Mishnah Arakhin 9:1-2

Sugya Map

• Issue: The duration and calculation for redeeming a sold ancestral field (שדה אחוזה) during the Jubilee period.
• Nafka Mina: Do barren years (e.g., Shmitta, blight, mildew) count towards the required waiting period or the redemption price calculation?
• Primary Sources: Leviticus 25:15 ("במספר שני תבואות ימכר לך"¹), 25:27 ("וְחִשַּׁב אֶת שְׁנֵי מִמְכָּרוֹ"²).

Text Snapshot

"המּוֹכֵר אֶת שָׂדֵהוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַיּוֹבֵל אֵינוֹ מֻתָּר לִגְאוֹל פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁתֵּי שָׁנִים... הָיְתָה שְׁנַת שִׁדָּפוֹן וְיֵרָקוֹן, אוֹ שְׁבִיעִית, אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה לוֹ מִן הַמִּנְיָן."³ The Mishnah mandates a two-year waiting period for redemption, explicitly excluding non-productive years like Shmitta from this tally, reflecting the Torah's emphasis on "שני תבואות" (years of crops).⁵

Readings

Rambam – Redemption Calculation

Rambam explains the "ger'on kesef" (deduction) mechanism for field redemption, where the seller repays the principal less the value of the buyer's occupancy years. He also clarifies "בשעת היובל" means when Yovel is in effect, not in the Yovel year itself, when sale is forbidden.⁶

Rashash – The "Shanim" vs. "Shnei Tevu'ot" Conundrum

Rashash poses a penetrating kushya: If Shmitta is explicitly excluded from the waiting period tally (per the Mishnah, informed by "שני תבואות"⁵), how can Rambam and Rashi implicitly count Shmitta years when calculating the "ger'on kesef" (deduction from the sale price)? The verse governing this calculation uses "וְחִשַּׁב אֶת שְׁנֵי מִמְכָּרוֹ" (years of its sale)⁷, notably omitting "תבואות." He bolsters this by citing Bava Metzia 106a which distinguishes heqdesh redemption on this very basis.⁸

Friction

The core friction: If "שני תבואות" excludes Shmitta from the waiting period, why not from ger'on kesef calculation? The terutz suggests a textual distinction: the initial waiting period (for the field to become redeemable) demands actual crops, per "שני תבואות." However, the redemption payment calculation (for the monetary adjustment) is guided by "שני ממכרו," counting calendar years irrespective of agricultural productivity. This highlights distinct halachot derived from subtle scriptural differences.

Intertext

The Gemara in Bava Metzia 106a explicitly differentiates consecrated fields (שדה חרמים): "שני תבואות" is not written for heqdesh, allowing Shmitta to count for its redemption, thereby reinforcing the significance of this phrase for maḥar (sale).⁹

Psak/Practice

This analytical distinction directly impacts ger'on kesef calculations: if Shmitta years are counted for deduction, the seller pays more upon redemption. It underscores the meticulous parsing of lashon haTorah to derive distinct legal outcomes even within closely related contexts.

Takeaway

Subtle linguistic variations in Torah ("שנים" vs. "שני תבואות") yield profound halachic differences, demanding meticulous textual analysis.

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¹ Leviticus 25:15 ² Leviticus 25:27 ³ Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:1 ⁴ Rambam on Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:1 s.v. ומה שאמר אינו מותר ⁵ Tosafot Yom Tov on Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:3 s.v. רבי אלעזר אומר כו' ⁶ Rambam on Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:1 s.v. המוכר את שדהו בשעת היובל כו' ⁷ Leviticus 25:27 ⁸ Rashash on Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:2 s.v. שם ברע"ב ד"ה אינו מותר לגאול כו' ⁹ Bava Metzia 106a s.v. מאי שנא מהקדש; Rashash on Mishnah Arakhin 9:1:2 s.v. שם ברע"ב ד"ה אינו מותר לגאול כו'