffering. Similarly, Yom Kippur is a time of freedom from the old and foolish king, the enemy and avenger who is Satan, who is the evil inclination. All this is to remind a person of the day of freedom when [one is] *free, among the dead* and that the time of freedom and liberty should always be before his eyes. And so wrote the Abarbanel, see there. All this is by way of allusion, which is the approach of most commentators of our Torah [on this section]. But according to its simple meaning, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years share one reason, which is so that we place our trust in God and know that *the earth is the Lord’s*. Therefore it says, *In this Jubilee year… you shall eat the produce from the field*. Do not hold onto the field as your own field, but rather as a field that does not belong to you.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:14:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:14:1)

**אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ אַל תּוֹנוּ.** דָּרְשׁוּ רז״ל (ב״מ מז:) דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד שַׁיָּךְ בּוֹ אוֹנָאָה, אֲבָל לְקַרְקָעוֹת אֵין אוֹנָאָה. וְטַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַנִּמְכָּר אֵינוֹ בְּעֵרֶךְ אֶחָד בְּכָל הַזְּמַנִּים, כִּי כְּפִי הִשְׁתַּנּוּת הַזְּמַנִּים לִפְעָמִים יוּקְרוּ אוֹ יוּזְלוּ, עַל כֵּן לְעוֹלָם אֵין עֵרֶךְ יָדוּעַ לְשׁוּם דָּבָר הַנִּמְכָּר. לְפִיכָךְ הַקַּרְקַע אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא שָׁם הָיָה מוֹכְרוֹ בְּזוֹל אוֹ בְּיֹקֶר, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא יִמָּלֵט שֶׁיָּבֹא הַזְּמַן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִמְכֶּרֶת בְּאוֹתוֹ עֵרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא קוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ עַכְשָׁיו. אֲבָל מִטַּלְטְלִין יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן לֹא יִהְיוּ בָּעוֹלָם, וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עוֹמֶדֶת. וְלֹא מִעֵט קַרְקָעוֹת כִּי אִם מִבִּטּוּל מִקָּח, אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם אִסּוּר יֵשׁ בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בְּקַרְקָעוֹת ״בְּמִסְפַּר שָׁנִים אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל״, וְעַל זֶה חָזַר וְאָמַר ״וְלֹא תוֹנוּ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Or buy from the hand of your fellow; do not defraud.** The Sages interpreted (Bava Metzia 47b) that something which is acquired from hand to hand [movable property] is subject to laws of fraud, but land is not subject to these laws. The reason for this is that everything that is sold does not maintain the same value across all times, as according to the changes of the times, sometimes prices rise or fall. Therefore, there is never a fixed value for any item being sold. Consequently, regarding land, even though at the place where it is being sold it might be sold cheaply or expensively, nevertheless, inevitably a time will come when it will be sold at the same value for which one is buying it now. But with movable goods, there is concern that by that time they may no longer exist in the world, while *the earth stands forever*. The Torah only excluded land from the nullification of the sale, but there is still a prohibition involved, as it says regarding land *according to the number of years after the Jubilee*, and regarding this it repeats and says *do not defraud*.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:20:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:20:1)

**וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת.** יֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁבַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית אֵינוֹ מוּסָב עַל ״וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ״ אֶלָּא וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁית מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת, הֵן בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית לֹא נִזְרָע, אֲבָל בַּשְּׁבִיעִית וַדַּאי לֹא יֹאמְרוּ מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשְּׁמִינִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר ״וְעָשָׂת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים״, אִם כֵּן כְּבָר רָאוּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁית רִבּוּי הַתְּבוּאָה. וְזֶה קֻשְׁיָא עַל הָרַמְבָּ״ן וּמהרי״א שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ כֵּן שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ בַּשְּׁבִיעִית מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשְּׁמִינִית. וּלְפִי מַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְמַעְלָה שֶׁבְּרָכָה זוֹ שֶׁיֹּאכַל קִמְעָא וּמִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּמֵעָיו, אֵין זֶה קֻשְׁיָא, כִּי סוֹף סוֹף לֹא יִרְאוּ רִבּוּי תְּבוּאָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ מְעַט לֶחֶם הוּא מְקַמֵּץ מִיָּד וְתֵכֶף, מִיִּרְאָה פֶּן יֶחְסַר מִמֶּנּוּ לֶעָתִיד. כָּךְ יְקַמְּצוּ גַּם בַּשְּׁבִיעִית מִיִּרְאַת חֶסְרוֹן הַתְּבוּאָה שֶׁבַּשְּׁמִינִית.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And if you shall say: What shall we eat[,] in the seventh year?** Some explain that *in the seventh year* is not attached to *And if you shall say*, but rather [it means] “and if you shall say in the sixth year, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year? Behold, in the seventh year we will not sow.’” But certainly in the seventh year they will not say, “What shall we eat in the eighth year?” For it is already stated, *It shall yield produce for three years*. If so, they have already seen in the sixth year an abundance of produce, and this is a question on Ramban and Abarbanel, who explain that they will say in the seventh year, “What shall we eat in the eighth year?” But according to what we have written above, that this blessing is that one eats a little and it is blessed in one’s stomach, this is not a question, because ultimately they will not see an abundance of produce. And some say that whoever has [only] a little bread in one’s hand immediately economizes out of fear lest one lack in the future. Similarly, they will economize in the seventh year out of fear of a shortage of produce in the eighth year.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:20:2
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:20:2)

וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁכָּךְ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, שֶׁכָּל תְּלוּנָה זוֹ סוֹבֶבֶת עַל מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּפָּסוּק שֶׁלְּפָנָיו ״וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע״, וְאָמְרוּ רז״ל (עיין יומא עד.) כְּתִיב (דברים ח טז): ״הַמַּאֲכִלְךָ מָן בַּמִּדְבָּר״, וּכְתִיב (שם ח ג): ״וַיְעַנְּךָ וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ״? אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פַּת בְּסַלּוֹ לְמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ. הִנְּךָ רוֹאֶה שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּרַד הַמָּן דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ מִכָּל מָקוֹם הָיוּ אוֹכְלִים וּרְעֵבִים, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה פַּת בְּסַלָּם לְיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת. עַל כֵּן כָּאן וַדַּאי יֹאמְרוּ ״מַה נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית״ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּרְאוּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁית רִבּוּי תְּבוּאָה, וְיֹאמְרוּ, אִלּוּ הָיִינוּ זוֹרְעִים בַּשְּׁבִיעִית לְצֹרֶךְ שְׁמִינִית הָיָה לָנוּ פַּת בַּסַּל וְהָיִינוּ אוֹכְלִים וּשְׂבֵעִים, אֲבָל מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא נִזְרַע לְצֹרֶךְ שְׁמִינִית אִם כֵּן לֹא יִהְיֶה לָנוּ פַּת בַּסַּל, וְאִם כֵּן גַּם בַּשְּׁבִיעִית לֹא נִשְׂבַּע וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בַּשְּׁמִינִית, וְאַיֵּה הַבְטָחַת הָאוֹמֵר ״וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע״, וּמַה נֹּאכַל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְשָׂבְעָה מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא נִזְרַע וְלֹא נֶאֱסֹף תְּבוּאָתֵינוּ לְצֹרֶךְ שְׁמִינִית. עַל זֶה אָמַר ״וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת בִּרְכָתִי״ וְגוֹ׳, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָכֶם פַּת בַּסַּל גַּם לְצֹרֶךְ שְׁמִינִית, וְאָז יֹאכְלוּ לַחְמָם לָשֹׂבַע בַּשְּׁבִיעִית, כִּי יִהְיֶה לָהֶם פַּת בְּסַלָּם לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁשָּׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הַיְינוּ מִפְּנֵי שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל שֶׁלֹּא יִזְרְעוּ שְׁנֵי שָׁנִים רְצוּפִים. וְיִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים עַל כָּל שְׁמִיטָה, וְיֹאמְרוּ כֵן בַּעֲבוּר חֶסְרוֹן הַסְּפִיחִים שֶׁל שָׁנָה שְׁמִינִית, אַף אִם יֵשׁ בְּיָדָם מִן הַיָּשָׁן. וּבִמְקוֹם הַסְּפִיחִים הִבְטִיחָם שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה הַתְּבוּאָה עַל שָׁנָה יְתֵרָה לְמַלֹּאות חֶסְרוֹן הַסְּפִיחִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ וְיִשְׂבְּעוּ כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם תְּבוּאָה בְּרֶוַח גָּדוֹל וְלֹא בְּצִמְצוּם.