Commentary for Bava Metzia 108:7

מאי הוי עלה אמר רב טביומי משמיה דאביי אמר קרא (ויקרא כז, טו) ויסף חמישית כסף ערכך מקיש חומשו לכסף ערכו מה כסף ערכו מוסיף חומש אף כסף חומשו נמי מוסיף חומש

But cannot this [sc. the answer to the problem] be deduced from the fact that it [the fifth] is a second <i>hekdesh</i>, and R. Joshua b. Levi said: A fifth is added to first [i.e., original] <i>hekdesh</i> [in redemption], but not to second <i>hekdesh</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This fifth is not the object originally dedicated, but a substitute for it through redemption, the second hekdesh. According to R. Joshua b. Levi's dictum, which is deduced from Scripture further on, hence authentic, no addition is necessary when redeeming the substitute; so that even if he redeemed the principal with which the original hekdesh had been redeemed, no fifth thereof would be necessary: surely then no fifth of the fifth is required! ');">¹⁹</span> — Said R. papa to Rabina: Thus did Raba say: The fifth ranks as original <i>hekdesh</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not as a substitute at all. Thus: the original is redeemed at par, and that principal ranks as a substitute. The added fifth, however, is not a substitute, but in the nature of money now consecrated for the first time in obedience to the Scriptural law that when one redeems hekdesh he must consecrate something (viz., a fifth) in addition. Hence, though no fifth is added when the principal is redeemed, it may be necessary for the fifth. ');">²⁰</span> What is our decision in the matter? — R. Tabyomi said in Abaye's name: Scripture saith, <i>Then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation [unto it]</i>: thus its fifth is assimilated to its assessed value:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the money of his estimation'. ');">²¹</span>

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