Gittin 80

ומקרקיש ליה זוזי וכתב ליה גיטא דחירותא על שמיה

and [the slave] will rattle some coins before the child, and [the guardian] will write out a deed of emancipation for the slave in his name.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A minor could not be compelled to emancipate his slaves, nor could his guardian do so for him. On the other hand, a minor was competent to sell movables. Hence if the slave could induce him to sell to him his half, well and good, and the function of the guardian was only to see that he obtained a fair price. According to Tosaf., the deed is made out in the name of the guardian. V. Tosaf. s.v. [H]. ');">¹</span>

ת"ר האומר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין עשוי בן חורין הרי הוא בן חורין הרי הוא בן חורין

Our Rabbis have taught: If a man says, 'I have made my slave So-and-so free', 'he is hereby declared free', 'I declare him free,' then he becomes a free man. [If he says,] 'I shall make him free,' Rabbi says that he acquires possession [of himself],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Along with the deed of emancipation in which these words are written. ');">²</span>

אעשנו בן חורין רבי אומר קנה וחכ"א לא קנה א"ר יוחנן וכולן בשטר:

but the Sages say that he does not.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because this is only a promise that he will liberate him subsequently by means of another deed. ');">³</span>

ת"ר האומר נתתי שדה פלונית לפלוני נתונה לפלוני הרי היא שלו הרי היא שלו אתננה לפלוני ר"מ אומר קנה וחכ"א לא קנה א"ר יוחנן וכולן בשטר

R. Johanan explained that in every case we suppose a deed to have been made out.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But if it is merely a verbal declaration, the master can retract. ');">⁴</span>

ת"ר האומר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין והוא אומר לא עשאני חיישינן שמא זיכה לו ע"י אחר כתבתי ונתתי לו והוא אומר לא כתב לי ולא נתן לי הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים דמי

Our Rabbis have taught: If a man says, 'I have given such-and-such a field to So-and-so'; 'It is presented to So-and-so'; 'I declare it to be his,' then it is his. If he says, 'I shall give it to So-and-so,' R. Meir<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec.; Rabbi. ');">⁵</span>

האומר נתתי שדה פלונית לפלוני והוא אומר לא נתן לי חיישינן שמא זיכה לו ע"י אחר כתבתי ונתתי לו והוא אומר לא כתב ולא נתן לי הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים דמי

says that he acquires ownership of it, but the Sages say that he does not acquire ownership. R. Johanan explained that in every case we suppose a deed to have been given.

מי אוכל פירות רב חסדא אמר נותן אוכל פירות ורבה אמר משלשין את הפירות

Our Rabbis have taught: If a man says, 'I have made my slave So-and-so free,' and the slave says, 'You have not freed me', we take into account the possibility that he has presented him a deed of emancipation through a third party.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Without the slave's knowledge. In such a case the slave would be liberated on the principle that a benefit may be conferred on a man without his knowledge. ');">⁶</span>

ולא פליגי הא באבא הא בברא:

If, however, the master says, 'I have written and given to him,' and he says, 'He has not written for me nor given to me,' this is a case where the admission of the litigant is worth the evidence of a hundred witnesses. If a man says, 'I have given such-and-such a field to So-and-so', and the latter says, 'He has not given it to me,' we take into account the possibility that he may have presented it to him through a third party. If he says, 'I have written [a deed] and presented it to him,' and the other says, 'He has not written nor presented to me,' then in that case the admission of the litigant is worth the evidence of a hundred witnesses. [In such a case] who is entitled to the produce? — R. Hisda says the donor is entitled to the produce, whereas Rabbah says that the produce is entrusted to a third party.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who puts it on one side till the 'coming of Elijah', i.e., till the truth of matter is ascertained. ');">⁷</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> עבד שעשאו רבו אפותיקי לאחרים ושיחררו שורת הדין אין העבד חייב כלום אלא מפני תיקון העולם כופין את רבו ועושה אותו בן חורין וכותב שטר על דמיו רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר אינו כותב אלא משחרר:

There is no conflict between the two rulings; the one applies to the father, the other to the son.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We accept the disclaimer of the man who is alleged to have received the gift, but not of his son, as witnesses may still be found to prove that the gift was actually made. ');">⁸</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> עבד שעשאו רבו אפותיקי ושיחררו: מי שחררו אמר רב רבו ראשון שורת הדין אין העבד חייב כלום לרבו שני

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF A MAN MAKES HIS SLAVE SECURITY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] [G]. ');">⁹</span>

כדרבא דאמר רבא הקדש חמץ ושחרור מפקיעין מידי שיעבוד אלא מפני תיקון העולם שמא ימצאנו בשוק

[FOR A DEBT] TO ANOTHER MAN AND HE EMANCIPATES HIM, IN STRICT JUSTICE THE SLAVE IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANYTHING, BUT TO PREVENT ABUSES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for the better ordering of the world'. ');">¹⁰</span> HIS MASTER IS COMPELLED TO EMANCIPATE HIM. AND HE GIVES A BOND FOR HIS PURCHASE PRICE. RABBAN SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS THAT HE DOES NOT GIVE A BOND BUT HE EMANCIPATES HIM.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The whole of this Mishnah is explained in the Gemara. ');">¹¹</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. IF A MAN MAKES HIS SLAVE SECURITY FOR A DEBT AND HE EMANCIPATES HIM. Who emancipates him? — Rab says, his first master. In strict justice the slave is then not liable for anything to his second master, according to the dictum of Raba, that 'sanctification,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a man pledges an animal as security and then devotes it for a sacrifice. ');">¹²</span> leaven,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a man borrows from a Gentile on the security of leaven and the Passover intervenes, rendering the leaven forbidden for use. ');">¹³</span> and emancipation release from a creditor's lien.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.K. 90a. ');">¹⁴</span> To prevent abuses, however, [that is to say, for fear] lest he should find him in the street