Commentary for Bava Metzia 148:15

תנו רבנן אומר אדם לחבירו

GRAIN FOR [AN EQUAL QUANTITY OF] GRAIN [TO BE RETURNED] FOR SOWING PURPOSES, BUT NOT FOR FOOD. FOR RABBAN GAMALIEL USED TO LEND HIS FARMER-TENANTS GRAIN FOR GRAIN FOR SOWING; AND IF IT WAS DEAR AND BECAME CHEAP, OR CHEAP AND BECAME DEAR, HE WOULD ACCEPT [A RETURN] ONLY AT THE LOWER PRICE;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if he lent them grain when it was cheap, and then it advanced, he would only accept current value, hence a smaller quantity. ');">¹⁴</span> NOT BECAUSE THE <i>HALACHAH</i> IS SO, BUT BECAUSE RABBAN GAMALIEL DESIRED TO SUBMIT HIMSELF TO GREATER STRINGENCY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore the Tanna finds it necessary to state the true halachah. ');">¹⁵</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Our Rabbis taught: A MAN MAY LEND HIS TENANTS GRAIN FOR GRAIN FOR SOWING. That is only if he [the tenant] has not entered therein;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., has not commenced any work in the field. ');">¹⁶</span> but if he has entered therein, it is forbidden. Why does our Tanna draw no distinction whether he has entered therein or not, whereas the Tanna of the Baraitha does?Raba replied: R. Idi explained the matter to me: In the locality of our Tanna the <i>aris</i> provided the seed, and whether he has yet entered therein or not, as long as he has not provided the seed he [the landlord] can make him quit;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if he has ploughed the field, he can be forced to quit. ');">¹⁷</span> hence, when he enters therein [and the owner provided the seed] it is [straightway] for a lower return.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he could have been forced to leave the field altogether, the seed which the owner provides is not regarded as a loan but as an addition, as it were, to the land he leases him; and in consideration thereof the aris is to pay him the same quantity over and above what he would otherwise have to pay him. Therefore, even if the seed advances in price, there is no interest on a loan. ');">¹⁸</span> But in the locality of the Tanna of the Baraitha the landowner provided the seed;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., normally; but in this case, owing to the superior quality of the soil, the owner had stipulated that the aris was to provide it. ');">¹⁹</span> hence, if he [the <i>aris</i>] has not yet entered therein, so that he [the landlord] can make him quit, when he does enter, it is for a lower return; but if he has already<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And then agreed to provide the seed himself, contrary to local usage, and then the owner advanced it, the same quantity to be repaid later. ');">²⁰</span> entered, so that he cannot force him to quit, it is forbidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For in that case, the land already having been leased, it cannot be maintained that the seed advanced is an addition to the field. ');">²¹</span> Our Rabbis taught: A man may propose to his neighbour,

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