Nedarim 62
בחזרה פטור מפני שהוא כנושא שכר
It was taught in agreement with Samuel: If one takes articles from a tradesman [on approval] to send them [as a gift] to his father-in-law's house, and stipulates: 'if they are accepted, I will pay you their value, but if not, I will pay you for their goodwill benefit':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which he would derive from his father-in-law's knowing that he wished to make him a present. Although only a matter of goodwill a monetary value could be set upon it. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ההוא ספסירא דשקל חמרא לזבוני ולא איזבן בהדי דהדר איתניס חמרא חייביה רב נחמן לשלומי איתיביה רבא לרב נחמן נאנסו בהליכה חייב בחזרה פטור
if they were accidentally damaged on the outward journey, he is liable;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This supports Samuel's ruling. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
אמר ליה חזרה דספסירא הולכה היא דאילו משכח לזבוני אפילו אבבא דביתיה מי לא מזבין ליה
if on their return journey, he is not liable, because he is regarded as a paid trustee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who is not liable for accidental damage; this is because he has derived some benefit through having had it in his charge; but he cannot be considered as a simple borrower, the sole benefit being his, since this benefit has by now ceased, B.M. (Sonc. ed.) p. 460. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
שאני נהנה למולים אסור בערלי ישראל ומותר במולי נוכרים שאין הערלה קרויה אלא לשם נוכרים שנאמר כי כל הגוים ערלים וכל בית ישראל ערלי לב (ירמיהו ט, כה) ואומר והיה הפלשתי הערל הזה (שמואל א יז, לו) ואומר פן תשמחנה בנות פלשתים פן תעלוזנה בנות הערלים (שמואל ב א, כ)
to sell, but could not sell it. On his way back it was accidentally injured, [whereupon] R. Nahman held him liable to make it good. Raba objected: 'if they were damaged on the outward journey, he is liable; if on their return journey. he is not!' — Sand he to him: The return journey of a middleman counts as an outward journey, for if he finds a purchaser even at his doorstep, will he not sell [it] to him?
רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר מאוסה היא הערלה שנתגנו בה רשעים שנאמר כי כל הגוים ערלים (ירמיהו ט, כה) רבי ישמעאל אומר גדולה מילה שנכרתו עליה שלוש עשרה בריתות
<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [IF ONE SAYS,] 'KONAM THAT I DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THE UNCIRCUMCISED, HE MAY BENEFIT FROM UNCIRCUMCISED ISRAELITES BUT NOT FROM CIRCUMCISED HEATHENS; THAT I DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THE CIRCUMCISED,' HE IS FORBIDDEN TO BENEFIT FROM UNCIRCUMCISED ISRAELITES BUT NOT FROM CIRCUMCISED HEATHENS, BECAUSE 'UNCIRCUMCISED' IS A TERM APPLICABLE ONLY TO HEATHENS, AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR ALL THE NATIONS ARE UNCIRCUMCISED AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL ARE UNCIRCUMCISED IN THE HEART.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jet. IX, 25. Thus, though there may be some circumcised among the heathens, they are collectively termed 'uncircumcised'; similarly, when the Israelites are rebuked for their leanings to paganism, they are denounced as 'uncircumcised of heart'. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
רבי יוסי אומר גדולה מילה שדוחה את השבת חמורה
AND IT IS FURTHER SAID, AND THIS UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE SHALL BE [AS ONE OF THEM],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XVII, 36, though he did not know whether Goliath was uncircumcised or not. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר גדולה מילה שלא נתלה לו למשה הצדיק עליה מלוא שעה
AND IT IS FURTHER SAID, LEST THE DAUGHTERS OF THE PHILISTINES REJOICE, LEST THE DAUGHTERS OF THE UNCIRCUMCISED TRIUMPH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. I, 20. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
רבי נחמיה אומר גדולה מילה שדוחה את הנגעים רבי אומר גדולה מילה שכל המצוות שעשה אברהם אבינו לא נקרא שלם עד שמל שנאמר התהלך לפני והיה תמים (בראשית יז, א)
R. ELEAZAR B. 'AZARIAH SAID: THE FORESKIN IS LOATHSOME, SINCE IT IS A TERM OF OPPROBRIUM FOR THE WICKED, AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR ALL THE NATIONS ARE UNCIRCUMCISED. R. ISHMAEL SAID, GREAT IS [THE PRECEPT] OF CIRCUMCISION, SINCE THIRTEEN COVENANTS WERE MADE THEREON.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the passage dealing with God's command to Abraham to circumcise himself, the word 'covenant' occurs thirteen times. Gen. XVII. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
