Rambam - Sefer HaMitzvos: Positive Mitzvah 138;<br>Negative Mitzvah 227;<br>Positive Mitzvah 139: Positive Mitzvah 138; Negative Mitzvah 227; Positive Mitzvah 139

Positive Mitzvah 138: Returning Hereditary Property in Yovel
Leviticus 25:13 "In the year of this Jubilee, you shall return every man to his possession"

When the Jewish people entered and conquered Eretz Yisrael, they were instructed by HaShem to divide the country between all the tribes. Each one was assigned his precise territory.

Over the years, land could have been sold or transferred, allowing people descending from one tribe to purchase property originally owned by another tribe.

Upon the arrival of the Yovel, all property was to be returned to its original owner.

Negative Mitzvah 227: It is forbidden to sell land in Eretz Yisrael permanently
Leviticus 25:23 "The land shall not be sold forever"

The land of Eretz Yisrael is considered very special and we call it the "Holy Land."

HaShem gave a special holiness even to the earth in Eretz Yisrael and called it "My Land."

No one person may claim total ownership of land in Eretz Yisrael forever.

It is HaShem's and He wants us to remember that He blesses us with property which is in our hands to care for, but we may not buy and sell it permanently.

Every Yovel - the fiftieth year - all land reverts to its original owner. When the land is sold, both the buyer and seller must bear in mind that such a sale is only valid until the "Yovel" year.

We are prohibited from selling the land in Eretz Yisrael permanently.

Positive Mitzvah 139: Redeeming Property in Walled Cities
Leviticus 25:29 "And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city..."

The Torah grants a person who sold his property the chance to buy it back.

This is called "redeeming" the property.

Depending on the type of property, different laws apply.

This Positive Mitzvah concerns the ownership and redemption of houses in walled cities during the first year after they were sold.

These houses do not return to their original owners in the Yovel.

To one who fell into enormous debt trying to achieve miracles: We were told to transcend limitations -- but that doesn't mean just jumping into the air with no idea of where you're going to land!

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com