Responsa for Shevuot 80:21
רב חביבא מתני אסיפא מנה לי בידך אמר לו הן למחר אמר לו תנהו לי נתתיו לך פטור ואמר רב נחמן משביעין אותו שבועת היסת
Because it is a presumption that a man will not claim [from another] unless he has a claim upon him. - On the contrary, it is a presumption that a man will not have the effrontery [to deny] before his creditor!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since he does deny the whole claim, he must be speaking the truth; then why an oath?');"><sup>21</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Q. A claims he has no cash and wants to repay his debt to B with goods. B demands that A swear that he has no cash. Is it not true that the court can not require an oath from A since no actual loss of money to B is involved?
A. The fact that there is no actual loss of money to B does not, of itself, absolve A from taking an oath. A is not required to take the oath for another reason. B can not claim to be certain that A has cash, and no one is required to take an oath when his opponent is not certain of his claim.
This Responsum is addressed to Rabbi Asher b. Moses.
SOURCES: Cr. 7, 8; Pr. 109; L. 360. Cf. Am II, 224.
A. The fact that there is no actual loss of money to B does not, of itself, absolve A from taking an oath. A is not required to take the oath for another reason. B can not claim to be certain that A has cash, and no one is required to take an oath when his opponent is not certain of his claim.
This Responsum is addressed to Rabbi Asher b. Moses.
SOURCES: Cr. 7, 8; Pr. 109; L. 360. Cf. Am II, 224.
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