Land ownership

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Every year set aside one-tenth of all that you yield from your field, and eat it before Adonai your God.
[translation by AJWS]

עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר אֵת כָּל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה שָׁנָה שָׁנָה וְאָכַלְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ

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Humanity's role is to tend the garden, not to possess it; to "guard it and keep it" (Genesis 2), not to exploit it; to pass it on as sacred trust, as it was given. Even though we are given the authority to have dominion over the earth and its creatures, we are never allowed to own it, just like we can't own the waters or the air. "The land cannot be sold in perpetuity" (Lev. 25:23). The land is the commons,and it belongs to everyone equally and jointly.

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In contrast to God’s supreme and eternal mastery of the universe, human dominance over our acquisitions is qualified, limited in time and restricted in scope… This recognition of absolute Divine ownership and of limited temporary human ownership is a basic principle in all social legislation of the Torah… Personal ownership is valid as long as it does not conflict with the welfare of society and with moral standards. [Edited for gender neutrality]

right to left

Rabbi Shimon of Mizpah once sowed his field in the presence of Rabban Gamliel.

מעשה שזרע ר' שמעון איש המצפה לפני רבן גמליאל ועלו ללשכת הגזית ושאלו אמר נחום הלבלר מקובל אני מרבי מיאשא שקבל מאבא שקבל מן הזוגות שקבלו מן הנביאים הלכה למשה מסיני בזורע את שדהו שני מיני חטין אם עשאן גורן אחת נותן פאה אחת שתי גרנות נותן שתי פאות:

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