AT THE END OF¹. EVERY SEVEN YEARS.] Its meaning, as I have explained, is, at the beginning of the year.² means either at the end of or at the beginning of. Here it means at the beginning. Thus our clause reads, At the beginning of the seventh year. See I.E. on Deut. 9:11. Assemble the people (Deut. 31:12) is proof of this.³ (mikketz) every seven years (Deut. 31:10). According to I.E. the latter should be rendered: At the beginning of the seventh year. We thus see that mikketz can be rendered, at the beginning of. This section follows⁴ because Scripture states that the poor tithe⁵ belongs to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.⁶ Scripture now says that the same applies to the remission of debts (shemittah).⁷ The word shemittah is similar to shimtuha (throw her down) (II Kings 98:33), the meaning of which is, release her and she will fall.⁸ is, a release.

footnotes: ¹ Hebrew, mikketz ² According to I.E. the word mikketz ³ To hear the Torah read. This took place At the end of ⁴ The laws of the poor tithe (Deut. 14:28,29). ⁵ A tithe set apart for the poor. ⁶ Deut. 14:29. ⁷ The remission of debts in the seventh year is primarily for the benefit of the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, i.e., the poor. ⁸ In other words, the meaning of shemittah

CREDITOR. The word masheh (loan) follows the paradigm of matteh (rod) (Ex. 4:4).⁹ can be taken as a verb. Hence I.E.’s comment that it is a noun and follows the vocalization of nouns like matteh. I believe that masheh is a noun.¹⁰ However, many believe that masheh is a verb.¹¹ The word ba’al (creditor) is similar to be’aleha (him that hath it) in wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it (Eccles. 7:12) and be’alav (the owners thereof) in It taketh away the life of the owners thereof (Prov. 1:19). It means the one who has the matter¹² in his power.

footnotes: ⁹ Masheh ¹⁰ Meaning a loan. ¹¹ Meaning lending. ¹² Under discussion.

THAT WHICH HE HATH LENT. Yasheh (that which he hath lent) is a transitive verb. The one who borrows is called a nosheh bo (a borrower) (Is. 24:2).¹³

footnotes: ¹³ See I.E. on Is. 24:2.

HE SHALL NOT EXACT IT. The word yiggos (exact) means to press. Compare, tingosu (exact) in and exact all your labors (Is. 58:3). Look, the nun is visible in the imperfect in a word whose stem begins with a nun.¹⁴ is present in tingosu (exact), which is an imperfect whose stem begins with a nun. The nun is usually dropped in such instances. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ¹⁴ In other words, the nun

THE LORD’S RELEASE.¹⁵. Literally, a remission to the Lord. In honor of God,¹⁶ who has bestowed wealth upon him. The name of God is connected to the word release because the year of release is called a Sabbath unto the Lord (Lev. 25:2,4).¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁵ Hebrew, shemittah la-Adonai ¹⁶ A release unto the Lord means a release in honor of the Lord. ¹⁷ A release unto the Lord is a variant of a Sabbath unto the Lord.

OF A FOREIGNER THOU MAYEST EXACT IT. It is optional.

HOWBEIT. This means that you shall take note that that which I commanded you, not to exact interest from your brother, will be unnecessary if all of Israel or most of them will listen to God’s voice. In this case, there will be no poor among you who need you to lend to them. On the contrary, all of you shall lend to many nations (v. 6). The meaning of ve-ha’avateta (and thou shalt lend) (v. 6) is, you shall take his pledge (avot), that is, his pawn, for the money that you shall give him, which he needs to do business.

AND THOU SHALT RULE. Furthermore, being upright you will rule over nations. However, there is a commandment stating If there be among you a needy man (v. 7).¹⁸ (v. 4). Moses knew that a generation will arise that will not be mostly meritorious. He therefore said, For the poor shall never cease out of the land (v. 11).

footnotes: ¹⁸ Which appears to contradict there shall be no needy among you

THOU SHALT NOT HARDEN THY HEART. By refraining from addressing comforting words to him.