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And it seems to me that this is its explanation,** that this entire complaint revolves around what was said in the previous verse, *And you shall eat your bread to satisfaction*, and our Rabbis of blessed memory said (see Yoma 74a) it is written (Deuteronomy 8:16), *Who fed you manna in the wilderness*, and it is written (ibid 8:3), *And He afflicted you and made you hunger*. Rather, one who has bread in his basket cannot be compared to one who does not have it. You can see that even though the manna fell daily, nevertheless they were eating and still hungry because they did not have bread in their baskets for the next day. Therefore, here they will certainly say, *What will we eat in the seventh year?* before they see the abundance of produce in the sixth year. And they will say, “If we were to sow in the seventh year for the needs of the eighth, we would have bread in our baskets and we would eat and be satisfied. But since we will not sow for the needs of the eighth, then we will not have bread in our baskets, and consequently, we will not be satisfied in the seventh year, and all the more so in the eighth year. Where then is the promise that states, *And you shall eat your bread to satisfaction*?” *And what will we eat* that will be satisfying, since we will not sow and we will not gather our produce for the needs of the eighth year? To this, He answered, *I will command My blessing*, etc. So that you will have bread in your baskets also for the needs of the eighth year, and then they will eat their bread to satisfaction in the seventh year because they will have bread in their baskets for three years. And some say that *three years* is because of the Jubilee year, when they would not sow for two consecutive years. And it is possible to interpret *three years* as applying to every Sabbatical year, and they would say this because of the lack of aftergrowths in [the beginning of] the eighth year, even if they have old produce on hand. And in place of the aftergrowths, He promised them that the produce would yield for an additional year to fill the lack of aftergrowths, so that they would eat and be satisfied when they have produce in great abundance and not in limitation.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:25:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:25:1)

**כִּי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ.** רז״ל (סוכה מ:) דָּרְשׁוּ כָּל סְמִיכוּת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ עַל הָעוֹשֶׂה סְחוֹרָה בְּפֵרוֹת שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לָבוֹא לִידֵי עֹנִי. וְיֵשׁ כִּדְמוּת רְאָיָה לָזֶה מַה שֶּׁאָמַר: ״וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר״, כָּפַל לְשׁוֹן מְכִירָה לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁמִּמְכָּר אֶחָד גּוֹרֵר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ: כִּי תִמְכְּרוּ פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית אָז מְכִירָה זוֹ גּוֹרֶרֶת מִמְכַּר מִטַּלְטְלִין לַעֲמִיתֶךָ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ שָׂדֵהוּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַצְמוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְגֵר, כִּי כָל אֶחָד קָשֶׁה מִשֶּׁלְּפָנָיו, עַיֵּן בַּיַּלְקוּט (בהר כה תרסא). וְנִרְאֶה כִּי שִׁנּוּי הַלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁבְּכָל פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ מוֹרֶה עַל זֶה, כִּי בִּמְכִירַת מִטַּלְטְלִין לֹא הִזְכִּיר ״כִּי יָמוּךְ״, כִּי יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים אָדָם מוֹכֵר מִטַּלְטְלָיו אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מָךְ מֵעֶרְכּוֹ כָּל כָּךְ אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא נִצְרָךְ לְזוּזֵי. אֲבָל מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ מִקְצָתָהּ אֵינוֹ מוֹכֵר עַד כִּי יָמוּךְ, אֲבָל עֲדַיִן לֹא מָטָה יָדוֹ כָּל כָּךְ, עַל כֵּן הוֹסִיף בְּלוֹקֵחַ בְּרִבִּית ״כִּי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ״, כָּתַב לְשׁוֹן ״עִמָּךְ״ עַל הִתְמוֹטְטוּת וְלֹא עַל ״כִּי יָמוּךְ״, כִּי דָּבָר זֶה גָּלוּי עִמָּךְ כִּי אָזְלַת יָד וּכְכֹחוֹ אָז אֵינוֹ עַתָּה, אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁהוּא מָךְ עֲדַיִן אֵינוֹ עִמָּךְ, כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא תִּגָּלֶה חֶרְפָּתוֹ בַּקָּהָל כִּי מָךְ הוּא. אֲבָל בְּמוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ שֶׁקָּשֶׁה מִכֻּלָּם אָמַר ״וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ״, כִּי כְּבָר נִגְלָה עִמָּךְ עָנְיוֹ וּמְרוּדוֹ וְדָחֳקוֹ מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא מוּכְרָח לִמְכֹּר עַצְמוֹ. וּבְנִמְכָּר לְגֵר שֶׁנִּגְלָה גַּם לַגֵּר כִּי מָךְ הוּא, לְכָךְ אָמַר ״וּמָךְ אָחִיךָ עִמּוֹ״. וּלְפִי זֶה צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּיכָה גָּרוּעַ מִמָּטָה יָדוֹ, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד גְּרוּעִים מִן אַחַת מֵהֶם, וְ״עִמָּךְ״ שֶׁל מִיכָה גָּרוּעַ מִן ״עִמָּךְ״ שֶׁל מָטָה יָדוֹ, וְ״עִמּוֹ״ שֶׁל גֵּר גָּרוּעַ מִכֻּלָּם.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**When your brother becomes impoverished and sells part of his holding.** The Sages (Sukkah 40b) interpreted all these adjacent passages as referring to one who does business with fruits of the sabbatical year, whose end is to come to poverty. There is something like evidence for this from what is written *When you sell a sale* — the doubled language of selling is to tell you that one sale leads to another; when you sell sabbatical year produce, then this sale leads to the sale of movable property to your fellow, and afterward his field, and afterward himself, and afterward to a non-Jew. For each one is harder than the one before it, see in Yalkut (Behar 25:661).
It appears that the change of language in all these passages indicates this, because regarding the sale of movable property, it does not mention “when he becomes impoverished,” since it is possible that sometimes a person sells his movable property even though he is not so reduced in value, but rather he needs money. However, regarding his holding [land], even a part of it, he does not sell until *he becomes impoverished*, though his hand has not yet declined so much. Therefore, it adds regarding one who takes with interest, *When your brother becomes impoverished and his hand declines with you* — it uses the language *with you* regarding the declining and not regarding *when he becomes impoverished*, because this matter is revealed *with you*, that his hand has failed, and his strength is not now as it was before. But the fact that he is impoverished is not yet *with you*, because his shame has not yet been revealed in the community that he is impoverished.
But regarding one who sells himself, which is harder than all the others, it says *When your brother becomes impoverished with you*, because his poverty, his destitution, and his distress have already been revealed *with you* since he is forced to sell himself. And regarding one who is sold to a non-Jew, his poverty is also revealed to the non-Jew, therefore it says *and your brother becomes impoverished with him*. According to this we need to say that becoming impoverished is worse than having one’s hand decline, and both of them together are worse than just one of them, and *with you* of becoming impoverished is worse than *with you* of having one’s hand decline, and *with him* of the non-Jew is worse than all of them.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:36:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:36:1)

**אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית.** מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ״, מַשְׁמַע אֲבָל מֵעָשִׁיר מֻתָּר לִקַּח, וְכֵן בְּפָרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים (כב כד) נֶאֱמַר: ״אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי אֶת הֶעָנִי עִמָּךְ וְגוֹ׳ לֹא תְשִׂימוּן עָלָיו נֶשֶׁךְ״, לְכָךְ כָּתְבָה הַתּוֹרָה בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (כג כא): ״לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ וּלְאָחִיךָ לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ״, כָּל שֶׁהוּא אָחִיךָ לֹא תַּשִּׁיךְ לוֹ וְאע״פ שֶׁהַלֹּוֶה מַרְוִיחַ בָּזֶה. וְזִיל בָּתַר טַעְמָא, כִּי עִקַּר טַעַם אִסּוּר הָרִבִּית הוּא לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מֵסִיר מִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן מִן הָאָדָם, כִּי כָּל בַּעַל מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן עֵינָיו נְשׂוּאוֹת אֶל ה׳, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מְסֻפָּק אִם יַרְוִיחַ אוֹ לֹא, אֲבָל הַנּוֹתֵן בְּרִבִּית רֶוַח שֶׁלּוֹ יָדוּעַ וְקָצוּב, וְסוֹמֵךְ עַל עֵרְבוֹנוֹ שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ וּמִן ה׳ יָסִיר לִבּוֹ. וּמַה שֶׁגַּם הַלֹּוֶה עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מַחֲטִיא אֶת הַמַּלְוֶה וּמְסִירוֹ מִן מִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, כַּנּוֹדָע מִדְּבַר הַמַּלְוִים בְּרִבִּית שֶׁרֻבָּם מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה וְאַבִּירֵי לֵב הָרְחוֹקִים מִצְּדָקָה, מִצַּד כִּי אֵין בִּטְחוֹנָם בַּה׳. וּמַה שֶׁמֻּתָּר לִתֵּן בְּרִבִּית לְגוֹי לְפִי שֶׁכָּל גּוֹי חֶזְקָתוֹ שֶׁהוּא אַלָּם וְגַזְלָן, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא כָּבוּשׁ תַּחַת יָדְךָ מִכָּל מָקוֹם דַּרְכּוֹ לָבֹא בַּעֲקִיפִין, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם עֵרְבוֹנוֹ בְּיָדוֹ לְעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ בָּטוּחַ לֹא בַּקֶּרֶן וְלֹא בָּרֶוַח, וְעַל כֵּן תָּמִיד עֵינָיו נְשׂוּאוֹת אֶל ה׳ לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיָּדוֹ. וְזֶה טַעַם אִסּוּר הָרִבִּית בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וּמַה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הֶעָנִי, דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה, כִּי סְתָם עָנִי מֻכְרָח לִקַּח בְּהַלְוָאָה. וְעוֹד שֶׁסָּלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא שֶׁאִם הַלֹּוֶה עָנִי אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר, כִּי הַהֶכְרֵחַ הֱבִיאוֹ לָזֶה, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַלֹּוֶה הֶעָנִי עוֹבֵר בְּ״לֹא תְשִׂימוּן״. וְעַל כֵּן נִסְמְכָה מִצְוָה זוֹ לְפָרָשַׁת הַשְּׁמִטָּה, כִּי גַּם טַעַם הַשְּׁמִטָּה הוּא כְּדֵי שֶׁנָּשִׁים בִּטְחוֹנֵנוּ בַּה׳.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Do not take from him usury and interest.** The phrase *do not take from him* implies that it is prohibited to take interest from a poor person, but it is permissible to take it from a wealthy person. Similarly, in Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 22:24), it states: *If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you… you shall not impose interest upon him.* Therefore, the Torah wrote in Deuteronomy (23:21): *You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your brother you shall not charge interest.* Anyone who is your brother — you shall not charge him interest, even if the borrower profits from the loan.
Consider the reasoning: the primary reason for prohibiting interest is that it removes one’s sense of trust in God. Every businessman normally looks up to God because they are uncertain whether they will profit or not. But one who lends with interest has a known and fixed profit, and relies on the collateral in their possession, thereby turning their heart away from God.
The reason why even the borrower transgresses a negative commandment is because they cause the lender to sin and remove them from the attribute of trust in God. It is well known that most lenders who charge interest are people of little faith and hard-hearted, far from charity, because they do not place their trust in God.
The reason it is permitted to charge interest to non-Jews is because non-Jews are presumed to be violent and likely to steal, even if they are under your authority. Nevertheless, their way is to use a ruse. Even if you hold their collateral, you are never secure in either the principal or the interest. Therefore, one must always look to God to be saved from them. This is the reason for prohibiting interest in all cases. And the mention of *the poor* in Scripture refers to the common situation, as typically it is the poor who must take loans. Additionally, one might have thought that if the borrower is poor, he does not transgress because necessity forced him into this situation — therefore the Torah teaches us that even the poor borrower transgresses the prohibition of *you shall not impose.*
This commandment was placed next to the laws of the Sabbatical year because the reason for the Sabbatical year is also to place our trust in God.


