Bava Metzia 136

אמר אביי כפועל בטל של אותה מלאכה דבטל מינה

Abaye said: As a labourer unemployed in his craft.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if he was originally a carpenter, who works very hard, and accepted a commission to sell provisions instead on half profits, he must be paid in addition as much as the average man would demand for changing over from strenuous labour to work of a lighter nature. ');">¹</span>

וצריכא דאי תנא חנוני חנוני הוא דסגי ליה כפועל בטל משום דלא נפיש טרחיה אבל מעות ליקח בהן פירות דנפיש טרחיה אימא לא סגי ליה כפועל בטל

Now they [the first two clauses of the Mishnah] are [both] necessary. For if the case of a tradesman were taught, I would think that only a storekeeper is it sufficient to pay as an unemployed worker, seeing that his efforts are not great;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The goods being given him. ');">²</span>

ואי תנא מעות ליקח בהן פירות הוה אמינא התם הוא דבעי כפועל בטל משום דנפיש טרחיה אבל חנוני דלא נפיש טרחיה אימא סגי ליה במשהו בעלמא דאפילו לא טבל עמו אלא בציר ולא אכל עמו אלא גרוגרת אחת זהו שכרו צריכא:

but [when one is advanced] money for buying provisions, his toil being great,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As in addition to selling he has the work of buying too. ');">³</span>

(כמה עיזי ותרנגולין מעלין סימן)

I would think it insufficient to pay him [merely] as an unemployed artisan. Whilst if [the case of advancing] money to buy provisions were taught, I would think that only there must he be paid as an unemployed worker, since much work is involved; but for a shopkeeper, who makes very little effort, I would think a mere trifle sufficient, e.g., even if he just dipped [his bread] into his vinegar, or ate a dried fig of his, it is enough. Therefore both are necessary.

תנו רבנן כמה הוא שכרו בין מרובה ובין מועט דברי ר' מאיר רבי יהודה אומר אפילו לא טבל עמו אלא בציר ולא אכל עמו אלא גרוגרת אחת זהו שכרו ר' שמעון בן יוחאי אומר נותן לו שכרו משלם

(<font>Mnemonic:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A few words or letters, each being the catchword of a subject, strung together and generally forming a simple phrase, as an aid to the memory. ');">⁴</span></font>

תנו רבנן אין שמין לא את העזים ולא את הרחלים ולא כל דבר שאינו עושה ואוכל למחצה

How much are goats and fowls assessed?) Our Rabbis taught: How much must he be paid?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Referring to the Mishnah. ');">⁵</span>

ר' יוסי ברבי יהודה אומר שמין את העזים מפני שחולבות ואת הרחלים מפני שגוזזות ושוטפות ומורטות ואת התרנגולת מפני שהיא עושה ואוכלת

Whether much or little [it matters not]: this is R. Meir's view. R. Judah said: Even if he merely dipped [his bread] into his vinegar, or joined him in a dried fig, that is his pay. R. Simeon b. Yohai said: He must remunerate him in full.

ותנא קמא גיזה וחלב לא ספק לשכר עמלו ומזונו בגיזה וחלב כולי עלמא לא פליגי כי פליגי בנסיובי ותותרי

Our Rabbis taught: Neither goats, sheep, nor anything which does not toil for its food<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and eats'. ');">⁶</span>

תנא קמא סבר לה כר' שמעון בן יוחי דאמר נותן לו שכרו משלם ר' יוסי ברבי יהודה סבר לה כאבוה דאמר אפילו לא טבל עמו אלא בציר ולא אכל עמו אלא גרוגרת אחת זהו שכרו

may be assessed on halfprofits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., on an arrangement such as is forbidden in the Mishnah; v. p. 397, n. 6. But if it toils for its food, e.g., an ox that ploughs or an ass that bears burdens, the breeder has the profit of its work in return for its food and his own labour, and therefore it does not fall under the ban of usury. ');">⁷</span>

תנו רבנן משכרת אשה לחברתה תרנגולת בשני אפרוחין אשה שאמרה לחברתה תרנגולת שלי וביצים שליכי ואני ואת נחלוק באפרוחין רבי יהודה מתיר רבי שמעון אוסר

R. Jose, son of R. Judah, said: Goats may be assessed, because they yield milk; and sheep, because they yield wool by being shorn, by passing through water<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Subjected to a vigorous washing, which removed their wool; v. Hul. 137a. ');">⁸</span>

