Bava Metzia 104

Chapter 104

א יתר על כן מוכרה בשויה מאי לאו שפחתה יותר מכדי אונאתה לא יתירה דאכתי לא פחתה בכדי אונאתה מוכרה בשויה
1 Above that,it may be sold at its [intrinsic] worth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Quoted from the Baraitha cited supra. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב מיתיבי עד כמה תיפחת ויהא רשאי לקיימה בסלע עד שקל מאי לאו דפחית פורתא פורתא לא דנפיל לנורא ואפחות בחדא זימנא
2 Surely that means that it depreciated by more than the limit for overreaching?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which proves that it may be kept. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג אמר מר יקבנה ויתלנה בצואר בנו או בצואר בתו ורמינהי לא יעשנה משקל בין משקלותיו ולא יזרקנה בין גרוטותיו ולא יקבנה ויתלנה בצואר בנו ובצואר בתו אלא או ישחוק או יתוך או יקוץ או יוליך לים המלח
3 — No; 'above that' [means it is worth more] not yet having depreciated to an extent involving overreaching: then it may be sold at its intrinsic value.
ד אמר ר' אלעזר ואמרי לה רב הונא אמר ר' אלעזר לא קשיא כאן באמצע כאן מן הצד:
4 An objection is raised: By how much may it depreciate that it shall still be permissible to keep it? In the case of a <i>sela'</i>, [it can depreciate] as far as a <i>shekel</i>. Surely that means that it depreciated little by little?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case it passes the standard of overreaching long before it drops to a shekel, thus refuting R. Huna. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ה עד מתי מותר להחזיר בכרכים עד שיראה לשולחני בכפרים עד ערבי שבתות: מאי שנא בסלע דמפליג ומאי שנא בטלית דלא מפליג
5 — No; it means that it fell into a fire and so lost in value all at once.
ו אמר אביי כי תנן נמי מתני' בטלית בכרכין תנן רבא אמר טלית כל איניש קים ליה בגוה סלע כיון דלאו כל איניש קים ליה בגוה אלא שולחני הלכך בכרכים דאיכא שולחני עד שיראה לשולחני בכפרים דליכא שולחני עד ערבי שבתות דסלקין לשוקא:
6 The Master said: 'He should pierce and suspend it around the neck of his son or daughter.' But the following contradicts it: One must not employ it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the worn coin which may no longer be kept owing to its deficient value. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ז ואם היה מכירה אפי' לאחר שנים עשר חדש כו': היכא אי בכרכין הא אמרת עד שיראה לשולחני אי בכפרים הא אמרת עד ערבי שבתות
7 as a weight,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'must not make it a weight amongst his (other) weights.' ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ח אמר רב חסדא מידת חסידות שנו כאן אי הכי אימא סיפא אין לו עליו אלא תרעומת למאן אי לחסיד לא קבולי ליקבלה מיניה ולא תרעומת תיהוי ליה ואלא להאיך דקבלה מיניה ולבתר דמקבלה מיניה תרעומת תיהוי ליה
8 cast it amongst his scrap-metal nor pierce and suspend it around the neck of his son or daughter; but must either pound it [to dust], melt it down, mutilate or cast it into the salt sea! — Said R. Eleazar — others state, R. Huna in R. Eleazar's name: There is no difficulty; the former refers to the middle [of the coins], the latter to its edge.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the coin is pierced in the middle, it cannot be circulated; hence this is permissible. But if it is pierced at the edge, one may file it round until the hole is gone and then use it as a coin: hence it is forbidden. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ט ה"ק הא אחר אע"פ שאין מקבלה הימנו אין לו עליו אלא תרעומת:
9 UNTIL WHAT TIME IS HE [THE DEFRAUDED PARTY] PERMITTED TO RETRACT? IN TOWNS, UNTIL HE CAN SHEW [THE COINS] TO A MONEY-CHANGER; IN VILLAGES, UNTIL [THE FOLLOWING] SABBATH EVE. Why is a distinction [between towns and villages] made in respect to a <i>sela'</i> but not to a garment? — Abaye answered: Our Mishnah too, when it treats of a garment, refers to towns — Raba said: As for a garment, everyone has expert knowledge therein;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore even in a village one can readily find a person to value it. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
י ונותנה למעשר שני ואינו חושש שאינו אלא נפש רעה: אמר רב פפא ש"מ האי מאן דמוקים אזוזי מיקרי נפש רעה והני מילי הוא דסגי להו
10 whereas in regard to a <i>sela'</i>, since not every man can value it save a money-changer alone, it follows that in towns, where a money-changer is available, [he can retract] only until he shews it to a money-changer; whereas in villages, where none is available, [the period is] until Sabbath eve, when they [the villagers] go up to market.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the town. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
יא מסייע ליה לחזקיה דאמר חזקיה בא לפורטה פורטה בשויה בא לחללה מחללה ביפה
11 IF HE RECOGNISED IT, HE MUST ACCEPT IT BACK FROM HIM EVEN AFTER A TWELVEMONTH etc. Where [is this]? If in towns? But you have said, UNTIL HE CAN SHEW [THE COINS] TO A MONEY-CHANGER! Again, if in villages? But you have said, UNTIL [THE FOLLOWING] SABBATH EVE! — Said R. Hisda: Here a measure of piety was taught.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., though he is not legally bound to take it back, yet as a measure of piety he should do so. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
יב מאי קאמר הכי קאמר אע"פ כשבא לפורטה פורטה בשויה כשהוא מחללה מחללה ביפה
12 If so, consider the second clause: AND HE HAS NOTHING BUT RESENTMENT AGAINST HIM. To whom does this refer? If to the pious man,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., who does not insist upon the letter of the law, but is guided by piety. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יג למימרא דסבר חזקיה דמזלזלינן במעשר שני והאמר חזקיה מעשר שני שאין בו שוה פרוטה אומר הוא וחומשו מחולל על מעות הראשונות לפי שאי אפשר לו לאדם לצמצם מעותיו
13 let him neither accept it nor bear resentment against him!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v.p. 437, n. 1. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
יד מאי ביפה בתורת יפה דתרי זילי לא מזלזלינן ביה
14 But if to the one from whom he accepted it, then after having had it accepted from him, should he bear resentment? — It means thus: but as for another person,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One who insists upon his legal right not to take it back. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
טו גופא אמר חזקיה מעשר שני שאין בו שוה פרוטה אומר הוא וחומשו מחולל על מעות הראשונות לפי שאי אפשר לו לאדם לצמצם מעותיו
15 even if he does not re-accept it from him, he [to whom it was given as a full coin] HAS NOTHING BUT RESENTMENT AGAINST HIM.
