Bava Batra 173

ולגורן יפה סלע אסור להנות הימנו אבל אם שכרו מהיום בדינר ליום ולגורן יפה סלע מותר

but at that season [the labourer] was worth a <i>sela'</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sela' = four denarii. ');">¹</span> [a day] he must not derive any benefit from it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the difference between the sum given and the price of labour at harvesting time; because this may be regarded as usury. since the labourer is paying a sela' (in labour) for every denarius he has received in advance. ');">²</span> If, however, [a man] hires [a labourer to commence work] at once [and to continue through the harvesting season] for a denarius a day, [although] at the harvesting season he was worth a <i>sela'</i>, [he] is permitted [to pay in advance and to have the benefit of the difference].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the whole period of the hiring is considered as one long day; and, since on the first days of the period the labour was only worth a denarius per day. no higher price need be paid for the other days. ');">³</span>

ואי ס"ד כור בשלשים סאה בסלע אני מוכר לך ראשון ראשון קנה ה"נ קמא קמא מיפסק פסק ואסור להנות הימנו מדינר ליום ולגורן יפה סלע מותר אמאי והא אגר נטר לי הוא

Now, if you are of the opinion that [if the seller said]. 'I sell you a <i>kor</i> for thirty, [each] <i>se'ah</i> for a <i>sela'</i>, '[the buyer] acquires possession of every <i>se'ah</i> as it is measured out, here also, [since mention was made of a 'denarius a day'] every day that has passed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'first first'. ');">⁴</span> [should have been regarded as] cut off<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mentioning the entire period and the denarius per day is similar to mentioning the entire kor and the individual units of the se'ah. ');">⁵</span> [from the other days of the period that follow] and it should, [therefore], be forbidden to derive any benefit from it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz. the difference between the wages at the harvesting season and that at the earlier days. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רבא ותסברא זלזולי בשכירות מי אסיר מאי שנא רישא ומאי שנא סיפא

Why then [has it been said that if a man hires a labourer to commence work at once and to continue through the harvesting season] for a denarius a day, [although] at the harvesting season he was worth a <i>sela'</i> [he] is permitted [to have the benefit]? Is not this [difference] a reward<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., usury. ');">⁷</span> for advancing the money?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'reward for waiting for me'. ');">⁸</span> Raba replied: What a logical argument! Has it ever been forbidden to reduce one's hire to the lowest level?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A labourer may. so far as the Biblical prohibition of usury is concerned, agree to take any wage, however low, even if his work is not to begin until the harvesting season, and his wages may be paid in advance. Lowering one's wage is not the same as paying usury for advancing money as a loan or on a purchase. ');">⁹</span>

רישא דלא קא עביד בהדיה מהשתא מיחזי כי אגר נטר לי סיפא דקא עביד בהדיה מהשתא לא מיחזי כי אגר נטר לי:

Wherein [then, lies the reason for] the difference between the first, and the last clause?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since one may lower his wage, why does the first clause state that one must have no benefit from the difference between the denarius and the sea'? ');">¹⁰</span> — [In] the first clause, since work does not begin<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'does not do with him'. ');">¹¹</span> at once,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As soon as the wage was agreed upon and paid. ');">¹²</span>

ואם היה מחובר בקרקע ותלש כל שהוא קנה: משום דתלש כל שהוא קנה אמר רב ששת הכא במאי עסקינן דאמר ליה לך יפה לך קרקע כל שהוא וקני כל מה שעליה:

[the difference between the two rates of wage] appears as a reward for advancing the money;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And prohibited as a mere Rabbinical restrictive measure. V. n. 6. ');">¹³</span> [in] the last clause, where work begins at once, [the difference] does not appear as a reward for advancing the money. AND IT IF WAS ATTACHED TO THE GROUND AND HE PLUCKED [OF IT] ANY QUANTITY, HE HAS ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP. Does he acquire ownership [of all the flax] because he has plucked some of it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How can the meshikah of a small part affect the entire purchase? ');">¹⁴</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> המוכר יין ושמן לחבירו והוקרו או שהוזלו אם עד שלא נתמלאת המדה למוכר משנתמלאת המדה ללוקח ואם היה סרסור ביניהן נשברה החבית נשברה לסרסור

— R. Shesheth replied: The case dealt with here [refers to a seller] who said [to the buyer], 'Go improve<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Clearing any piece of land, by plucking the flax that grows upon it, prepares it for ploughing. and thus improves it. ');">¹⁵</span> for yourself any piece of land, [acquire<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By improving the piece of land at the request of the owner, the buyer acquires possession of the entire field, though he did not buy it for the purpose of acquiring the flax. ');">¹⁶</span> possession of it, and thereby] acquire ownership of all that is upon it.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By acquiring possession of the land one acquires all that grows upon it. ');">¹⁷</span>

