יורה דעה רנ״בYoreh De'ah 252

Siman 252 of 402 in Yoreh De'ah — 12 se'ifim

Se’if 1א׳

פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים קוֹדֵם לְפַרְנָסַת עֲנִיִּים וְלִכְסוּתָן. וְאֵין מִצְוָה גְדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. הִלְכָּךְ, לְכָל דְּבַר מִצְוָה שֶׁגָבוּ מָעוֹת בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, יְכוֹלִים לְשַׁנּוֹתָן לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. וַאֲפִלוּ אִם גָבוּ לְצֹרֶךְ בִּנְיָן ב"ה, וַאֲפִלוּ אִם קָנוּ הָעֵצִים וְהָאֲבָנִים וְהִקְצוּם לְצֹרֶךְ הַבִּנְיָן, שֶׁאָסוּר לְמָכְרָם בִּשְׁבִיל מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת, מֻתָּר לְמָכְרָם לְצֹרֶךְ פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. אֲבָל אִם בְּנָאוּהוּ כְּבַר, לֹא יִמְכְּרוּ אוֹתוֹ. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הַנּוֹדֵר סֶלַע לִצְדָקָה, אֵין פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים בַּכְּלָל וְאֵין לִפְדּוֹת בְּסֶלַע זוֹ רַק מִדַּעַת בְּנֵי הָעִיר (מהרי"ק שֹׁרֶשׁ ז') כְּדִלְקַמָּן סִימָן רנ"ו סָעִיף ד'.

The redemption of captives takes precedence over the support of the poor and their clothing. And there is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives. Therefore, for any matter of mitzvah for which they collected money, they may change it over to the redemption of captives. And even if they collected it for the building of a synagogue, and even if they bought the wood and the stones and set them aside for the building — which it is forbidden to sell for the sake of another mitzvah — it is permitted to sell them for the redemption of captives. But if they have already built it, they shall not sell it. And nevertheless, one who vows a sela to charity — the redemption of captives is not included, and one is not to redeem with this sela except with the consent of the people of the city (Maharik, shoresh 7), as below, siman 256, se'if 4.

Se’if 2ב׳

הַמַּעֲלִים עֵינָיו מִפִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים, עוֹבֵר עַל לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבְךָ (דְּבָרִים טו, ז). וְעַל לֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת יָדְךָ (דְּבָרִים טו, ז). וְעַל לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ (וַיִּקְרָא יט, טז). וְעַל לֹא יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶיךָ (וַיִּקְרָא כה, נג). וּבִטֵּל מִצְוַת פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ (דְּבָרִים טו, ח). וּמִצְוַת וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ (וַיִּקְרָא כה, לו). וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ (וַיִּקְרָא יט, יח). וְהַצֵּל לְקֻחִים לַמָּוֶת (מִשְׁלֵי כד, יא). וְהַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלוּ.

One who averts his eyes from the redemption of captives transgresses "You shall not harden your heart" (Deuteronomy 15:7), and "You shall not shut your hand" (Deuteronomy 15:7), and "You shall not stand by the blood of your fellow" (Leviticus 19:16), and "He shall not rule over him with rigour in your sight" (Leviticus 25:53); and he has nullified the mitzvah of "You shall surely open your hand to him" (Deuteronomy 15:8), and the mitzvah of "That your brother may live with you" (Leviticus 25:36), "And you shall love your fellow as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), "Rescue those who are taken to death" (Proverbs 24:11), and many things such as these.

Se’if 3ג׳

כָּל רֶגַע שֶׁמְּאַחֵר לִפְדּוֹת הַשְּׁבוּיִים, הֵיכָא דְּאֶפְשָׁר לְהַקְדִּים, הָוֵי כְּאִלוּ שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים.

Every moment that one delays redeeming the captives, where it is possible to hasten, it is as though he sheds blood.

Se’if 4ד׳

אֵין פּוֹדִין הַשְּׁבוּיִים יוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי דְּמֵיהֶם, מִפְּנֵי תִּקוּן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הָאוֹיְבִים מוֹסְרִים עַצְמָם עֲלֵיהֶם לִשְׁבּוֹתָם. אֲבָל אָדָם יָכוֹל לִפְדּוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה. וְכֵן לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם, אוֹ אֲפִלוּ אֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, אֶלָא שֶׁהוּא תַּלְמִיד חָרִיף וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אָדָם גָדוֹל, פּוֹדִים אוֹתוֹ בְּדָמִים מְרֻבִּים. וְאִם אִשְׁתּוֹ כְּאַחֵר דָּמִי אוֹ לֹא, עַיֵּן בַּטּוּר אֶבֶן הָעֵזְר סי' ע"ח.

One is not to obtain the release of captives using money more than their value, to keep a normal state of matters, so that the enemies [=the government officials] do not kidnap more so as to gain more money. However, a person may redeem himself with as much money as he wants. A scholar of Torah and even a sharp student who is only destined to become a scholar of Torah may be redeemed [even with over paying.] (And for if one's wife counts as a separate individual: see the Tur Even Haezer 78.)

Se’if 5ה׳

אֵין מַבְרִיחִין הַשְּׁבוּיִים, מִפְּנֵי תִּקוּן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הָאוֹיְבִים מַכְבִּידִים עֻלָם עֲלֵיהֶם וּמַרְבִּים בִּשְׁמִירָתָם.

They do not help captives to escape, because of the good order of the world, so that the enemies should not make their yoke heavy upon them and increase their guard over them.

…and 7 more se'ifim in this siman.

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Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah — Torat Emet 357 edition, via Sefaria — public domain

English: Sefaria Community Translation — CC0

English rendered from the Hebrew for this app — The Gematria's own rendering program. A rendering of the words, not a ruling; practical halacha is learned with a rav