Commentary for Bava Batra 173:3

אמר רבא ותסברא זלזולי בשכירות מי אסיר מאי שנא רישא ומאי שנא סיפא

Why then [has it been said that if a man hires a labourer to commence work at once and to continue through the harvesting season] for a denarius a day, [although] at the harvesting season he was worth a <i>sela'</i> [he] is permitted [to have the benefit]? Is not this [difference] a reward<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., usury. ');">⁷</span> for advancing the money?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'reward for waiting for me'. ');">⁸</span> Raba replied: What a logical argument! Has it ever been forbidden to reduce one's hire to the lowest level?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A labourer may. so far as the Biblical prohibition of usury is concerned, agree to take any wage, however low, even if his work is not to begin until the harvesting season, and his wages may be paid in advance. Lowering one's wage is not the same as paying usury for advancing money as a loan or on a purchase. ');">⁹</span>

Explore commentary for Bava Batra 173:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.