Responsa for Bava Metzia 33:20
מאי שנא מהא דתנן מצא שטרי חוב אם יש בהן אחריות נכסים לא יחזיר
for it happens that a person talks like this.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is a common thing for a person to refuse when pressed to do something he had volunteered to do, although he may do it later of his own accord. This attitude is not so insolent or obstinate as that involved in the refusal to take a compulsory oath. ');"><sup>19</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Q. Rachel's husband became an apostate. She gave him one-half mark as the price of his granting her a divorce. After the divorce was delivered, the witnesses to the instrument went to R's father, and with his permission tore up R's ketubah. A had in his possession a deposit belonging to R's husband. R demanded that A give her the deposit in payment of her ketubah. The apostate, on the other hand, threatened A with great injury unless he returned the deposit to him.
A. Although the tearing of R's ketubah by her father does not cancel the apostate's obligation to R, A may not be forced to risk his life or property by handing over the deposit to R. A, therefore, should try to settle with the apostate for as little as possible, and give the remainder to R.
This Resp. is addressed to "my teachers and relatives, R. Joseph Kohen and R. Jacob."
SOURCES: Cr. 288; Pr. 974; Tesh. Maim. to Nezikim, 7; Mordecai Hagadol, p. 194b; ibid. p. 379c.
A. Although the tearing of R's ketubah by her father does not cancel the apostate's obligation to R, A may not be forced to risk his life or property by handing over the deposit to R. A, therefore, should try to settle with the apostate for as little as possible, and give the remainder to R.
This Resp. is addressed to "my teachers and relatives, R. Joseph Kohen and R. Jacob."
SOURCES: Cr. 288; Pr. 974; Tesh. Maim. to Nezikim, 7; Mordecai Hagadol, p. 194b; ibid. p. 379c.
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