SHUT. Tikpotz¹⁹. means you shall shut. Compare, kafetzah²⁰. (stoppeth) in kafetzah²¹. piha (stoppeth her mouth) (Ps. 107:42; Job 5:16); kafatz²². be-af (shut up His compassion) (Ps. 77:10); and yikpetzu²³. (shall shut) in Kings shall shut their mouths (Is. 52:15). Tikpotz is a verb in the kal.

footnotes: ¹⁹ From the root kof, peh, tzadi ²⁰ From the root kof, peh, tzadi ²¹ From the root kof, peh, tzadi ²² From the root kof, peh, tzadi ²³ From the root kof, peh, tzadi

NEEDY. Some say that the word evyon (needy) is related to the word avah²⁴. (would) in and he would not (Ex. 10:27), for evyon follows the paradigm elyon, chevy on, and hegyon, the roots of which are ayin, lamed, heh; chet, bet, heh; heh, gimel, heh. An evyon is so called because he desires everything because of his need.

footnotes: ²⁴ From the root alef, bet, heh

BUT THOU SHALT SURELY OPEN THY HAND. Pato’ach (open) is an infinitive. Whenever Scripture omits the infinitive,²⁵. it is employing an abridged style. The midrashic interpretation is also beautiful.²⁶ (thou shalt surely open) indicates that one should open his hand to the poor even one hundred times. However, I.E. believes that the form pato’ach tiftach is the correct way to say you shall open.

footnotes: ²⁵ Which should accompany a verb. It does so here, for our text correctly reads, pato’ach tiftach ²⁶ According to the midrash the repetition of the verb in pato’ach tiftach

OPEN THY HAND TO HIM. To the one who has nothing.

AND SHALT SURELY LEND HIM. The meaning of veha’avet tavitennu (and shalt surely lend him) is, give him from yours by taking his pledge.²⁷ Tavitennu means take his pledge.

footnotes: ²⁷ See I.E. on verse 4.

BASE. The word beliya’al (base) is a noun. Some say that beliya’al is a compound. It refers to a prayer that the vile person should not ascend, should not grow, and should not live.²⁸ is short for beli ya’aleh (without ascending). When one sees the wicked, one utters a curse to the effect that the wicked not ascend. The meaning of our verse is, may the wicked neither grow nor live.

footnotes: ²⁸ Beliya’al

AND THINE EYE BE EVIL. Ve-ra’ah (and thine eye be evil) is similar to ve-shavah (and is returned) in and is returned unto her father’s house (Lev. 22:13). The word comes from a root two of whose letters are pronounced.²⁹. Its root is resh, vav, ayin.

footnotes: ²⁹ An ayin vav

THAT. Bi-gelal (that) means the same as sibbah (because of). Compare, sabbev (cause) in cause to change (II Sam. 14:20).³⁰. For the All³¹ is in the parts,³² that is, in the parts of the All, that is, the body.³³, N.Y., 1969, p. 99). In other words, the All is the nation, and the individual is a part of the nation. However, it should be noted that I.E. refers to God as the All. See I.E. on Gen. 1:26 (Vol. 1, p. 46), “God is one…He is all.” Also see I.E. on Gen. 18:21 (Vol. 1, p. 196) and Ex. 33:21 (Vol. 2, p. 695). The above-noted commentaries may have shied away from interpreting God as All here because of its pantheistic implications. It should be noted that when I.E. says that God is All, he does not intend to identify God with the world as the pantheists do. He means that God’s power and supervision hold the world together and give it continuous existence. Indeed, I.E. compares God’s relation to the world to that of speech to the speaker. As long as the speaker speaks, sounds are uttered. However, the speaker is not identified with the speech which he utters. On the other hand, I.E. was a contemporary of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Levi and may be employing terminology similar to the one quoted above.

footnotes: ³⁰ I.E. is explaining the origin of the word sibbah ³¹ God. ³² In human beings, who are part of the whole. ³³ Thus by being kind to his fellow human being, a person is being kind to God (Weiser). Other commentaries explain that the All refers to the community of Israel and the parts to each individual Jew. Now, since all of Israel forms one body, by helping another Jew one is helping oneself (Motot and Rabbi Yosef ben Eliezer tov Elem, followed by Krinsky, Netter, and others). See Book III of the Kuzari: “Plato calls…that which is expended on behalf of the law the portion of the whole. If, however, an individual neglects ‘the portion of the whole’…of which he forms a part, he sins against the commonwealth and more against himself; for the relation of the individual to the commonwealth is as the relation of the single limb to the body…” (Isaak Heinemann translation in Three Jewish Philosophers

THOU SHALT SURELY GIVE HIM. It means that if you give him, then God will add to your wealth.

