כׇּל שֶׁתּוֹצִיא הָאָרֶץ בְּשָׁנָה שְׁבִיעִית. בֵּין מִן הַזֶּרַע שֶׁנָּפַל בָּהּ מִקֹּדֶם שְׁבִיעִית. בֵּין מִן הָעִקָּרִים שֶׁנִּקְצְרוּ מִקֹּדֶם וְחָזְרוּ וְעָשׂוּ וּשְׁנֵיהֶם נִקְרְאוּ סָפִיחַ. בֵּין מִן הָעֲשָׂבִים וְהַיְרָקוֹת שֶׁעָלוּ מֵאֲלֵיהֶן וְאֵין לָהֶן זֶרַע. הַכֹּל מֻתָּר לְאָכְלוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ״ה:ו׳) וְהָיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ שָׂדֶה שֶׁנִּטַּיְבָּה בַּשְּׁבִיעִית וְצָמְחָה פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ מֻתָּרִין בַּאֲכִילָה. וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ״ה:ה׳) אֵת סְפִיחַ קְצִירְךָ לֹא תִקְצוֹר שֶׁלֹּא יִקְצֹר כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁקּוֹצֵר בְּכׇל שָׁנָה. וְאִם קָצַר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַקּוֹצְרִין לוֹקֶה. כְּגוֹן שֶׁקָּצַר כׇּל הַשָּׂדֶה וְהֶעֱמִיד כְּרִי וְדָשׁ בַּבָּקָר. אוֹ שֶׁקָּצַר לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָרֶץ כְּמוֹ שֶּׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. אֶלָּא קוֹצֵר מְעַט מְעַט וְחוֹבֵט וְאוֹכֵל:
אפילו שדה שניטייבה בשביעית וצימחה, פירותיה מותרין באכילה. וזה שנאמר ״את ספיח קצירך לא תקצור״ (ויקרא כ״ה:ה׳), שלא יקצור כדרך שקוצר בכל שנה. ואם קצר כדרך הקוצרין, לוקה. כיצד, כגון שעקרא כל השדה והעמיד כרי ודש בבקר, או שקצר לעבודת הארץ, כמו שביארנו. אלא קוצר מעט מעט וחובט ואוכל:
All produce that grows from the earth1 in the Sabbatical year:2 whether it grew from seeds that fell into the earth before the Sabbatical year, it grew from roots whose plants were harvested previously, but nevertheless grew again - in both instances [such produce] is referred to with the term safiach3 - or grasses and vegetables that grew on their own accord [in the Sabbatical year], is permitted to be eaten according to Scriptural Law,4 as [Leviticus 25:6] states: "And [the produce that grows] while the land is resting shall be yours to eat." Even when a field was plowed thoroughly5 in the Sabbatical year, and produce grew in it, that produce is permitted to be eaten. The statement [ibid.:] "Do not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest" means that one should not reap it in the same manner as one does every year.6 If one reaps it according to the ordinary manner, he is worthy of lashes. For example, he harvested the entire field, set up a grain heap, and threshed it with cattle or harvested it for the sake of tilling the land as we explained.7 Instead, he should reap it little by little, beat it,8 and partake of it.
1. As opposed to fruit; see Halachah 3.
2. As indicated by Halachah 9, this refers to produce that reached the stage of growth that obligates the separation of tithes - i.e., one third of its growth - after Rosh HaShanah of the Sabbatical year. If the produce reached this stage of growth beforehand, it is permitted to be harvested in the Sabbatical year.
3. This term is generally translated as "aftergrowth."
4. There is an opinion that such produce is forbidden according to Scriptural Law, but the Rambam's view follows the opinion of Menachot 5b.
5. Our translation is taken from the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Sh'vi'it 4:2, based on the Jerusalem Talmud).
6. Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 222) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 328) includes this commandment among the 613 mitzvot of the Torah.
7. I.e., harvesting produce will enable the land to generate better produce in the future. This apparently is the intent of Chapter 1, Halachah 1.
8. To separate the grain from the chaff.
א. ד (גם פ): שקצר. אך בכתבי־היד כבפנים.