וחייב להטיף לו שלש טיפין הרכינה ומיצית הרי הוא של מוכר והחנווני אינו חייב להטיף שלש טיפין רבי יהודה אומר ערב שבת עם חשכה פטור:

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [IF] ONE SELLS WINE OR OIL TO ANOTHER AND IT HAS BECOME DEARER<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the price had been agreed upon. ');">¹⁸</span> OR CHEAPER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the price had been agreed upon. ');">¹⁸</span> — IF THE MEASURE HAS NOT YET BEEN FILLED, [THE BENEFIT OR LOSS IS] THE SELLER'S. AFTER THE MEASURE HAS BEEN FILLED, [THE BENEFIT OR LOSS IS] THE BUYER'S. IF THERE WAS A MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN THEM [AND] THE CASK WAS BROKEN [BEFORE DELIVERY TO THE BUYER], THE LOSS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was broken. ');">¹⁹</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> הא מדה דמאן אילימא מדה דלוקח עד שלא נתמלאת מדה למוכר מדה דלוקח היא ואלא מדה דמוכר משנתמלאת מדה ללוקח מדה דמוכר היא

IS THE MIDDLEMAN'S. [A SELLER] MUST [IN FAVOUR OF THE BUYER] ALLOW THREE DROPS TO FALL [FROM THE SIDES OF HIS VESSEL INTO THAT OF THE BUYER AFTER THE LIQUID HAS BEEN POURED OUT]. IF HE INCLINED THE VESSEL [AFTER THE THREE DROPS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO FALL]. THE ACCUMULATION OF THE REMNANTS [FROM ITS SIDES] BELONGS TO THE SELLER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashb. Jastrow, on the basis of a variant reading. renders, 'If he bent the vessel and drained it.' ');">²⁰</span> A SHOPKEEPER<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who has to attend to his customers and is pressed for time. ');">²¹</span> IS NOT OBLIGED TO ALLOW THE THREE DROPS TO FALL. R. JUDAH SAID: ON SABBATH EVE TOWARDS DUSK ONE IS EXEMPT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Gemara explains this. ');">²²</span>

אמר ר' אלעא במדת סרסור והא מדקתני סיפא ואם היה סרסור ביניהם נשברה החבית נשברה לסרסור מכלל דרישא לאו בסרסור עסקינן רישא מדה בלא סרסור סיפא בסרסור עצמו:

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Whose measure was this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The measure spoken of in our Mishnah. ');">²³</span> If it is assumed to have been the measure of the buyer, [why should the benefit or loss be that] of the seller before the measure has been filled? [Surely] it is the buyer's measure!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereby he should acquire ownership. ');">²⁴</span> If, however, [it is assumed that it was] the seller's measure, [why should the benefit or loss be that] of the buyer after the measure has been filled? [Surely] it is the seller's measure! — R. Elai replied: The measure was the middleman's.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he lent it to the buyer and the seller. ');">²⁵</span>

הרכינה ומיצית הרי הוא של מוכר: כי סליק רבי אלעזר אשכחיה לזעירי אמר ליה מי כאן תנא דאתנייה רב מדות אחוייה רב יצחק בר אבדימי א"ל מאי קא קשיא לך דתנן הרכינה ומיצית הרי הוא של מוכר

But since it is taught in the latter clause, IF THERE WAS A MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN THEM AND THE CASK WAS BROKEN THE LOSS IS THE MIDDLEMAN'S, is it not to be inferred that the first clause does not deal with the case of a middleman? — The first clause [speaks of] a measure in the absence of the middleman; the latter clause, of the middleman himself.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he buys from the seller to sell to the buyer, and the measure is his, and he himself is present, the purchase is his until delivery to the buyer. ');">²⁶</span> [IF THE VESSEL&nbsp;…] HAS BEEN INCLINED, THE ACCUMULATION OF THE REMNANTS [FROM ITS SIDES] BELONGS TO THE SELLER. When R. Eleazar went up<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From Babylon to Palestine. ');">²⁷</span> he met Ze'iri to whom he said: Is there here a tanna<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e. one who memorizes Mishnayoth and Baraithoth for recital in the school; v. Glos. ');">²⁸</span> whom Rab has taught the Mishnah of measures? He showed him R. Isaac b. Abdimi. The latter said unto him: What is your difficulty? — For [the other replied,] we learnt: [IF THE VESSEL&nbsp;…] HAS BEEN INCLINED, THE ACCUMULATION OF THE REMNANTS [FROM ITS SIDES] BELONGS TO THE SELLER;