FOR THE POOR SHALL NEVER CEASE OUT OF THE LAND. As I have explained.³⁴

footnotes: ³⁴ See I.E. on verse 6.

UNTO THY…BROTHER. First, the one who is close to you.³⁵

footnotes: ³⁵ Your bother has priority.

UNTO THY POOR. The poor of your family. The needy of your land come before the needy of another place. If thy brother, a Hebrew man (v. 12) follows³⁶ because of thou shalt furnish him liberally (v. 14).³⁷

footnotes: ³⁶ The laws of charity. ³⁷ You have to give your servant from your property. Thus both sections deal with the concept of giving.

THY BROTHER A HEBREW. I have explained this.³⁸

footnotes: ³⁸ See I.E. on Ex. 21:2 (Vol. 2, pp. 448-453).

OR A HEBREW WOMAN. The reference is to And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant (Ex. 21:7).³⁹

footnotes: ³⁹ The Hebrew bondwoman spoken of in our verse refers to a girl sold into slavery by her father.

EMPTY. I have explained this.⁴⁰

footnotes: ⁴⁰ See I.E. on Gen. 31:42 (Vol. 1, p. 306) and Ex. 3:21 (Vol. 2, p. 93).

THOU SHALT FURNISH HIM LIBERALLY. Ha’anek ta’anik (thou shalt furnish him liberally) means treat him gloriously. Ta’anik (thou shalt furnish him) is related to the word anakim (chains)⁴¹ in And chains about thy neck (Prov. 1:9).⁴² (thou shalt furnish him liberally) literally means thou shalt put ornament on him. Hence I.E.’s interpretation. On the other hand, the meaning of ta’anik is to be derived from its context.⁴³ (thou shalt furnish him) is not related to the word anakim (chains) in And chains about thy neck (Prov. 1:9). In this case, the word has no brother.⁴⁴

footnotes: ⁴¹ Ornamental chains. ⁴² According to this interpretation, ha’anek ta’anik ⁴³ In other words, ta’anik ⁴⁴ It is not found again in Scripture. Its meaning is to be derived from its context.

THROUGH HIS EAR AND INTO THE DOOR. I have explained this.⁴⁵ Scripture mentions this⁴⁶ because it states⁴⁷ that you are obligated to furnish him liberally when he goes free. However, if the slave does not want to go free, then you shall pierce his ear through with an awl.

footnotes: ⁴⁵ See I.E. on Ex. 21:6 (Vol. 2, p. 457). ⁴⁶ The piercing of the slave’s ear. ⁴⁷ In verses 14 and 15.

AND ALSO UNTO THY BONDWOMAN THOU SHALT DO LIKEWISE. This is connected to⁴⁸ thou shalt furnish him liberally (v. 14), even though it is some distance from it, for a woman does not have her ear pierced. Compare, He shall make restitution; if he have nothing⁴⁹. (Ex. 22:2);⁵⁰ And if he do not these three unto her (Ex. 21:11),⁵¹ and many other instances.

footnotes: ⁴⁸ This is related to. ⁴⁹ Then he shall be sold for his theft ⁵⁰ This clause (Ex. 22:2) relates to Ex. 21:37, not that which immediately precedes it. See I.E. on Ex. 22:2 (Vol. 2, p. 482). ⁵¹ This clause (Ex. 21:11) relates to Ex. 21:8,9 not to verse 10, which immediately precedes it. See I.E. on Ex. 21:11 (Vol. 2, p. 464).

IT SHALL NOT SEEM HARD UNTO THEE. We find it written in Scripture, three years, as the years of a hireling (Is. 16:14). The latter proves that a person has no right to hire himself out for more than three years. The law similarly applies to the one who hires him and pays his wages.⁵²

footnotes: ⁵² One cannot hire a person for more than three years.