ורבי יהודה לא בעי שכר עמלו ומזונו איכא ביצים מוזרות

and by being plucked;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In passing through bushes, etc. (Jast.) ');">⁹</span>

תנו רבנן מקום שנהגו להעלות שכר כתף למעות לבהמה מעלין ואין משנין ממנהג המדינה רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר שמין עגל עם אמו וסיח עם אמו ואפילו במקום שנהגו להעלות שכר כתף למעות

and fowls, because they lay [eggs] for their food. But [what of] the first Tanna: are the shearings and milk insufficient to pay for his labour and food?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely not! ');">¹⁰</span>

ורשב"ג לא בעי שכר עמלו ומזונו איכא גללים ואידך גללים אפקורי מפקיר להו:

— As for the shearings and milk, all agree [that they are adequate]. The conflict refers to whey and wool refuse:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Where the breeder is allowed only these.] ');">¹¹</span>

אמר רב נחמן הלכה כרבי יהודה והלכה כרבי יוסי ברבי יהודה והלכה כרבן שמעון בן גמליאל

the first Tanna is of R. Simeon b. Yohai's opinion, who maintained that he must remunerate him in full;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence whey and wool refuse are insufficient. ');">¹²</span>

בני רב עיליש נפק עלייהו ההוא שטרא דהוה כתיב ביה פלגא באגר פלגא בהפסד אמר רבא רב עיליש גברא רבה הוא ואיסורא לאינשי לא הוי ספי מה נפשך אי פלגא באגר תרי תילתי בהפסד

whilst R. Jose son of R. Judah agrees with his father, who ruled that even if he merely dipped [his bread] into his vinegar, or joined him in a dried fig, that is adequate payment. Our Rabbis taught: A woman may hire a fowl to her neighbour in return for two fledglings.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., she may receive the eggs from her neighbour, set her own fowl to brood upon them, and receive two fledglings for her trouble. ');">¹³</span> If a woman proposes to her neighbour, 'I have a fowl, and you have eggs: let us equally share the fledglings,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In this case, the owner of the fowl, while assuming full responsibility for half the eggs, receives no extra compensation for her trouble.] ');">¹⁴</span> — R. Judah permits, whilst R. Simeon forbids it. But [what of] R. Judah: does he not require payment to be made for labour and food? — There are the addled eggs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These cannot be hatched, and the egg-owner receives them in return for her labour. This, of course, is very little, but R. Judah has already stated above that even the smallest payment is sufficient. — Addled eggs may be eaten, and hence are of some slight value. ');">¹⁵</span> Our Rabbis taught: Where it is the usage to make a payment for shouldering beasts,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where calves and foals are given to breed at half profits, but the breeder is paid for having to carry them on his shoulder whilst they are very small. ');">¹⁶</span> such payment may be made, and general custom must not be abrogated. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: A calf may be assessed with its mother, and a foal with its mother, and even where it is customary to make a monetary payment for shouldering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If both the mother and the young are given to breed on a profit sharing basis, the profit which the breeder receives from the work of the mother is adequate compensation for both, and no further payment is necessary. ');">¹⁷</span> But R. Simeon b. Gamaliel! Does he not require payment for his labour and food?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The objection is raised on the hypothesis that unless the breeder receives some separate payment for the young, the arrangement amounts to usury; v. p. Mishnah 68a. ');">¹⁸</span> — There is the dung.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which has a monetary value. ');">¹⁹</span> But the other?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna, who insists upon payment. ');">²⁰</span> — The ownership of dung is renounced.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The owner does not want it in any case, and so it constitutes no payment. ');">²¹</span> R. Nahman said: The <i>halachah</i> is as R. Judah; the <i>halachah</i> is as R. Jose son of R. Judah; and the <i>halachah</i> is as R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. A bond was issued against the children of R. 'Ilish, stipulating half profits and half loss.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a bond whereby R. 'Ilish had undertaken to trade on these terms: this arrangement is forbidden as usury; v. infra 104b. ');">²²</span> Said Raba: R. 'Ilish was a great man, and he would not have fed [another person] with forbidden food.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He would not have made an arrangement whereby another should enjoy the illegitimate profits of usury. ');">²³</span> It must be taken to mean:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'whatever be your opinion.' ');">²⁴</span> either half profit and two thirds loss;