All this braisah shows is Musar, that aveiros by shiviis can lead to destitution. In other words regardless of the severity of a problem one cannot control be Fiscal, medical or social...look into yourself and you'll find there's a need to do teshuvah and that MIGHT BE THE CAUSE of one's current predicament.
All this braisah is a hypothetical. Is it statistically likely that every Jew who sells himself traces it back to the Aveirah discussed?
If they could why would they go free in Yovel! Their entire situation stems from a disrespect of the Shmitah cycle.
Simply I cannot see how this Braisah shows anything in terms of giraon kesef.
If anything one can say that the Yid "hit bottom" does teshuvah ergo goes with Yovel, and for giraon there's no need to punish him more?
Avrahom , United States
Avrahom; you have shown beautifully why we are learning this Gemara in Elul, with only just over a week left until Yom Hadin. It is because it teaches us that we must learn Musar and do Teshuva!!
You should know that the Jew mentioned in this Gemara was a big Tzaddik. My proof for this is the fact that the only Aveira he did was to conduct business with the Shmitah fruit. The Gemara calls it the "dust of Shviyis". Rashi writes that it is the light prohibition of the Shmitah year. He did not plow or sow or work in his field in the 7th year. He knew that you are not allowed to do that. All other 6 years, Hash-m could not find any fault with him. He was particular with all the Halochos. But the trial of not making a bit of profit from his field in the Shmitah year was too much for him.
If someone is so careful about all the Mitzvos he must be on a high Madreiga, and understands that Hash-m did not do all this to him without a good reason, so in the end he will learn the Shaarei Teshuva of Rabeinu Yonah in Elul. There, in the 3rd Gate, Rabeinu Yonah goes through all the Mitzvos and we learn it in Elul so that we see what we need to improve. That way he will see what he needs to fix up.
Yasher Koach for the Chizuk!
Dovid Bloom
Yovel sets free even the thiefs:-
Everyone goes free in Yovel. Even if somebody stole and was sold as a Eved and then decided to stay longer than the 6-year fine; so he had his ear pierced (which is a bad thing, as the Gemara below 22b blames him for becoming an Eved to an Eved) even so the Yovel sets him free.
So also, the person who showed a disrespect for Shmitah also gets the chance to go free in Yovel. Yovel gives a clean new page and everyone has the opportunity to start again.
Dovid Bloom
Because he tried to make a profit with Shmitah fruit we make him pay the higher price to get out:-
He will go free but we give him a fine and make him pay more since he thought he could gain through Shevi'is.
Dovid Bloom