דבר אחר גדולה מילה שאלמלא היא לא ברא הקב"ה את עולמו שנאמר כה אמר ה' אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה חקות שמים וארץ לא שמתי (ירמיהו לג, כה)
R. JOSE SAID, CIRCUMCISION IS A GREAT PRECEPT, FOR IT OVERRIDES [THE SEVERITY OF] THE SABBATH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Circumcision, though entailing work, is performed on the Sabbath. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תניא רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר גדולה מילה שכל זכויות שעשה משה רבינו לא עמדו לו כשנתרשל מן המילה שנאמר ויפגשהו ה' ויבקש המיתו (שמות ד, כד)
R. JOSHUA B. KARHA SAID: GREAT IS [THE PRECEPT OF] CIRCUMCISION, FOR [NEGLECTING] WHICH MOSES DID NOT HAVE [HIS PUNISHMENT] SUSPENDED EVEN FOR A SINGLE HOUR.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is discussed in the Gemara. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
אמר רבי חס ושלום שמשה רבינו נתרשל מן המילה אלא כך אמר אמול ואצא סכנה היא שנאמר ויהי ביום השלישי בהיותם כואבים וגו' (בראשית לד, כה) אמול ואשהא שלשה ימים הקב"ה אמר לי לך שוב מצרים (שמות ד, יט) אלא מפני מה נענש משה
R. NEHEMIAH SAID, GREAT IS [THE PRECEPT OF] CIRCUMCISION, SINCE IT SUPERSEDES THE LAWS OF LEPROSY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A leprous spot, such as a swelling etc., may not be cut off (Deut. XXIV, is so interpreted); but if it is on the foreskin, it may be removed together with it. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> RABBI SAID, GREAT IS CIRCUMCISION, FOR [NOTWITHSTANDING] ALL THE PRECEPTS WHICH ABRAHAM FULFILLED HE WAS NOT DESIGNATED PERFECT UNTIL HE CIRCUMCISED HIMSELF, AS IT IS WRITTEN, WALK BEFORE ME, AND BE THOU PERFECT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XVII, 1. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> ANOTHER EXPLANATION: GREAT IS CIRCUMCISION, SINCE BUT FOR THAT, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WOULD NOT HAVE CREATED THE UNIVERSE, AS IT IS WRITTEN, BUT FOR MY COVENANT BY DAY AND NIGHT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is taken to refer to circumcision, which, as shown above, is frequently designated as such. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> I WOULD NOT HAVE APPOINTED THE ORDINANCES OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXXIII, 25. This is the end of the Mishnah in our text, but other versions, including that of Ran and Tosaf., add the following: — Great is circumcision, for it counterbalances all other precepts put together, as it is written, behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words (Ex. XXIV, 8). All these words are understood to mean all God's precepts: and 'the blood of the covenant', though referring in its context to sacrifice, is applied to circumcision, on account of its frequent designation as covenant. Part of this reading is quoted in the Gemara as a Baraitha. — Weiss, Dor, II, 9. regards all these dicta as called forth by Christianity's abrogation of circumcision. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. It was taught: R. Joshua b. Karha said, Great is circumcision, for all the meritorious deeds performed by Moses our teacher did not stand him in stead when he displayed apathy towards circumcision, as it is written, and the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. IV, 24. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> R. Jose sand, God forbid that Moses should have been apathetic towards circumcision, but he reasoned thus: 'If I circumcise [my son] and [straightway] go forth [on my mission to Pharaoh], I will endanger his life, as it is written, and it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXIV, 25. This refers to the inhabitants of the city of Shechem, who underwent circumcision. Moses considered it dangerous to take his son on a journey within the first three days of circumcision. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> If I circumcise him, and tarry three days, — but the Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded: Go, return unto Egypt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. IV, 19, implying without delay. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> Why then was Moses punished?