[DOUBLE.]⁵³. The following is the definition of mishneh. It means double. Similarly mishneh (twice) in ve-hayah mishneh (and it shall be twice as much) (Ex. 16:5). The word mishneh in the latter is a noun. However, mishneh (next) in mishneh la-melekh (next unto king) (Esth. 10:3) is an adjective.⁵⁴. 38. The Mikra’ot Gedolot reads: “The following is the definition of mishneh. It means double. Similarly mishneh (twice) in ve-hayah mishneh (and it shall be twice as much) (Ex. 16:5), the meaning of which is mishneh lamelekh (double unto the king). The word mishneh in the latter is a noun. However, mishneh (next) in mishneh la-melekh (next unto king) (Esth. 10:3) is an adjective.” The words “the meaning of which mishneh lamelekh (double unto the king)” appear to be a gloss. See Weiser and Krinsky. It⁵⁵ (next) in mishneh la-melekh. is also related, as I have explained,⁵⁶ to the word shenayin (two).⁵⁷, which means second to him” (Vol. 1, p. 382). Note, our verse explains that and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing (Ex. 21:2) refers to the beginning of the year.⁵⁸. If the slave did not go out at the start of the seventh year he would be serving seven not six years. There is also proof of this from the year of release (shemitttah)⁵⁹ as well as from the Sabbath day.⁶⁰

footnotes: ⁵³ Hebrew, mishneh ⁵⁴ For it describes an office. We have followed the reading of Vat. Ebr ⁵⁵ Mishneh ⁵⁶ See I.E. on Gen. 41:43 (Vol. 1, p. 382). ⁵⁷ “The king is like the number one; next comes the mishneh ⁵⁸ For the clause that precedes it states, he shall serve thee six years ⁵⁹ The year of release begins at the start of the seventh year. See I.E. on Ex. 23:10,11 (Vol. 2, pp. 498,499). ⁶⁰ Which begins at the start of the seventh day.

AND…WILL BLESS THEE. U-verakhekha (and will bless you) is an imperfect, not a perfect.⁶¹ There is no difference between the perfect and imperfect.⁶² The tense can only be determined by the context.

footnotes: ⁶¹ Meaning, and he blessed you. ⁶² In the form of this word.

ALL THE FIRSTLINGS. This is mentioned⁶³ because of thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thine ox.⁶⁴

footnotes: ⁶³ Here. I.E. explains why the law of the firstling follows the law of the Hebrew slave. ⁶⁴ The previous section deals with the work done by a Hebrew slave. This section prohibits working with an ox that is a firstling. Thus both chapters deal with work.

THOU SHALT EAT IT. The one who is fit to eat it, as I have previously explained.⁶⁵ Scripture mentions this a second time⁶⁶ in order to explain the law regarding a blemished firstling.

footnotes: ⁶⁵ See I.E. on Deut. 12:17. ⁶⁶ After having mentioned it in Deut. 12:17.

THOU AND THY HOUSEHOLD. The household of the kohen.

ANY ILL BLEMISH. That are mentioned.⁶⁷

footnotes: ⁶⁷ In the first part of this verse.

WITHIN THY GATES. Some say that this means that the kohen shall eat it outside of the sanctuary.⁶⁸ Others say, since the animal has a blemish it belongs to the Israelite. However, this appears far-fetched to me.

footnotes: ⁶⁸ This is the opinion of the rabbis of the Talmud. See Rashi on verse 20.

THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN. The reference is to may eat it.⁶⁹ prefaced to the Hebrew words for clean and unclean as a vocative heh. Thus ha-tame (the unclean) means you who are unclean, and ha-tahor (the clean) means you who are clean. The meaning of our clause thus is, you who are unclean and you who are clean shall eat of it. Our verse is to be understood as a call: you, the clean and the unclean. Its meaning is, one is permitted to eat it whether one is clean or unclean. Scripture states this because one who is unclean and eats holy meat is punished with karet (excision). Scripture reads three times in a year (Deut. 16:16) because it here (v. 20) states year by year.⁷⁰ Additionally,⁷¹ because the firstling is to be eaten in the sanctuary.⁷² The paschal offering⁷³ 5:8. is similarly to be eaten in the sanctuary, not outside it.

footnotes: ⁶⁹ Our verse literally reads, you shall eat it, the unclean and the clean. According to I.E. this is to be read as, the unclean and the clean you shall eat it. He interprets the heh ⁷⁰ In other words, the laws of the pilgrimage festivals follow our chapter because it ends with a law to be observed year by year, and so are the pilgrimage festivals to be observed. ⁷¹ Another reason the laws of the pilgrimage festivals follow the laws of the first-born. ⁷² The place where the Israelite makes his pilgrimage three times a year. See Ex. 23:17. ⁷³ I.E.’s interpretation contradicts Zevachim