Julian Ungar-Sargon

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Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Related to the Greek prosbuleibutei (a council to protect people from harm) and means "benefit or rich and poor". Rich, because they do not transgress "do not refrain from helping with a loan", and poor, because it helps them obtain a loan.

Gittin 36: פְּרוֹסְבּוּל אֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּט

jyungar June 21, 2023

For the source text click/tap here: Gittin 36

To download, click/tap here: PDF

The remainder of our daf focuses on the prosbol initiated by Rabbi Hillel the Elder. Although lending and borrowing was excused for individuals over the Sabbatical year, shemita, courts could continue to demand payment of loans. If loans were granted to those who were very poor/needy close to shemita, lenders were afraid that they would not receive back their payments. Thus, the prosbol allowed the courts to continue paying out/following up with the poor close to shemita.

The Gemara goes on to discuss whether Hillel instituted the prosbol only for his generation or for all generations. To this end, the rabbis discuss what is done with ownerless property, when courts can nullify the decisions of other courts (when they are greater in number and in wisdom), and whether or not courts are collecting money when that is in fact prohibited.

We explore the rabbinic loophole subverting the Shmittah Mitzvah.

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Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​