Reeh 15:2 · unit 4

TT #275 · Parashas Reeh · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 15:2

The Complete Passuk

וְזֶה֮ דְּבַ֣ר הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ שָׁמ֗וֹט כׇּל־בַּ֙עַל֙ מַשֵּׁ֣ה יָד֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַשֶּׁ֖ה בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹֽא־יִגֹּ֤שׂ אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ וְאֶת־אָחִ֔יו כִּֽי־קָרָ֥א שְׁמִטָּ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃

And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the release of Hashem has been proclaimed.

Chabad.org — 15:2

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ – תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הוּא מְשַׁמֵּט וְאֵין יוֹרְשָׁיו מְשַׁמְּטִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁמוֹט כׇּל בַּעַל מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ, הוּא וְלֹא הַיּוֹרְשִׁין.

English: "That which he has lent" — It was taught: Rabbi Shimon says: He himself releases, but his heirs do not release, as it is said "every creditor shall release that which he has lent"—he, and not the heirs.

On the daf / in context: When the original creditor has died, the orphaned heirs are not subject to the same obligation of release.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — heirs are not required to release.

What Is Learned

The obligation to release a debt in the shemittah year falls upon the original creditor, not upon his heirs.