Arachin 33 – Houses in Open Towns

Previously we discussed sales of houses in walled cities and fields outside cities. Houses in open towns are in between these two categories, and the Torah gives them the enhanced rights of walled citied and the enhanced rights of ancestral fields. How so? They can be redeemed immediately after sale and for the entire twelve months, like houses in walled cities; and they return to their owners in the Jubilee year, besides, their redemption price goes down with the years passed toward the Jubilee year.

Obviously, a town needs a wall. However, even if it has a wall but is very small, consisting of two courtyards of two houses each, then even if it had a wall from the time of Joshua the son of Nun, they are treated like houses in open towns.

Art: Henry Woods - A Courtyard in Venice