Bava Batra 178

אמר רב פפא דיגרומי

R. Papa said: [A balance used] for heavy pieces of metal.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Broken pieces of iron, copper and the like, which sometimes weigh as much as a hundred pounds. The size of the beams, ropes etc. are determined by the weight of the articles for which they are used. ');">¹</span> R. Mani b. Patish said: The same [restrictions] that have been said [to apply to balances] with reference to their disqualification [for commercial uses] have also been said [to apply to them] with reference to their [liability to] Levitical defilement.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., scales which are prohibited for commercial use cannot be regarded as 'vessels' subject to the laws of Levitical defilement. ');">²</span> What does he come to teach us? [Surely] this has [already] been taught [in the following]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kel. XXIX, 5. ');">³</span> The [length of the] cords<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The beam of a balance is suspended by a cord, corresponding to nefesh, supra. ');">⁴</span>

א"ר מני בר פטיש כדרך שאמרו לענין איסורן כך אמרו לענין טומאתן

of a shopkeeper's, and of producers' balances [which may be subjected to the laws of Levitical defilement, must be] one handbreadth! [And, since this restriction<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Requiring a distance of a handbreadth from above in the case of shopkeepers' and producers' balances. ');">⁵</span> has specifically been applied to one kind of balance, are not the other kinds of balance to be implied?]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What, then, is the purpose of R. Mani's statement? ');">⁶</span> — [The statement of R. Mani] is required [on account of the sizes of] the beam and the cords, which have not been mentioned [there]. Our Rabbis taught: Weights must not be made either of tin or of lead or of gasitron<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A fusion of different metals. Others compare the word with [G], tin; perhaps of a special kind. ');">⁷</span>

מאי קמ"ל תנינא חוט מאזנים של חנוני ושל בעלי בתים טפח קנה ומתנא שלה איצטריכא ליה דלא תנן

or of any other kinds of metal,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the friction caused by constant use reduces their weight. ');">⁸</span> but they must be made of stone or of glass. Our Rabbis taught: The strike must not be made of a gourd because it is light,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And does not strike well, causing loss to the seller. ');">⁹</span> nor of metal because it is heavy,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And penetrates too deeply, causing loss to the buyer. ');">¹⁰</span>

ת"ר אין עושין משקלות לא של בעץ ולא של אבר ולא של גיסטרון ולא של שאר מיני מתכות אבל עושה הוא של צונמא ושל זכוכית

but it must be made of olive, nut, sycamore, or box wood. Our Rabbis taught: The strike may not be made thick<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because a thick one cannot penetrate so well as a thin one. Cf. the following note. ');">¹¹</span> on one side and thin on the other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because one might use the thin side when selling, and the thick side when buying. ');">¹²</span> One may not strike with a single quick movement, for striking in this manner causes loss<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'bad'. ');">¹³</span>

ת"ר אין עושין המחק של דלעת מפני שהוא קל ולא של מתכת מפני שהוא מכביד אבל עושהו של זית ושל אגוז של שקמה ושל אשברוע

to the seller and benefits<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'good'. ');">¹⁴</span> the buyer. Nor may one strike very slowly because [this] is disadvantageous<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'bad'. ');">¹³</span> to the buyer and beneficial<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'good'. ');">¹⁴</span> for the seller. Concerning all these [sharp practices of traders], R. Johanan b. Zakkai said:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kelim XVII, 16. ');">¹⁵</span>

ת"ר אין עושין את המחק צדו אחד עב וצדו אחד קצר לא ימחוק בבת אחת שהמוחק בבת אחת רע למוכר ויפה ללוקח ולא ימחוק מעט מעט שרע ללוקח ויפה למוכר

Woe to me if I should speak [of them]; woe to me if I should not speak. Should I speak [of them], knaves might learn [them]; and should I not speak, the knaves might say, 'the scholars are unacquainted with our practices' [and will deceive us still more]. The question was raised: Did he [R. Johanan] speak [of these sharp practices] or not? R. Samuel son of R. Isaac said: He did speak [of them]; and in so doing<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he said it'. ');">¹⁶</span> [he based his decision] on<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from'. ');">¹⁷</span> the following Scriptural text: <i>For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just do walk in them; but transgressors do stumble therein</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. XIV, 10. ');">¹⁸</span> Our Rabbis taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.M. 61b. ');">¹⁹</span>

על כולן אמר רבן יוחנן בן זכאי אוי לי אם אומר אוי לי אם לא אומר אם אומר שמא ילמדו הרמאין ואם לא אומר שמא יאמרו הרמאין אין תלמידי חכמים בקיאין במעשה ידינו איבעיא להו אמרה או לא אמרה אמר רב שמואל בר רב יצחק אמרה ומהאי קרא אמרה (הושע יד, י) כי ישרים דרכי ה' וצדיקים ילכו בם ופושעים יכשלו בם

