Bava Metzia 149

הלויני כור חטין וקוצץ לו דמים הוזלו נותן לו חטים הוקרו נותן דמיהם

'Lend me a <i>kor</i> of wheat,' and stipulate a monetary return:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., its value when borrowing. ');">¹</span>

והלא קצץ אמר רב ששת הכי קאמר אם לא קצץ הוזלו נוטל חטיו הוקרו נותן דמיהם:

if it depreciates, he returns wheat; if it advances, he repays its value [as at the time of borrowing]. But did he not stipulate?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To return money; why then repay wheat if its value falls? ');">²</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> לא יאמר אדם לחבירו הלויני כור חטין ואני אתן לך לגורן אבל אומר לו הלויני עד שיבא בני או עד שאמצא מפתח והלל אוסר וכן היה הלל אומר לא תלוה אשה ככר לחברתה עד שתעשיה דמים שמא יוקרו חטין ונמצאו באות לידי רבית:

— R. Shesheth answered: It is thus meant: if no stipulation is made, and it depreciates, he takes wheat; if it advances, he repays its [original] value.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אמר רב הונא יש לו סאה לוה סאה סאתים לוה סאתים ר' יצחק אומר אפי' יש לו סאה לוה עליה כמה כורין

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. A MAN MAY NOT SAY TO HIS NEIGHBOUR, 'LEND ME A <i>KOR</i> OF WHEAT AND I WILL REPAY YOU AT HARVEST TIME;'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lest it become dearer. ');">³</span>

תני ר' חייא לסיועיה לרבי יצחק טיפת יין אין לו טיפת שמן אין לו הא יש לו לוה עליה כמה טיפין

BUT HE MAY SAY, 'LEND ME UNTIL MY SON COMES, OR UNTIL I FIND THE KEY.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he has it, but it is temporarily inaccessible. Since the prohibition of lending a se'ah for a se'ah is only Rabbinical, it was not enacted when the borrower actually possesses the grain. ');">⁴</span>

והלל אוסר אמר רב נחמן אמר שמואל הלכה כדברי הלל ולית הלכתא כוותיה

HILLEL, HOWEVER, FORBADE [EVEN THIS.] AND THUS HILLEL USED TO SAY: A WOMAN MUST NOT LEND A LOAF TO HER NEIGHBOUR WITHOUT FIRST VALUING IT, LEST WHEAT ADVANCES AND THUS THEY [THE LENDER AND BORROWER] COME TO [TRANSGRESS THE PROHIBITION OF] USURY.

וכן היה הלל אומר לא תלוה אשה [וכו'] אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל זו דברי הלל אבל חכמים אומרים לוים סתם ופורעים סתם

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. R. Huna said: If he possesses a <i>se'ah</i>, he may borrow a <i>se'ah</i>; two se'ahs, he may borrow two se'ahs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reference is to 'LEND ME UNTIL MY SON COMES etc.' ');">⁵</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל בני חבורה המקפידין זה על זה עוברין משום מדה ומשום משקל ומשום מנין ומשום לוין ופורעין בי"ט וכדברי הלל אף משום רבית

R. Isaac said: Even if he has only a <i>se'ah</i>, he may borrow many <i>kors</i> against it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For in point of fact, the se'ah that he has does not pass into the lender's possession, and he could, if he wished, dispose of it and then purchase a se'ah for repayment, even at a higher price. Thus, having borrowed one se'ah, he is at liberty to dispose of the first and remain in debt for what he borrowed: this se'ah (the borrowed one) then serves as a standby for another, and the second for a third, and so on. ');">⁶</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל תלמידי חכמים מותרים ללוות זה מזה ברבית מאי טעמא מידע ידעי דרבית אסורה ומתנה הוא דיהבו אהדדי א"ל שמואל לאבוה בר איהי הלויני מאה פלפלין במאה ועשרין פלפלין ואריך

R. Hiyya taught the following, which is in support of R. Isaac: [One may not borrow wine or oil for the same quantity to be returned, because] he has not a drop of wine or oil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, if the price of wine or oil advances, there is usury. ');">⁷</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מותר לו לאדם להלוות בניו ובני ביתו ברבית כדי להטעימן טעם רבית ולאו מילתא היא משום דאתי למסרך

Surely then, if he has, he may borrow a large quantity against it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'many drops'. ');">⁸</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> אומר אדם לחבירו נכש עמי ואנכש עמך עדור עמי ואעדור עמך ולא יאמר לו נכש עמי ואעדור עמך עדור עמי ואנכש עמך

HILLEL, HOWEVER, FORBADE [EVEN THIS]. R. Nahman said in Samuel's name: The <i>halachah</i> agrees with Hillel's ruling. The law is nevertheless not in accordance with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc., R. Nahman in Samuel's name. ');">⁹</span> AND THUS HILLEL USED TO SAY, A WOMAN MUST NOT LEND, etc. Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: This is Hillel's view, but the Sages maintain, One may borrow and repay unconditionally. Rab Judah also said in Samuel's name: The members of a company who are particular with each other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., members of a company at one table, each of whom has his own provisions, and when one borrows from another, are particular to weigh, measure, or count, that the exact quantity may be returned. ');">¹⁰</span> transgress [the prohibition of] measure, weight, number, borrowing and repaying on the Festival,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On a Festival one may borrow from his neighbour, but not by weight, measure or number. Likewise, he may not use the terms 'lend' and 'repay', for these belong to monetary transactions. Now Rab Judah observes, when members of a company are particular with each other, they are likely to be led into the transgression of these prohibitions. ');">¹¹</span> and, according to Hillel, usury too.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When members of a company are not particular with each other, and one borrows and returns the same amount after it has advanced, there is no usury, since neither cares whether the exact amount is returned or not. But if they are particular, every change in value is scrupulously noted, and therefore, if it advances, there is usury. This does not refer particularly to Festivals. Since Rab Judah maintains that Hillel's ruling applies only to members who are particular with each other, it follows that neighbours, in respect of whom Hillel stated his view, are always so regarded. (Tosaf.) ');">¹²</span> Rab Judah also said in Samuel's name: Scholars may borrow from each other on interest. Why? Fully knowing that usury is forbidden, they merely present gifts to each other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers only to a trifling matter, such as might be given in any case. (Tosaf.) [They are not as petty and niggardly in their relations to one another as those whose only common bond of interest is the dining table; v. Rappaport, J.H., Das Darlehen, p. 135.] ');">¹³</span> Samuel said to Abbuha b. Ihi: Lend me a hundred peppercorns for a hundred and twenty. And this is well.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it is not usury. ');">¹⁴</span> Ran Judah said in Rab's name: One may lend to his sons and household on interest, in order to give them experience thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to let them know the taste of usury'; i.e., that they should know the bitterness and cankering cares of having to return more than is borrowed. ');">¹⁵</span> This, nevertheless, is incorrect, because he will come to cling thereto.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In teaching his children the dark side of interest, he himself will be impressed with its happy side-for the lender-and engage in it. ');">¹⁶</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. A MAN MAY SAY TO HIS NEIGHBOUR, 'HELP ME TO WEED, AND I WILL HELP YOU; ASSIST ME TO HOE, AND I WILL ASSIST YOU.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though by the time he comes to reciprocate labour costs may have advanced. ');">¹⁷</span> BUT HE MAY NOT SUGGEST, 'DO YOU WEED WITH ME, AND I WILL HOE WITH YOU; DO YOU HOE WITH ME, AND I WILL WEED WITH YOU.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One may be more difficult than the other, and so there may be an appearance of usury. ');">¹⁸</span>