Kiddushin

it refers to one who sells himself to the service of the idol itself!1 — Said he to him: But there the Writ led him back.2 For the School of R. Ishmael taught: Since this man went and became an acolyte in the service of idolatry, I might have said: Let us cast a stone after the fallen, therefore it is said, after that he is sold he shall be redeemed,’ one of his brethren shall redeem him.3 Yet perhaps ‘he shall be redeemed’ so as not to be absorbed by the heathens, but in respect to redemption we should be stringent with him, in accordance with R. Jose son of R. Haninah? — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: Two verses are written: [i] if there be yet increases in the years;4 [ii] and if there remains but little in the years:5 are there then increased [i.e., prolonged] years and decreased [i.e., shortened] years?6 But [the meaning is:] if his value increases, [then his redemption shall be] out of the money that he was bought for; if his value decreases, [the basis of redemption is] according unto his years [yet remaining]. But perhaps the meaning is this: If he served two [years], four remaining, he must repay him for four years ‘out of the money that he was bought for’; while if he served four [years], two remaining, he must repay him for two, ‘according unto his years’?7 — If so, Scripture should write, If there be yet many years [shanim] . . . If there remain but few years [shanim]: why ‘in years’ [ba-shanim]? [To teach:] if his value increased in [these] years, [his redemption is] ‘out of the money that he was bought for’; if his value decreased in [these] years, [he is redeemed] ‘according unto his years’. Said R. Joseph: R. Nahman8 interpreted these verses as Sinai.9 (Mnemonic: Slave, House, Half, Slave, Relations.)10 R. Huna b. Hinena asked R. Shesheth: Can a Hebrew slave sold to a heathen be half redeemed, or can he not be half redeemed?11 Do we learn the meaning of ‘his redemption’, from a field of possession:12 just as a field of possession cannot be half redeemed,13 so he too cannot be half redeemed; or perhaps, we may interpret it in his favour,14 but not to his disadvantage?15 — He answered him: Did you not say there,16 he shall be sold entirely, but not half; hence here too, he shall be redeemed,17 entirely. Abaye said: Should you rule that he can be half redeemed, it will be found [both] to his advantage and disadvantage. ‘To his advantage’: If he [the heathen] bought him for a hundred [zuz], and he [the slave] then refunded him fifty, half of his Value,18 then he appreciated and stood at two hundred: if you say that he can be half redeemed, he pays him [an additional] hundred19 and goes out [free]; but if you say, he cannot be half redeemed, he must pay him a hundred and fifty, and [then] go out.20 But you said: ‘if his value increased, [his redemption is] out of the money that he was bought for’! — Suppose he was dear [when bought], then slumped, then rose again.21 ‘It will be found to his disadvantage’: If he bought him for two hundred [zuz], he [the slave] refunded a hundred, half of his value, and then slumped to a hundred. If you say, he can be half redeemed, he must pay him fifty and go out; but if you say that he cannot be half redeemed, then this hundred was a bailment in his [the master's] charge:22 hence he [the slave] gives it to him and goes out [free]. R. Huna b. Hinena asked R. Shesheth: If a man sells a house in a walled city,23 can he half redeem it or not? Do we learn the meaning of ‘his redemption’ from a ‘field of possession’:24 just as ‘a field of possession’ cannot be half redeemed, so this too cannot be half redeemed; or perhaps, where [Scripture] revealed it,25 it revealed it; where not, it did not? — He answered him: From the exegesis of R. Simeon we learn that he can borrow and redeem, and redeem half. For it was taught: [And if a man shall sanctify unto the Lord part of the field of his possession.] And if he [that sanctified the field] will indeed redeem it:26 this teaches that he can borrow and redeem, and redeem half.27 Said R. Simeon: What is the reason? Because we find in the case of him who sells ‘a field of possession’, that [since] he has a great privilege, in that if jubilee comes and it has not been redeemed, it reverts to its owners, his rights are weakened in [so far] that he cannot borrow and redeem, and redeem half; hence he who sanctifies [‘a field of possession’] whose rights are impaired in that if jubilee comes and it has not been redeemed, it goes out to the priests at jubilee, [therefore] his privilege is strengthened in [so far] that he may borrow and redeem, and redeem half. Hence this one too, who sells a house in a walled city, since his rights are impaired so that if a complete year elapsed and it is not redeemed, it is absolutely [sold], therefore his privilege is strengthened in that he can borrow and redeem, and redeem half. He raised an objection: ‘And if he will indeed redeem it’: this teaches that he may borrow and redeem, and redeem half. For I might have thought, does it [the reverse] not follow a minori: if he who sells ‘a field of possession’, whose privilege is great in that if jubilee comes and it has not been redeemed it reverts to its original owner, yet his power is impaired in that he cannot borrow and redeem, and redeem half; then he who sanctifies, whose rights are impaired in that if jubilee comes and it has not been redeemed it goes out to the priests at jubilee, it surely follows that his rights are [also] impaired so that he cannot borrow and redeem, and redeem half. As for one who sells ‘a field of possession’, that is because his privilege is weak in that he [cannot] redeem it immediately;28 will you say [the same] of one who sanctifies, whose privilege is strong, that he can redeem it immediately? Let one who sells a house in a walled city prove it, whose privilege is strong to redeem it immediately, and yet he cannot borrow and redeem, and redeem half!29 — There is no difficulty: he had to sell himself as a punishment for trading in seventh year produce, why should we not interpret the verse stringently, to his disadvantage? b. Isaac is omitted in some editions, but apart from that, his reason for deletion is not very cogent). facilitate their remembering. find sufficient for his redemption — ibid. 26. redeemed. redemption, not yet having served at all, and then his value rose again to two hundred. he have the right of redemption).