טז מיתיבי התרומה והביכורים חייבין עליהן מיתה וחומש
16 AND ONE MAY REDEEM THE SECOND TITHE THEREWITH AND HAVE NO FEAR, BECAUSE IT IS MERE CHURLISHNESS. R. Papa said: This proves that he who is exacting in respect to coins<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Refusing to accept them even if slightly worn. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> is dubbed a churl;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a malevolent soul.' ');"><sup>14</sup></span> providing, however, that they [still] circulate. This [the Mishnah] supports Hezekiah, for Hezekiah said: When he comes to exchange it, he must exchange it as its intrinsic value; if he comes to redeem therewith, he estimates it at a proper [coin].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If one exchanges a worn sela' for perutahs, he must estimate it at its metallic, intrinsic value. If, however, he redeems second tithe produce with such coins, he gives the coins their nominal value, as though unworn. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> What does he mean?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'When he comes…intrinsic value:' but surely that is already stated in the Mishnah, that, when a coin depreciates to the extent that overreaching is involved, it may not be passed off at full value! ');"><sup>16</sup></span> — He means this: Though when he comes to exchange it, he exchanges it at its present value,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When coming to change a sela', which has depreciated, though not to the extent involving overreaching with which the second tithe was redeemed, into perutahs in Jerusalem, he naturally receives from money-changers perutahs only for its depreciated value (cf. Tosaf.). ');"><sup>17</sup></span> yet when he redeems [second tithe] therewith, he may estimate it as a good [coin].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus Hezekiah informs us that when the Mishnah states that the second tithe may be redeemed therewith, it means that the coin is reckoned at its full nominal value, because to be exacting in regard to coins that are slightly worn is a mark of churlishness. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> Shall we say that Hezekiah holds that the second tithe may be treated disparagingly?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As above, estimating the deficient sela' at its full value, thus minimising that of the second tithe. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> But did not Hezekiah say: With respect to second tithe [produce] worth less than a <i>perutah</i>, one may declare, 'It, together with its fifth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 272, n. 9. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> is redeemed with the first money [of redemption];'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., money which has already been used in redeeming other second tithe produce. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> because it is impossible for a person to calculate his money exactly!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When one redeems the second tithe, he does not calculate its exact value, lest he underestimate it, and so redeems it at slightly more than its true worth. This slight excess may now be regarded as the redemption money of second tithe produce worth less than a Perutah, the smallest possible coin. This proves that in the first place it is liberally calculated, which contradicts his former statement that even deficient coins may be reckoned at their full value for this purpose. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> — What is meant by 'a proper [coin]'? On the basis of the proper value [of the coin], because it [the second tithe] may not be lightly treated in two respects.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The defective coin is computed only at the proper value it possesses now, i.e., not only is full allowance made for its deficiency, but its valuation is slightly lowered even beyond that, so as to make quite certain that it does possess the value attributed to it. On this interpretation, Hezekiah asserts that we are stricter in respect to the redemption of the second tithe than in ordinary secular transactions. And the reason is, 'because it may not be lightly treated in two respects' — for the mere fact that it may be redeemed with a defective coin, which some might refuse as a coin at all, is considered a light treatment of the second tithe; we may certainly not subject it to the further indignity, as it were, of computing the value of this coin in a liberal spirit (Rashi). The statement in the Mishnah that the second tithe can be redeemed with it means, accordingly, 'at its present intrinsic value,' for to refuse to accept it thus is a mark of churlishness. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> The [above] text stated: 'Hezekiah said: With respect to second tithe [produce] worth less than a <i>perutah</i>, one may declare, "It, together with its fifth, is redeemed by the first money [of redemption];" because it is impossible for a person to calculate his money exactly.' An objection is raised: For <i>terumah</i> and the first fruits<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Num. XXVIII. 26; Deut. XXVI, 1-4. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> one is liable to death and [the addition of] a fifth;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a zar (q.v. Glos.) or an unclean priest wantonly eats them, he is liable to 'death at the hands of Heaven'; whilst If a zar eats them in ignorance of their true character, he must make restoration, adding a fifth to their value (Lev. XXII, 14). These laws were stated primarily with respect to terumah, but by Biblical exegesis they were extended to the first fruits too. ');"><sup>25</sup></span>