Selling Houses
25: 29-34
Selling houses DIG: For someone who was not a Levite, what was the difference between a house in a walled city opposed to selling a house in the fields of the countryside? Why were the Levites exempt from this mitzvah? What were cities of refuge and how did they work?
REFLECT: The Torah is very practical; it is our blueprint for living. And here, ADONAI shows His concern over one of the most common transactions in life, the buying and selling of a home. How comforting is it to you that God takes care of the Levites in a special way?
The lands of the Levites were guaranteed to them and were protected.
Homes sold in a walled city (29-31): Leviticus next considers several categories of property not included under the general category of fields, vineyards, and the like discussed so far. First, houses in walled cities were not returnable at the Yovel Year (to see link click En – The Freedom of the Year of Jubilee). Israelites sometimes formed tiny villages directly on the fields they inherited from ADONAI. The houses of these villages were so closely tied to the land that the mitzvot of redemption applied (see Eq – Immanuel’s Land). Houses in villages not surrounded by walls are to be dealt with like the fields in the countryside – they may be redeemed [before the Yovel Year], and they revert in the Yovel Year (25:31). A house in a walled city, however, was not tied to land inheritance, so the mitzvot of the Jubilee did not apply. Instead, the seller’s right of redemption lasted only one full year. If someone sells a house in a walled city, he has one year after the date of sale in which to redeem it. For a full year he will have the right of redemption, after which time the house belonged permanently to the buyer. But if he has not redeemed the dwelling in the walled city within the year, then title would permanently pass to the buyer through all his generations; it will not revert in the Year of Jubilee (25:29-30). Thus, this mitzvah graciously provided the seller a chance to get the house back without putting an unfair burden on the buyer.509
Homes sold by Levites (25:32-34): The Levites were the non-priestly members of the tribe of Levi (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah An – Priests, Levites and Temple Servants). YHVH had set them apart to help the priests in the Tabernacle (see the commentary on Numbers Am – The Levitical Census). Their inheritance from the LORD was not large tracts of land but forty-eight cities and the houses in them (Joshua 21:1-42). Therefore, the mitzvah of houses sold in a walled city did not apply to them, who always had the option to buy back their homes. Concerning the cities of the Levites and the houses in the cities they possess; the Levites are to have a permanent right of redemption. If someone purchases a house from one of the Levites, then the house he sold in the city where he owns property will still revert to him in the Year of Jubilee; because the houses in the cities of the Levites are their tribe’s possession among the people of Isra’el. The lands of the Levites were guaranteed to them and were protected. They could never be sold or traded away to other tribes or foreigners outside the Land. In addition, the fields in the open land around their cities may not be sold, because that is their permanent possession. The reason for this was that it did not belong to individuals, but to all the people of the city, who needed it for grazing their animals.510 Held in trust for the Levites, they were effectively removed from the context of indebtedness. Perhaps the reason for this exceptional restriction was related to the food that the Levites obtained from such plots of land, the only ones they possessed.511
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise you so much for Yeshua’s preparing a Heavenly home for all who love Him. “Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be (John 14:1-3). How wonderful to look forward to a home in heaven! There is no better place to live than with You God in Your eternal home of peace. When we keep our focus on You and our eternal home, we realize that earth’s trials will soon be over. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Earthly trials last only a short time compared to the joy of our wonderful and eternal home in heaven where we have the joy of dwelling with You forever! “Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He shall tabernacle among them. They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them and be their God. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away.” And the One seated upon the throne said: Behold, I am making all things new!” Then He said, “Write, for these words are trustworthy and true (Rev 21:3-5). Thank you for being such a wonderful Father and making such a great and glorious home in heaven, for those who love You.
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