Do not modify the cities assigned to the tribe of Levi
Verse: ושדה מגרש עריהם לא ימכר, כי אחזת עולם הוא להם
Command: Do not modify the cities assigned to the tribe of Levi
Vayikra 25:34
Type: Negative
SMG Mitzva # 278
Cross-Ref: {link}
SMG
[There are two verses stated issuing the prohibition that the fields of the Levi’im should not be sold, once in the verse[i]] ושדה מגרש עריהם לא ימכר, כי אחזת עולם הוא להם and we learnt in Toras Kohanim from the verse[ii] לא ימכר applies to the sale by the comptroller if a son of Levi consecrated his field and did not redeem it, and then the comptroller sells it, it does not revert to the Kohanim during Yovel like it would for a Yisroel, rather it may always be redeemed even after Yovel, [as the verse continues and states] כי אחוזת עולם היא להם. That is how Rabeinu Shlomo [Rashi] explained it in his commentary on the Ĉumash. However, in the Gemara[iii] we learnt that no field should be made into a cleared space, nor cleared space made into a field as it says in the verse ושדה מגרש עריהם לא ימכר. What does לא ימכר mean, if you would say it may not be sold at all, [that can’t be since] we can derive from גאלת עולם תהיה ללוים that fields may be sold [and the verse provides the terms for redemption in that case – which last forever]. So, what does לא ימכר mean – it means do not change [their zoning status].
[i] Vayikra 25:34
[ii] Vayikra 27:28
[iii] Gem. Eraĉin 33b
AMUDAY SHLOMO
[There is no comment on this Mitzva by Maharshal]
RASHI
Rashi provides the following commentary on the verse:
- ושדה מגרש עריהם לא ימכר – [the Torah forbids the] sale by the comptroller; as, if the Levite consecrates his field, ad does not redeem it, and then the comptroller sells it, it does not revert to the Kohanim during the Yovel, as it says in the verse[i] regarding the regular Jew [who sold his field and failed to redeem it before the Yovel] ואם מכר את השדה לאיש אחר לא יגאל עוד. A Levite though may always redeem [his sold property].
Unlike the Gemara [as noted above by the SMG], Rashi defines the simple meaning of the verse גאלת עולם תהיה ללוים differently:
- גאלת עולם – he [the Levite] may redeem it immediately, even within the initial two (2) years [after the sale]: If he sells one of their fields which is given to the Levi’im within the two thousand (2,000) Ama circumference surrounding their cities, or if he sells a house within one of their walled cities, they may always [even within the immediate year] redeem those sales, and [the house] is not transferred permanently at the end of the year.
[i] Vayikra 27:20
Discussion by SMS
See Theological / Phonological discussion on this verse – the Immutable Zoning Laws of the Cities of the Levi’im