Bava Metzia 226

לא שליח ב"ד כמלוה

— No. It means that the court officer is like the creditor.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Translating: thou — sc. the creditor — shalt stand without together with the man, i.e., the court officer; whilst he of whom thou dost claim etc. ');">¹</span>

ת"ש (שמות כב, כה) אם חבל תחבל שלמת רעך בשליח בית דין הכתוב מדבר אתה אומר בשליח בית דין הכתוב מדבר או אינו אלא בבעל חוב כשהוא אומר (דברים כד, י) לא תבא אל ביתו לעבוט עבוטו הרי בע"ח אמור הא מה אני מקיים אם חבל תחבל שלמת רעך בשליח ב"ד הכתוב מדבר

Come and hear: <i>If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII. 25. ');">²</span>

תנאי היא דתניא שליח ב"ד שבא למשכנו לא יכנס לביתו למשכנו אלא עומד מבחוץ והלה מוציא לו משכון שנאמר (דברים כד, יא) בחוץ תעמוד והאיש

this refers to the court officer. You say it refers to the court officer, but perhaps it is not so, the reference being to the creditor? When Scripture writes, <i>Thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge</i>, it obviously speaks of the creditor.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who is forbidden to enter. ');">³</span>

ותניא אידך בע"ח שבא למשכנו לא יכנס לביתו למשכנו אלא עומד בחוץ והלה נכנס ומוציא לו משכונו שנאמר בחוץ תעמוד ושליח ב"ד שבא למשכנו הרי זה נכנס לביתו וממשכנו

Hence, to whom can I refer, <i>if thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge</i>? Surely to none but the court officer?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the two are placed in opposition, shewing that the court officer may enter the house. This definitely refutes Samuel. ');">⁴</span>

ולא ימשכננו דברים שעושין בהן אוכל נפש ונותן מטה ומטה ומצע לעשיר מטה ומטה ומפץ לעני לו אבל לא לאשתו ולא לבניו ולבנותיו

— It is a controversy of Tannaim. For it has been taught: When the court officer comes to take a pledge of him, he must not enter the house, but stand without, whilst he [the debtor] takes the pledge out to him; for it is written, <i>Thou shalt stand without, and also the man</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the court messenger; v, n. 2. ');">⁵</span>

כדרך שמסדרין לבע"ח כך מסדרין בערכין כלפי לייא עיקר סידור בערכין כתיב אלא אימא כדרך שמסדרין בערכין כך מסדרין בבע"ח

Whereas another [Baraitha] taught: When the creditor comes to take a pledge of him, he must not enter the house, but stand without, whilst he [the debtor] enters, and brings him out his pledge. But when the court officer comes to take a pledge of him, he may enter the house and take it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the two Baraithas differ on Samuel's dictum. ');">⁶</span>

אמר מר נותן מטה ומטה ומצע לעשיר מטה ומטה ומפץ לעני למאן אילימא לאשתו ולבניו ולבנותיו הא אמרת לו אבל לא לאשתו ולבניו ולבנותיו אלא אידי ואידי לדידיה

And he must not take in pledge articles used in the preparation of food. Further, a couch, a couch and a mattress must be left in the case of a wealthy man, and a couch, a couch and a matting for a poor man. Only for himself [the debtor] must these be left, but not for his wife, sons, and daughters. Just as an assessment is made in favour of a debtor,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He must be left sufficient to be able to earn a livelihood. ');">⁷</span>

תרתי למה לי חדא דאכיל עלה וחדא דזג עלה כדשמואל דאמר שמואל כל מילי ידענא אסותייהו לבר מהני תלת מאן דאכיל אהינא מרירא אליבא ריקנא ומאן דאסר מיתנא דכיתנא רטיבא אחרציה ומאן דאכיל נהמא ולא מסגי ארבעה גרמידי

so also is it made in the case of 'valuations'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Vows whereby one's own value is promised to the Temple. Scripture set a fixed value, depending on the age and sex of the vower (Lev. XXVII. 1-8). But if he was poor, his means were assessed and the valuation reduced. Cf. ibid, 8: But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him: according to the means of him that vowed shall the priest value him. ');">⁸</span>

תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן כדרך שמסדרין בערכין כך מסדרין בבע"ח א"ל השתא זבוני מזבנינן ליה סדורי מסדרינן ליה ומי מזבנינן ליה והתנן מחזיר את הכר בלילה ואת המחרישה ביום

On the contrary! The main law of assessment is written in reference to 'valuations'. — But say: just as an assessment is made in the case of 'valuations', so also in favour of a debtor.

תנא כרשב"ג תנא קמיה והכי קאמר ליה השתא לרשב"ג זבוני מזבנינן ליה סדורי מסדרינן ליה דתנן רשב"ג אומר אף לעצמו אינו מחזיר אלא עד שלשים יום מכאן ואילך מוכרן בב"ד

The Master said: 'Further, a couch, a couch and a mattress must be left to a wealthy man, and a couch, a couch and a matting for a poor man.' For whom [is the second couch]? Shall we say, For his wife, sons, and daughters? But you say, 'but not for his wife, sons and daughters'! Hence both are for himself. Then why two? — One at which he eats and the other on which he sleeps. Even as Samuel said, viz.: For all things I know the cure, except the following three: [i] eating bitter dates on an empty stomach; [ii] girding one's loins with a damp flaxen cord; and [iii] eating bread and not walking four cubits after it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before retiring. Rashi: hence one must have a couch for dining placed four cubits distant from the sleeping couch, so that he will be bound to take the necessary exercise! ');">⁹</span>

