LEV1025 See [[GEN1070]] Genesis 19:9 alien DUTIES 765-7

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LEV1026 It was taught: If he sold it to the first for one hundred, and the first sold it to the second for two hundred, he makes the reckoning only with the first, as it is written: "To the man to whom he sold it." If he sold it to the first for two hundred, and the first sold it to the second for one hundred, he makes the reckoning only with the second, as it is written: "and he shall return the balance to the man"--To the man that is in it [i.e., that possesses it]. And whence is it derived that we always give the seller the advantage? Perhaps we should give it to the buyer! Do not entertain this notion, for we derive "redemption" [here] - "redemption," in respect to a Hebrew man-servant. [Just as in his redemption, the advantage is always his, and not the buyer's, so, here] (Erchin 30b)

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LEV1027 It was taught: R. Dostai b. Yehudah says: Whence is it derived that if he sold it for one hundred and it rose in value to two hundred, it is assessed at only one hundred? From: "and he shall return the balance"--the balance that he already possesses [in terms of its original value]. If he sold it for two hundred and it depreciated to one hundred, when is it derived that it is assessed at only one hundred? From: "and he shall return the balance" -- the balance [of the value of] the land. And whence is it derived that we always give the seller the advantage? Perhaps we should give it to the buyer! Do not entertain this notion, for we derive "redemption" [here] - "redemption," in respect to a Hebrew man-servant. [Just as in his redemption, the advantage is always his, and not the buyer's, so, here] (Erchin 30b)

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LEV1028 Preserve the open land surrounding Levite cities. Key concepts: The tribe of Levi was set apart for a special type of service of Hashem. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites were not given land. Their sole occupation was wisdom, and about them we read, “They shall teach Your statutes to Ya’akov, and Your Torah to Yisrael.” Since the Levites possessed great wisdom, the rest of the nation always sought them out and interacted with them. In addition, the Levite cities were refuge cities where those guilty of unintentionally killing a fellow Jew would flee. For these reasons, the entire nation was keenly aware of the Levite cities, for who could know when he might need them? Since the Levite cities were designed for serving the needs of the entire nation, it was important to maintain them so they would be beautiful and pleasant places. Accordingly, the Torah commands that nothing about these cities be changed, for Hashem, Lord of Wisdom, designed these cities and set their parameters, so any deviation from His Word can only be harmful. The Rambam writes, “Why didn't the tribe of Levi receive a land inheritance in Eretz Yisrael and have a share with their brethren in the spoils of the Land after its conquest? Because this tribe was set aside to serve Hashem and teach His righteous ways. Therefore, the tribe was set apart from the ways of the world. Unlike the other tribes, the tribe of Levi did not engage in warfare and did not inherit a portion of the land. They did not gain for themselves by means of their own physical efforts, for they were soldiers in Hashem's army and He gave them to eat from His table. “This lot is not only for that of the tribe of Levi. Any Jew can promote himself and set himself aside to stand before Hashem and serve Him, to learn His straight and righteous ways and teach them to others. Any Jew can cast off from himself the yoke of the many calculations of ordinary men and sanctify himself to be of the holiness of the holy. Hashem shall be his portion for all time, in this world and in the next. Such a person will merit to have what he needs in this world, as was the case of the tribe of Levi.”

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LEV1029 URBAN PLANNING. We have already seen that industries or personal property representing a danger to the members of a town may be forced to close down or relocate if it is not otherwise possible to prevent such damage. We have also learned that stores and factories can be relocated out of residential areas. Both these opinions provide a halachic framework for urban planning. There is, however, a further provision regarding urban planning which, it would seem, has ramifications for what is probably the most important issue involved in contemporary environmental problems: viz., striking a balance between urban growth and the ecological needs of society. Land is one of the most important of all economic resources, and its intelligent allocation forms the basis of all healthy economies--while its misuse often dooms societies to poverty and hunger. In most developed countries, an intelligent balance between the competing needs of housing, industry, agriculture, and the amenities of health and recreation is the aim of economic policy. The Torah requires the maintenance of a green belt around each walled city, as we learn from the laws regarding the cities that were given to the Levites [Leviticus 25:34]. Each walled city had an area of 2,000 square cubits around it; the inner 1,000 were called migrash ha’ir -- the city common -- and were reserved for the animals and social amenities of the citizens. The other 1,000 (or 2,000, according to Maimonides) were reserved for their fields and vineyards. The biblical text tells us that the migrash ha’ir cannot be sold, and the Talmud explained that this means that the city common cannot be rezoned. In other words, the fields and vineyards cannot be converted into a common, nor can the common be turned into an agricultural area or, by being built upon, become part of the city. No one generation has the right to dispose of its natural resources simply as it sees fit, without handing over to future generations the same possibilities it inherited from the past.

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LEV1030 Do not allow him to drop. To what may this be compared? To a [slipping] burden upon an ass. So long as it is still in its place, one can grab onto it and set it right. Once it has fallen to the ground, not even five can get it back again (Torath Cohanim)

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LEV1031 (Continued from [[EXOD710]] Exodus 22:24 lend BLOCH 51). Charitableness is motivated by compassion (Baba Batra 10) and a sense of responsibility for the welfare of one's fellowman [this verse]. The significance of charity as a religious rite conducive to salvation and divine forgiveness is another important factor (Rosh Hashanah 16b). The underlying rationale, which denies the individual the choice of whether to give or withhold charity, is the premise that all wealth belongs to God (Haggai 2:8) and that the possessor of property is merely a custodian who is permitted to manage it for the benefit of all. Hence, the rabbis said, he who gives no charity will in the end come to lose his property and have to depend on charity for his subsistence (Bamidbar Rabbah 18). On the other hand, if one is a generous contributor to charity, and as a result runs out of funds, the Almighty will provide him with additional money so that he may continue his philanthropy (Baba Batra 9b). The rationale of charity, based on God's ownership of our wealth, is implicit in the phraseology of several biblical injunctions. Thus the command to help the needy "within any of the gates in the land, which the Lord thy God gives you" (Deuteronomy 15:7) stresses the point that it was God who gave the land and who lays down the rules for its disposition.

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LEV1033 See [[DEUT745]] Deuteronomy 15:8 open CCCBM 51

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LEV1034 See [[DEUT745]] Deuteronomy 15:8 open CCCBM 51-5

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LEV1032 If one debases another person through his lashon hara or rechilus to the extent that the person loses his livelihood, then the speaker transgresses another positive commandment. For example, if someone mean-spiritedly announces that another person is dishonest, or is not qualified for the type of work he does, or the like, then he violates the positive commandment גֵּ֧ר וְתֹושָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ׃וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ׃…, “A convert or resident, and he shall live with you... and your brother shall live with you” (Vayikra 25:35-36). This mitzvah obligates us to help a Jew who is poor--by giving him a donation or a loan, or by entering a business partnership with him, or by finding him a job--in order to strengthen his financial standing so that he will not collapse and become dependent on people. We are all obligated all the more not to cause a person to lose his livelihood.

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