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:36:2
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:36:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:36:2)

וְהִזְכִּיר לְשׁוֹן נֶשֶׁךְ, וּמַרְבִּית, כִּי אֵצֶל הַלֹּוֶה נִקְרָא נֶשֶׁךְ, כִּי הָרִבִּית דּוֹמֶה לְנָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶּרֶךְ הַנּוֹשֵׁךְ בַּעֲקֵבוֹ, הַנּוֹתֵן שְׂרִיטָה קְטַנָּה וְהוֹלֵךְ וּמְבַצְבֵּץ וְנוֹפֵחַ עַד קָדְקֳדוֹ, וּמִתְּחִלָּה אֵינוֹ נִכָּר עַד עֲלוֹת חֲמָתוֹ לְאֵין מַרְפֵּא. וְאֵצֶל הַמַּלְוֶה נִקְרָא תַּרְבִּית, שֶׁמַּרְבֶּה הוֹנוֹ וּרְכֻשׁוֹ לְפִי דִּמְיוֹנוֹ, אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁלַּסּוֹף נְכָסָיו מִתְמוֹטְטִין. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁמִּטַּעַם זֶה לֹא הִזְכִּיר בְּכָל הַפָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן ״וּמָטָה יָדוֹ״ כִּי אִם בְּזוֹ הַפָּרָשָׁה, כִּי בָא לְהַזְהִיר אֶת הַמַּלְוֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִמּוֹט כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמָּטָה יָדוֹ שֶׁל זֶה פֶּן תִּשְׁוֶה לוֹ גַם אָתָּה בַּהִתְמוֹטְטוּת, כִּי דַּוְקָא מִי שֶׁכַּסְפּוֹ לֹא נָתַן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ לֹא יִמּוֹט, אֲבָל אִם תִּתֵּן אָז תִּשְׁוֶה לוֹ גַם אָתָּה, כִּי נְכָסֶיךָ מִתְמוֹטְטִין וְאֵינָן עוֹלִין אִם תַּחְשֹׁב לְהַרְבּוֹת הוֹנְךָ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית. וּמִטַּעַם הַזֶּה נֶאֱמַר ״אֶת כַּסְפְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּית לֹא תִתֵּן אָכְלֶךָ״, לֹא הִזְכִּיר לְשׁוֹן ״לוֹ״ אֵצֶל הַמַּרְבִּית כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֵצֶל הַנֶּשֶׁךְ, לְפִי שֶׁהַנֶּשֶׁךְ לְבַד לוֹ לַלֹּוֶה, אֲבָל הַמַּרְבִּית אֵינוֹ לוֹ לַלֹּוֶה אֶלָּא לַמַּלְוֶה. וְעַל כֵּן הִזְכִּיר אֵצֶל הַתַּרְבִּית ״אָכְלֶךָ״ וְלֹא אֵצֶל הַנֶּשֶׁךְ, לְפִי שֶׁהַמַּלְוֶה חוֹשֵׁב לְהַרְבּוֹת הוֹנוֹ וּמַאֲכָלוֹ, כִּי לְשׁוֹן ״אָכְלֶךָ״ אֵינוֹ שַׁיָּךְ כִּי אִם עַל הַמַּלְוֶה הַחוֹשֵׁב לֶאֱכֹל מִן הָרִבִּית, וּלְשׁוֹן ״נֶשֶׁךְ״ שַׁיָּךְ יוֹתֵר בְּכֶסֶף, כִּי אֵין דֶּרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם לִתֵּן סְאָה חִטִּין עַל מְנָת שֶׁיּוֹסִיף לוֹ קַב קַב בְּכָל שָׁבוּעַ, אֶלָּא בְּבַת אַחַת קוֹצֵב לוֹ לִתֵּן חֲמֵשֶׁת סְאָה בְּעַד אַרְבַּע, וְאִם כֵּן מַרְגִּישׁ הוּא חֶסְרוֹנוֹ מִיָּד, וְאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה לְנָחָשׁ הַנּוֹשֵׁךְ שְׂרִיטָה קְטַנָּה, אֲבָל בְּכֶסֶף הַמִּנְהָג לְהוֹסִיף פְּרוּטָה בְּכָל שָׁבוּעַ, וְהוּא דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ. וְאָמַר ״וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ״, כִּי גַּם אַתָּה חָיֹה תִּחְיֶה, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּיחֶזְקֵאל (יח יג): ״בַּנֶּשֶׁךְ נָתַן וְגוֹ׳ וָחָי לֹא יִחְיֶה״, לְפִי שֶׁקִּפֵּחַ פַּרְנָסָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הֱמִיתוֹ, עַל כֵּן גַּם הוּא חָיֹה לֹא יִחְיֶה, אֲבָל הַמְסַיֵּעַ לְמִחְיָתוֹ דִּין הוּא שֶׁחָיֹה יִחְיֶה גַּם הוּא, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And it mentions the language of *neshech* [biting/usury] and *marbit* [increase/interest],** because from the borrower’s perspective it is called *neshech* since interest is similar to a snake, in the way that it bites at one’s heel, making a small scratch that then oozes and swells up to the head. At first, it is not noticeable until its venom rises to the point of no remedy. From the lender’s perspective, it is called *tarbit* [increase] because he increases his wealth and possessions according to his imagination, but in truth, eventually his assets will collapse. It seems that for this reason, the phrase “and his hand falters” is not mentioned throughout this section except in this passage, because it comes to warn the lender not to falter in the way that the borrower’s hand has faltered, lest you also equal him in collapse. For specifically one who does not give his money with interest will not falter, but if you do give [with interest], then you too will equal him because your assets will collapse and not rise if you think to increase your wealth through interest.