[It is written], <i>You shall do no unrighteousness in judgments in meteyard, in weight. or in measure.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIX, 35. ');">²⁰</span></i> In meteyard relates to the measuring of ground; one should not measure out for one person in the hot<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the measuring rope is dry and unyielding. ');">²¹</span> season and for another in the rainy<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the rope is moist and capable of extension. ');">²²</span> season. In weight, [means] that one shall not keep his weights in salt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Salt reduces the weight. According to others, salt increases weight and the warning is addressed to the buyer. ');">²³</span>

ת"ר (ויקרא יט, לה) לא תעשו עול במשפט במדה במשקל ובמשורה במדה זו מדידת קרקע שלא ימדוד לאחד בימות החמה ולאחד בימות הגשמים במשקל שלא יטמין משקלותיו במלח במשורה שלא ירתיח

In measure, that one shall not cause [liquids] to froth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By pouring rapidly from a certain height, foam is generated and, consequently, less liquid enters the measure. ');">²⁴</span> And by inference from minor to major, [the following may be deduced]. If the Torah cared [for proper measure in] a <i>mesurah</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] the term used for 'measure' in the verse from Lev. XIX, 35 that is here discussed. ');">²⁵</span> which is one thirty-sixth of a <i>log</i>. how much more [should one be careful to give proper measure in the case] of a <i>hin</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hin = twelve log. ');">²⁶</span> half a <i>hin</i>, a third of a <i>hin</i>, a quarter of a <i>hin</i>, a <i>log</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Log = volume of liquid that fills the space occupied by six eggs. ');">²⁷</span>

וק"ו ומה משורה שהיא אחד משלשים וששה בלוג הקפידה עליו תורה ק"ו להין וחצי הין ושלישית ההין ורביעית ההין ולוג וחצי לוג ורביעית וחצי תומן ועוכלא

half a <i>log</i>, a quarter [of a <i>log</i>], a <i>toman</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Toman = half a log, or one eighth of a kab. V. BaH, a.l. ');">²⁸</span> half a<i> toman<i> and an <i>'ukla</i>!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ukla is explained in the Gemara. ');">²⁹</span></i></i> </i></i> <i><i> Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: A person is forbidden to keep<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if not intended to be used for measuring purposes; since others may use it as a measure, by mistake. ');">³⁰</span></i></i>

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אסור לאדם שישהה מדה חסרה או יתרה בתוך ביתו ואפילו היא עביט של מימי רגלים אמר רב פפא לא אמרן אלא באתרא דלא חתימי אבל באתרא דחתימי אי לא חזי חתימה לא שקיל ובאתרא דלא חתימי נמי לא אמרן אלא דלא מהנדסי אבל מהנדסי לית לן בה

in his house a measure [which is either] smaller or larger [than the nominal capacity] even if [it is used as a] urine tub. R. Papa said: This applies only in [the case of] a place where [measures] are not [officially] marked,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the seal of the recognised authority. ');">³¹</span> but where they are [officially] marked [they may be used; for] if [the buyer] sees no mark he does not accept [them] — And even where they are not marked, this has been said only in the case where they are not supervised,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By duly appointed officers, [H] Others, 'marked by means of incisions'. ');">³²</span> but if they are supervised<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By duly appointed officers, [H] Others, 'marked by means of incisions'. ');">³²</span> it does not matter. But this is not [right]; for [the buyer] may sometimes happen [to call] at twilight<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When everyone is in a hurry. ');">³³</span>

ולא היא זימנין דמיקרי בין השמשות ומיקרי ושקיל תניא נמי הכי לא ישהה אדם מדה חסרה או יתרה בתוך ביתו ואפי' היא עביט של מימי רגלים אבל עושה הוא סאה תרקב וחצי תרקב וקב וחצי קב ורובע ותומן וחצי תומן

and accidentally accept [the faulty measure]. The same, indeed, has been taught [in the following]: A person must not keep in his house a measure [which is either] smaller or larger [than the nominal capacity], even if [it is used as a] urine tub. But a person may make a <i>se'ah</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Se'ah = two Tarkab or six Kab. ');">³⁴</span> a <i>tarkab</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tarkab = three kab. ');">³⁵</span> half a <i>tarkab</i>, a <i>kab</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kab = four log. ');">³⁶</span> half a <i>kab</i>, a quarter [of a <i>kab</i>], a toman,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Toman, v. p. 369, n. 10. ');">³⁷</span> half a toman</i></i>