וממאי דכי קאמר רשב"ג זבוני לגמרי קאמר דלמא הכי קאמר עד שלשים יום הדר ליה בעיניה מכאן ואילך מיהדר ליה למאי דחזי ליה ומזבנינן מאי דלא חזי ליה

A tanna recited before R. Nahman: Just as assessment is made in the case of 'valuations', so is it also made for debtors. Said he to him: If we even sell [his property], shall we make an assessment for him!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To leave him sufficient money to buy these articles! — (Tosaf.). ');">¹⁰</span>

אי סלקא דעתך אית ליה לרשב"ג האי סברא ליכא מידי דלא חזי ליה דאמר אביי רשב"ג ורבי שמעון ורבי ישמעאל ורבי עקיבא כולהו סבירא להו כל ישראל בני מלכים הן

But do we really sell [his property]? Did we not learn: AND HE MUST RETURN THE PILLOW AT NIGHT, AND THE PLOUGH BY DAY? — The tanna recited the view of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel before him, whereupon he observed: Seeing that according to R. Simeon b. Gamaliel we even sell [his property], shall we make an assessment for him! For we learnt: R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: EVEN TO HIM HIMSELF [THE DEBTOR] HE MUST RETURN IT ONLY UP TO THIRTY DAYS; AFTER THAT, HE MAY SELL IT ON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COURT. But how do you know that R. Simeon b. Gamaliel means an outright sale: perhaps he means this: until thirty days he must return it as it is; after that, only what is fitting for him [the debtor] is returned, whilst what is not fitting for him is sold!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if silk nightwear was seized, it is sold, and out of the proceeds cheaper nightwear is bought for the debtor, and the residue goes to the creditor. Thus even R. Simeon b, Gamaliel may agree that some exemption is made. ');">¹¹</span>

רשב"ג דתנן לא את הלוף ולא את החרדל רשב"ג מתיר בלוף מפני שהוא מאכל לעורבין

— Should you think that R. Simeon b. Gamaliel accepts this view, there is nothing that is unfitting for him. For Abaye said: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, R. Simeon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., R. Simeon b. Yohai. ');">¹²</span>

רבי שמעון דתנן בני מלכים סכין שמן וורד על גבי מכותיהן בשבת שכן דרכן לסוך בחול ר' שמעון אומר כל ישראל בני מלכים הן

R. Ishmael and R. Akiba, all maintain that all Israelites are princes. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel — for we learnt: Neither lof<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A plant similar to colocasia, with edible leaves and root, and bearing beans. It is classified with onions and garlic (Jast.). The beans are edible when boiled, but not raw. ');">¹³</span>

רבי ישמעאל ורבי עקיבא דתניא הרי שהיו נושין בו אלף זוז ולבוש איצטלא בת מאה מנה מפשיטין אותה ממנו ומלבישים אותו איצטלא הראויה לו ותנא משום רבי ישמעאל ותנא משום רבי עקיבא כל ישראל ראוין לאותה איצטלא

nor the mustard plant [may be moved on the Sabbath].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is a general principle that only those foodstuffs which are fit for consumption on the Sabbath may be moved on that day. Since, however, the lof beans may not be boiled, nor may the mustard grains be ground. on the Sabbath, they are not fit for food, and therefore must not be handled. ');">¹⁴</span>

ולמאי דסליק אדעתין מעיקרא דיהיב ליה מאי דחזי ליה ומזבנינן מאי דלא חזי ליה בשלמא כר וכסת חזי ליה דביני ביני אלא מחרישה למאי חזיא אמר רבא בר רבה מחרישה דכספא

R. Simeon b. Gamaliel gave permission in the case of lof, because it is food for ravens.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since it was a royal practice to keep ravens — for sport or adornment — it is fitting that Jews too should keep them; (v. Shab. 126b) hence the lof has its uses on the Sabbath, and therefore may be moved from one place to another. ');">¹⁵</span>

מתקיף לה רב חגא ולימא ליה לאו עלי קרמית אמר ליה אביי

R. Simeon: For we learnt: Princes may anoint their wounds with rose oil on the Sabbath, since it is their practice to anoint themselves on week-days.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even when they have no bruises, but merely for suppleness. Therefore it does not appear as a healing ointment, and so is permitted on the Sabbath (v. Shab. 111a). (Healing in general is forbidden on the Sabbath, excepting in cases of urgency.) ');">¹⁶</span> R. Simeon said: All Israel are princes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence it is permitted for all. ');">¹⁷</span> R. Ishmael and R. Akiba: For we learnt: If one was a debtor for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, and wore a robe a hundred <i>manehs</i> in value, he is stripped thereof and robed with a garment that is fitting for him. But therein a Tanna taught on the authority of R. Ishmael and R. Akiba: All Israel are worthy of that robe.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they are of princely descent. ');">¹⁸</span> Now, on the original assumption that he [the debtor] was allowed what was fitting for him, whilst that which was unfitting for him was sold, [it may be asked:] as for a pillow and bolster, articles of inferior quality may suffice for him;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the difference (between these lower priced articles) is available for him (the creditor).' ');">¹⁹</span> but in respect of a plough, what is there available?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nothing inferior can be substituted, yet in respect of that too R. Simeon b. Gamaliel ruled that it was to be sold after thirty days. ');">²⁰</span> — Raba b. Rabbah replied: [The Mishnah refers to] a silver strigil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A flesh scraper or brush, used for exciting the action of the skin, This too is called [H], and R. Simeon b. Gamaliel rules that after thirty days it must be sold, an inferior one bought, and the creditor pockets the difference. ');">²¹</span> To this R. Haga demurred: But let him [the creditor] say to him: you are not thrown upon me!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'I have no particular responsibility toward you.' ');">²²</span> — Abaye answered him: