Saadia · Devarim 15
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- Devarim 15:1
מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע-שָׁנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁמִטָּה
And at every period of seven years you shall perform a release.
- Devarim 15:2
וְזֶה דְּבַר הַשְּׁמִטָּה--שָׁמוֹט כָּל-בַּעַל מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ אֲשֶׁר יַשֶּׁה בְּרֵעֵהוּ לֹא-יִגֹּשׂ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת-אָחִיו כִּי-קָרָא שְׁמִטָּה לַיהוָה
. . .
And this is the explanation of the release: that every holder of a loan shall release his hand from what he demands of his fellow — he shall not press his fellow nor his brother, since it has already been called a release unto God.
- Devarim 15:3
אֶת-הַנָּכְרִי תִּגֹּשׂ וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֶת-אָחִיךָ תַּשְׁמֵט יָדֶךָ
. .
As for the stranger, it is permitted that you press him; but what belongs to you from your brother — release your hand from it.
- Devarim 15:4
אֶפֶס כִּי לֹא יִהְיֶה-בְּךָ אֶבְיוֹן כִּי-בָרֵךְ יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן-לְךָ נַחֲלָה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ
. .
And it is certain that there shall be no poor person among you — inasmuch as God shall bless you in the land which He gives you as an inheritance to possess.
- Devarim 15:5
רַק אִם-שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-כָּל-הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם
. . .
So long as you continue to hear and accept the command of God your Lord, and to keep and act upon all this law which I command you today.
- Devarim 15:6
כִּי-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בֵּרַכְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר-לָךְ וְהַעֲבַטְתָּ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים וְאַתָּה לֹא תַעֲבֹט וּמָשַׁלְתָּ בְּגוֹיִם רַבִּים וּבְךָ לֹא יִמְשֹׁלוּ
. . . . .
Since God your Lord has already bestowed His blessing upon you, as He promised you — you shall supply the needs of many nations, while you shall not supply your need from them; and you shall have dominion over many of them, but they shall not have dominion over you.
- Devarim 15:7
כִּי-יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֶבְיוֹן מֵאַחַד אַחֶיךָ בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ בְּאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ--לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת-לְבָבְךָ וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת-יָדְךָ מֵאָחִיךָ הָאֶבְיוֹן
. . . . .
If there be among you a poor person, whether by reason of sin or of affliction, from among some of your brothers in some of your localities, in your land which God your Lord is giving you — do not harden your heart against him, nor close your hand from him.
- Devarim 15:8
כִּי-פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת-יָדְךָ לוֹ וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ דֵּי מַחְסֹרוֹ אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ
. .
Rather, open it to him fully, and supply his need completely, according to the measure of what he lacks.
- Devarim 15:9
הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן-יִהְיֶה דָבָר עִם-לְבָבְךָ בְלִיַּעַל לֵאמֹר קָרְבָה שְׁנַת-הַשֶּׁבַע שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה וְרָעָה עֵינְךָ בְּאָחִיךָ הָאֶבְיוֹן וְלֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ וְקָרָא עָלֶיךָ אֶל-יְהוָה וְהָיָה בְךָ חֵטְא
. . . . .
Beware lest there be in your heart a word of ignorance, so that you say: 'The seventh year, the year of the release, has drawn near' — and you be miserly toward your poor brother and give him nothing; and he cry out against you to God, and a punishment befall you.
- Devarim 15:10
נָתוֹן תִּתֵּן לוֹ וְלֹא-יֵרַע לְבָבְךָ בְּתִתְּךָ לוֹ כִּי בִּגְלַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל-מַעֲשֶׂךָ וּבְכֹל מִשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ
. . . . .
Rather, give him a gift, and let not your soul be miserly toward him — for it is on account of this matter that God your Lord will bless you in your labors and in all that you put your hand to.
- Devarim 15:11
כִּי לֹא-יֶחְדַּל אֶבְיוֹן מִקֶּרֶב הָאָרֶץ עַל-כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לֵאמֹר פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת-יָדְךָ לְאָחִיךָ לַעֲנִיֶּךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ בְּאַרְצֶךָ
. . . .
