Shevuot 88

ורב יוסף אמר כשומר שכר דמי

and R'Joseph says he is like a paid bailee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For he receives divine reward for the mizwah of guarding the lost object, and is therefore responsible for its loss or theft. A lender also has a mizwah for helping the borrower with a loan, therefore he is like a paid bailee for the pledge which is in his keeping, according to R. Joseph. Accordingly, R. Eliezer, who holds the lender is not responsible for the pledge, will agree with Rabbah; and R. Akiba, with R. Joseph.');">¹</span> Shall we say [then] that [these] Tannaim disagree about R'Joseph's ruling?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They certainly disagree about Rabbah's view, for R. Akiba definitely does not agree with him. But can R. Joseph (who agrees with R. Akiba) also say that R. Eliezer agrees with him, too?');">²</span> - No! In the case of a guardian of a lost object all agree with R'Joseph;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even R. Eliezer agrees, for, since he is doing a mizwah, he is accounted a paid guardian (for he will receive divine payment) .');">³</span>

לימא דרב יוסף תנאי היא לא בשומר אבידה דכולי עלמא אית להו דרב יוסף והכא במלוה צריך למשכון קא מיפלגי מר סבר מצוה קא עביד ומר סבר לאו מצוה קא עביד

but here they disagree in a case where the lender requires the pledge [for his use]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he deducts from the loan the amount he would have to pay for its hire.');">⁴</span> one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Akiba holds that though he is making use of the pledge he is still doing a mizwah by lending the money, for he is deducting from the debt the amount he would have to pay for hiring the pledge; and since he is doing a mizwah, he is a paid guardian for the pledge, and is responsible for its loss.');">⁵</span> holds he is doing a mizwah, and the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Eliezer holds that since he is using the pledge, he is not doing a mizwah, for he wants it for his own benefit, and is therefore an unpaid guardian, and is not responsible for its loss.');">⁶</span>

לימא כתנאי המלוה את חבירו על המשכון ונכנסה שמיטה אף על פי שאינו שוה אלא פלגא אינו משמט דברי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל רבי יהודה הנשיא אומר אם היה משכונו כנגד חובו אינו משמט ואם לאו משמט

holds he is not doing a mizwah. Shall we say that [the following] Tannaim [disagree about Samuel's ruling]? [For it was taught:] If one lends his neighbour [money] on a pledge, and the Sabbatical year arrives, even if it is only worth a half, it does not cancel [the debt]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Sabbatical year cancels debts (Deut. XV, 1, 2) , but if a pledge was taken for the debt, the Sabbatical year does not cancel the debt; v. Git. 37a; but Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel holds that this applies even where the pledge was worth only half of the value of the debt.');">⁷</span>

מאי אינו משמט דקאמר תנא קמא אילימא כנגדו מכלל דרבי יהודה הנשיא סבר כנגדו נמי משמט אלא אמאי תפיס משכון

this is the opinion of Rabban Simeon B'Gamaliel. R'Judah the Prince says: If his pledge was equal in value to the debt, it does not cancel it; but if not, it cancels it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.M. 48b.');">⁸</span> Now, what is meant by 'it does not cancel it' which the first Tanna states?

אלא לאו כנגד כולו ובדשמואל קא מיפלגי

Shall we say, only up to its value?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Sabbatical year does not cancel that portion of the debt which is equal to the value of the pledge (and therefore secured by it) .');">⁹</span> [But] this would imply that R'Judah the Prince holds it cancels also that portion up to its value! Then for what purpose is he holding the pledge? But it therefore means [does it not? ] all of it;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Simeon b. Gamaliel holds that even if the pledge is worth only half the amount of the debt, the Sabbatical year does not cancel any part of the debt at all; and R. Judah holds it does not cancel that portion which the pledge secures (i.e., up to its value) .');">¹⁰</span>

לא לעולם כנגדו ובהא קמיפלגי תנא קמא סבר כנגדו ורבי יהודה הנשיא סבר כנגדו נמי משמט ודקא אמרת למאי תפיס ליה משכון לזכרון דברים בעלמא:

and they disagree about Samuel's ruling!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Simeon agrees with Samuel that, even if the pledge is not worth as much as the debt, it is counted as security for the whole debt. If so, let Samuel say he agrees with R. Simeon b. Gamaliel.');">¹¹</span> - No! Really only up to its value,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Does R. Simeon b. Gamaliel hold that the Sabbatical year does not cancel it, for the pledge secures that portion; and he does not agree with Samuel.');">¹²</span> and in this they disagree: the first Tanna holds [it does not cancel] up to its value; and R'Judah the Prince holds it cancels also up to its value;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if the pledge is not actually worth as much as the loan, it is of no effect, and the Sabbatical year cancels the whole debt.');">¹³</span>

<br><br><big><strong>הדרן עלך שבועת הדיינין</strong></big><br><br>

and as to your question: Why is he holding the pledge? That is merely as a reminder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he lent him money, but is no security at all, since it is not equal in value to the debt.');">¹⁴</span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>ALL WHO TAKE AN OATH [ENFORCED] IN SCRIPTURE, TAKE AN OATH, AND DO NOT PAY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' i.e., according to the Torah, it is the defendant in the action who takes the oath that he does not owe, and is exempt from paying.');">¹⁵</span>

מתני׳ <big><strong>כל</strong></big> הנשבעין שבתורה נשבעין ולא משלמין ואלו נשבעין ונוטלין השכיר והנגזל והנחבל ושכנגדו חשוד על השבועה וחנוני על פנקסו

BUT THESE TAKE AN OATH, AND RECEIVE [PAYMENT]: THE HIRED LABOURER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Takes an oath that his wages have not been paid.');">¹⁶</span> HE WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED, HE WHO HAS BEEN WOUNDED, HE WHOSE OPPONENT IS SUSPECTED OF TAKING A FALSE OATH,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The debtor, who normally takes the oath, is known to have sworn falsely in the past; so the Court impose the oath on the creditor, and he exacts his money.');">¹⁷</span> AND THE SHOPKEEPER WITH HIS ACCOUNT BOOK.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who has written down in his book the amount he has allowed the other on credit. ,menc vsun');">¹⁸</span>

השכיר כיצד אמר לו תן לי שכרי שיש לי בידך הוא אומר נתתי והלה אומר לא נטלתי הוא נשבע ונוטל רבי יהודה אומר עד שתהא שם מקצת הודאה כיצד אמר לו תן לי שכרי חמשים דינר שיש לי בידך והוא אומר התקבלת דינר זהב

'THE HIRED LABOURER' - HOW? [IF] HE SAYS TO HIM [HIS EMPLOYER].' GIVE ME MY WAGES WHICH YOU OWE ME,' AND HE REPLIES, 'I HAVE GIVEN IT,' AND THE OTHER SAYS, 'I HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT,' HE [THE LABOURER] TAKES AN OATH AND OBTAINS [HIS DUE].

נגזל כיצד היו מעידין אותו שנכנס לביתו למשכנו שלא ברשות הוא אומר כליי נטלת והוא אומר לא נטלתי הוא נשבע ונוטל רבי יהודה אומר עד שתהא שם מקצת הודאה כיצד אמר לו שני כלים נטלת והוא אומר לא נטלתי אלא אחד

R'JUDAH SAYS, [THERE IS NO OATH] UNLESS THERE IS PARTIAL ADMISSION:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the defendant, the employer, would normally have had to take the oath (being a) ; in that case, the Sages say that the oath is removed from him, and imposed upon the employee; but where there is no admission on the part of the employer, there would have been no oath (according to the Torah, except the Rabbinic consuetudinary oath, v. supra p. 247) ; and in this case the Rabbis do not impose it on the labourer.');">¹⁹</span> HOW? IF HE SAYS TO HIM, 'GIVE ME MY WAGES, FIFTY DENARII, WHICH YOU OWE ME,' AND THE OTHER SAYS, 'YOU HAVE RECEIVED A GOLD DENAR''<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 25 silver denarii.');">²⁰</span>

נחבל כיצד היו מעידים אותו שנכנס תחת ידו שלם ויצא חבול ואמר לו חבלת בי והוא אומר לא חבלתי הרי זה נשבע ונוטל רבי יהודה אומר עד שתהא שם מקצת הודאה כיצד אמר לו חבלת בי שתים והלה אומר לא חבלתי בך אלא אחת

'HE WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED, - HOW? IF THEY TESTIFIED OF A MAN<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The robber.');">²¹</span> THAT HE ENTERED INTO ANOTHER'S HOUSE TO TAKE A PLEDGE WITHOUT AUTHORITY, AND THE OTHER SAYS, 'YOU HAVE TAKEN MY VESSELS, AND HE SAYS, 'I HAVE NOT TAKEN THEM,' HE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The householder.');">²²</span>

שכנגדו חשוד על השבועה כיצד

TAKES AN OATH, AND RECOVERS THEM. R'JUDAH SAYS, [THERE IS NO OATH] UNLESS THERE IS PARTIAL ADMISSION: HOW? HE SAID TO HIM, 'YOU HAVE TAKEN TWO VESSELS,' AND THE OTHER SAYS, 'I HAVE TAKEN ONLY ONE.' 'HE WHO HAS BEEN WOUNDED,' - HOW? IF THEY TESTIFIED OF A MAN THAT ANOTHER WENT INTO HIM WHOLE, AND CAME OUT WOUNDED, AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'YOU HAVE WOUNDED ME,' AND THE OTHER SAID, 'I HAVE NOT WOUNDED YOU,' HE TAKES AN OATH, AND RECEIVES [DAMAGES]. R'JUDAH SAYS, [THERE IS NO OATH] UNLESS THERE IS PARTIAL ADMISSION: HOW? HE SAID TO HIM, YOU HAVE INFLICTED ON ME TWO WOUNDS,' AND THE OTHER SAID, 'I INFLICTED ON YOU ONLY ONE WOUND.' 'HE WHOSE OPPONENT IS SUSPECTED OF TAKING A FALSE OATH,' - HOW?