(Devarim 15:2) "And this is the word of the shemitah": From here it was ruled: If a debtor returns his debt in the seventh year, the creditor must tell him: "I release it."
For it would follow: If shemitah, which does not release servants, releases a loan, then Yovel, which releases servants, how much more so should it release a loan! It is, therefore, written "And this is the word of the shemitah" — shemitah releases a loan, but Yovel does not release a loan.
A kal vachomer (a fortiori argument) that shemitah should release servants, viz.: If Yovel, which does not release a loan, releases servants, then shemitah, which releases a loan, how much more so should it release servants! It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:13) "In this year of Yovel, each of you shall return to his holding: "This" (i.e., Yovel) releases servants, but shemitah does not release servants. Shemitah releases (loans), but Yovel does not release (loans).
"release": I might think he also (releases) what was stolen from him or what he deposited with someone; it is, therefore, written "his claim" (and not the others).
And whence is it derived (that also released are) the wages owing a hired man and the credit given by a merchant? From ("his claim) that he has against his neighbor."
If in the end all are included, why is it written "his claim"? Just as "his claim" connotes his loan, so all that are construed as a loan (are released).
8
לֹא יִגֹּשׂ – לִתֵּן עָלָיו בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
"He shall not exact it": This makes him subject to transgression of a negative commandment (if he does exact it).
9
אֶת רֵעֵהוּ – פְּרָט לַאֲחֵרִים.
"his neighbor": to exclude others (i.e., gentiles).
10
וְאֶת אָחִיו – פְּרָט לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב.
"and his brother": to exclude a sojourning stranger (ger toshav).
(דברים טו ב) וְזֶה דְּבַר הַשְּׁמִטָּה, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ (שביעית פ״י מ״ח): הַמַּחֲזִיר חוֹב בַּשְּׁבִיעִית יֹאמַר לָהֶם ׳מְשַׁמֵּט אֲנִי׳, וְאִם אָמַר לוֹ ׳אַף עַל פִּי כֵן׳ – יְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֶה דְּבַר הַשְּׁמִטָּה.
(Devarim 15:2) "And this is the word of the shemitah": From here it was ruled: If a debtor returns his debt in the seventh year, the creditor must tell him: "I release it."
[וְזֶה דְּבַר הַשְּׁמִטָּה], שְׁמִטָּה מְשַׁמֶּטֶת מִלְוָה וְאֵין יוֹבֵל מְשַׁמֵּט מִלְוָה.
"And this is the word of the shemitah": From here it was ruled: Shemitah releases a loan, but the Jubilee year (Yovel) does not release a loan.
שֶׁהָיָה בַּדִּין: מָה שְׁמִטָּה, שֶׁאֵין מוֹצִיאָה עֲבָדִים, מְשַׁמֶּטֶת מִלְוָה, יוֹבֵל, שֶׁמּוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁיְּשַׁמֵּט מִלְוָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְזֶה דְּבַר הַשְּׁמִטָּה – שְׁמִטָּה מְשַׁמֶּטֶת מִלְוָה וְאֵין יוֹבֵל מְשַׁמֵּט מִלְוָה.
For it would follow: If shemitah, which does not release servants, releases a loan, then Yovel, which releases servants, how much more so should it release a loan! It is, therefore, written "And this is the word of the shemitah" — shemitah releases a loan, but Yovel does not release a loan.
קַל וָחוֹמֶר לַשְּׁמִטָּה שֶׁתּוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים: וּמַה יּוֹבֵל, שֶׁאֵין מְשַׁמֵּט מִלְוָה, מוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים שְׁבִיעִית, שֶׁמְּשַׁמֶּטֶת מִלְוָה, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁתּוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כה יג): ״בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל הַזֹּאת״ – שְׁבִיעִית מְשַׁמֶּטֶת מִלְוָה וְיוֹבֵל מוֹצִיא עֲבָדִים.
A kal vachomer (a fortiori argument) that shemitah should release servants, viz.: If Yovel, which does not release a loan, releases servants, then shemitah, which releases a loan, how much more so should it release servants! It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:13) "In this year of Yovel, each of you shall return to his holding: "This" (i.e., Yovel) releases servants, but shemitah does not release servants. Shemitah releases (loans), but Yovel does not release (loans).
שָׁמוֹט כָּל בַּעַל, יָכוֹל אַף בִּגְזֵלָה וּבְפִקָּדוֹן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ.
"release": I might think he also (releases) what was stolen from him or what he deposited with someone; it is, therefore, written "his claim" (and not the others).
אוֹ מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ, יָכוֹל שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר וְהַקָּפַת הַחֲנוּת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אֲשֶׁר יַשֶּׁה בְּרֵעֵהוּ.
And whence is it derived (that also released are) the wages owing a hired man and the credit given by a merchant? From ("his claim) that he has against his neighbor."
אִם סוֹפֵנוּ לְרַבּוֹת כֻּלָּם, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ? מַה מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ בְּזָקוּף, אַף כֻּלָּם זְקוּפִים.
If in the end all are included, why is it written "his claim"? Just as "his claim" connotes his loan, so all that are construed as a loan (are released).
לֹא יִגֹּשׂ – לִתֵּן עָלָיו בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
"He shall not exact it": This makes him subject to transgression of a negative commandment (if he does exact it).
אֶת רֵעֵהוּ – פְּרָט לַאֲחֵרִים.
"his neighbor": to exclude others (i.e., gentiles).
וְאֶת אָחִיו – פְּרָט לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב.
"and his brother": to exclude a sojourning stranger (ger toshav).
כִּי קָרָא שְׁמִטָּה לַה׳ – בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.
"because it has been declared shemitah to the L-rd": (The institution of money-release obtains) both in Eretz Yisrael and outside it.