For this reason it is said, *Do not give him your money with interest, and do not give your food with increase.* It does not mention the word “him” regarding the increase as it does regarding the interest, because the interest alone is for “him,” the borrower, but the increase is not for the borrower but for the lender. Therefore, it mentions “your food” regarding the increase but not regarding the interest, because the lender thinks to increase his wealth and his food, as the term “your food” only applies to the lender who thinks to eat from the interest. The term *neshech* is more applicable to money, because it is not the way of the world to give a se’ah [measure] of wheat on the condition that one adds a *kav* [smaller measure] each week, but rather at once he stipulates to give five se’ah for four. If so, [the borrower] immediately feels his loss, and it is not like a snake that bites with a small scratch. But with money, the custom is to add a small coin each week, which is something one does not notice.
And it says, *that your brother may live with you.* Because you too shall surely live, as it is stated in Ezekiel (18:13), *He has lent with interest… he shall not live.* Because he has cut off the other’s livelihood, it is as if he killed him, therefore he too shall not live. But one who assists in the other’s livelihood, it is right that he too shall surely live. Therefore it is said, *that your brother may live with you.*


###### Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:48:1
[Kli Yakar on Leviticus 25:48:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Leviticus/r/25:48:1)

**אַחֲרֵי נִמְכַּר גְּאֻלָּה תִּהְיֶה לּוֹ.** וְכִי סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ שֶׁיִּגְאָלוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁהוּא נִמְכַּר, מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אַחֲרֵי נִמְכַּר״, כִּי יֵשׁ לוֹמַר מִדְּקָאָמַר לֹא יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶיךָ סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אֲמֵינָא שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַטַּעַם לִגְאֻלָּתוֹ, וְאִם כֵּן אַמְתִּין עַד שֶׁאֶרְאֶה הַנְהָגָתוֹ עִמּוֹ אִם יִרְדֶנּוּ אוֹ לֹא. קָא מַשְׁמָע לָן שֶׁתֵּכֶף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּמְכַּר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָבַד בּוֹ עֲדַיִן, חַיָּב אַתָּה לְגָאֳלוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמַד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו וְיֹאמַר, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְגַלֶּה עֲרָיוֹת וְעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּמְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ. וְאִם נֹאמַר שֶׁכָּל ״אַחֲרֵי״ מֻפְלָג, נָקַט ״אַחֲרֵי״ לִרְבוּתָא, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אִם כְּבָר הָיָה אֶצְלוֹ שָׁנִים רַבּוֹת וְרָאִיתָ שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹדֵהוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם חַיָּב אַתָּה לְגָאֳלוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמֹד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**After [*achrei*] he is sold, redemption shall be his.** Could it enter your mind that one would redeem him before he is sold? What is the Scripture teaching us by saying*after he is sold*? One can say that since it states *he shall not rule over him with rigor before your eyes*, one might think that this is the main reason for his redemption, and if so, I should wait until I see how he is treated — whether he is ruled over with rigor or not. Therefore, the verse teaches us that immediately after he is sold, even though he has not yet worked for him, you are obligated to redeem him so that he does not learn from his [the non-Jewish master’s] deeds and say: “Since my master engages in forbidden relationships, worships idols, and desecrates the Sabbath, I too will do like him.” And if we say that every [mention of] “*achrei*” indicates a significant time lapse, the verse specifically uses *achrei* to emphasize that even if he has already been with him for many years and you have seen that he is not ruling over him with rigor, nevertheless you are obligated to redeem him so that he does not learn from his deeds.