For, as I have told you, the poor shall never cease from the land — and therefore I command you today that you open your hand to your brother, to your needy one and to your poor one in your land.
- Devarim 15:12
כִּי-יִמָּכֵר לְךָ אָחִיךָ הָעִבְרִי אוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה--וַעֲבָדְךָ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת תְּשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ
. . .
And if your Hebrew brother or your Hebrew sister be sold to you, let him serve you six years; and in the seventh year, release him free from your presence.
- Devarim 15:13
וְכִי-תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ--לֹא תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ רֵיקָם
.
And when you release him free from your presence, do not release him empty-handed.
- Devarim 15:14
הַעֲנֵיק תַּעֲנִיק לוֹ מִצֹּאנְךָ וּמִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּתֶּן-לוֹ
. .
Rather, provide him with a gift — from your flock, and your grain, and your produce — according to what God your Lord has provided you, you shall give him.
- Devarim 15:15
וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וַיִּפְדְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל-כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה--הַיּוֹם
. . .
And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and God your Lord redeemed you — and therefore I command you this matter today.
- Devarim 15:16
וְהָיָה כִּי-יֹאמַר אֵלֶיךָ לֹא אֵצֵא מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אֲהֵבְךָ וְאֶת-בֵּיתֶךָ כִּי-טוֹב לוֹ עִמָּךְ
. . .
But if he says to you: 'I will not go out from your presence' — because he loves you and loves your household, since it is better for him to remain with you —
- Devarim 15:17
וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת-הַמַּרְצֵעַ וְנָתַתָּה בְאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת וְהָיָה לְךָ עֶבֶד עוֹלָם וְאַף לַאֲמָתְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה-כֵּן
. . .
then take the branding-iron and put it in his ear at your door, and he shall be your slave forever. And your maidservant likewise — do the same for her.
- Devarim 15:18
לֹא-יִקְשֶׁה בְעֵינֶךָ בְּשַׁלֵּחֲךָ אֹתוֹ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ--כִּי מִשְׁנֶה שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר עֲבָדְךָ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים וּבֵרַכְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה
. . . .
And do not let it be hard for you to release him free from your presence, for it may well be that he has served you double the worth of a hired laborer's wage; and God your Lord will bless you in all that you do.
- Devarim 15:19
כָּל-הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר יִוָּלֵד בִּבְקָרְךָ וּבְצֹאנְךָ הַזָּכָר--תַּקְדִּישׁ לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תַעֲבֹד בִּבְכֹר שׁוֹרֶךָ וְלֹא תָגֹז בְּכוֹר צֹאנֶךָ
. . .
Every firstborn that is born to you from your flock and your cattle — the male — bind upon it the consecration due to God your Lord. You shall not work the firstborn of your cattle, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
- Devarim 15:20
לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תֹאכְלֶנּוּ שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר-יִבְחַר יְהוָה--אַתָּה וּבֵיתֶךָ
. .
Rather, eat it before God your Lord, year by year, in the place which God shall choose — you and your household.
- Devarim 15:21
וְכִי-יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם פִּסֵּחַ אוֹ עִוֵּר כֹּל מוּם רָע--לֹא תִזְבָּחֶנּוּ לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ
. . .
But if there be a blemish in it — lameness or blindness, or any of the disqualifying blemishes — you shall not slaughter it for God your Lord.
- Devarim 15:22
בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ--הַטָּמֵא וְהַטָּהוֹר יַחְדָּו כַּצְּבִי וְכָאַיָּל
. .
It is permitted that you eat it in your localities, and that the impure and the pure alike eat it, just as the meat of the gazelle and the deer is eaten.
- Devarim 15:23
רַק אֶת-דָּמוֹ לֹא תֹאכֵל עַל-הָאָרֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ כַּמָּיִם
.
Except its blood — do not eat it; rather, pour it out upon the ground like water.
English is a working draft — author revising