Shevuot 89

Chapter 89

א אחת שבועת העדות ואחת שבועת הפקדון ואפילו שבועת שוא היה אחד מהן משחק בקוביא ומלוה ברבית ומפריחי יונים וסוחרי שביעית שכנגדו נשבע ונוטל

1 WHETHER IT BE THE OATH OF TESTIMONY,1 OR THE OATH OF DEPOSIT, OR EVEN A VAIN OATH;2 IF ONE [OF THE LITIGANTS] WAS A DICE-PLAYER,3 OR USURER, OR PIGEON-FLYER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Racing his pigeon against a neighbour's pigeon, and betting on the result; or, a fowler, laying snares for pigeons; sometimes a pigeon belonging to somebody may be ensnared, and he is thus guilty of theft; v. Sanh. 25a.');">4

ב היו שניהן חשודין חזרה השבועה למקומה דברי רבי יוסי רבי מאיר אומר יחלוקו

2 OR DEALER IN THE PRODUCE OF THE SEVENTH YEAR,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Sabbatical year's produce was free to all to eat, and the owner of the field was not allowed to count himself the sole possessor of the produce, and was not allowed to trade with it; v. Lev. XXV, 6, and Rashi a.l.');">5 HIS OPPONENT TAKES THE OATH AND RECEIVES [HIS CLAIM].6 IF BOTH ARE SUSPECT, THE OATH RETURNS TO ITS PLACE:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It devolves upon the person who normally would take the oath, i.e., the defendant, who, if he admits a portion of the claim, must take an oath; here, since he is suspect, he cannot take the oath, so he pays the full claim; v. infra 47a.');">7 THIS IS THE OPINION OF R'JOSE.

ג והחנוני על פנקסו כיצד לא שיאמר לו כתוב על פנקסי שאתה חייב לי מאתים זוז אלא אומר לו תן לבני סאתים חטין תן לפועלי סלע מעות הוא אומר נתתי והן אומרים לא נטלנו הוא נשבע ונוטל והן נשבעין ונוטלין

3 R'MEIR SAYS: THEY DIVIDE.8 'AND THE SHOPKEEPER WITH HIS ACCOUNT BOOK,' - HOW? NOT THAT HE [E.G. ,] SAYS TO HIM, 'IT IS WRITTEN IN MY ACCOUNT BOOK THAT YOU OWE ME TWO HUNDRED ZUZ';9 BUT HE10

ד אמר בן ננס כיצד אלו ואלו באין לידי שבועת שוא אלא הוא נוטל שלא בשבועה והן נוטלין שלא בשבועה

4 SAYS TO HIM, 'GIVE MY SON TWO SEAHS OF WHEAT,'11 OR, 'GIVE MY LABOURER SMALL CHANGE TO THE VALUE OF A SELA;'12 I HE SAYS, 'I HAVE GIVEN,' AND THEY13 SAY, 'WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED'; HE14

ה אמר לחנוני תן לי בדינר פירות ונתן לו אמר לו תן לי אותו דינר אמר לו נתתיו לך ונתתו באונפלי ישבע בעל הבית שנתן לו את הדינר אמר לו תן לי את הפירות אמר לו נתתים לך והולכתים לתוך ביתך ישבע חנוני רבי יהודה אומר כל שהפירות בידו ידו על העליונה

5 TAKES AN OATH, AND RECEIVES [HIS DUE].15 AND THEY TAKE AN OATH, AND RECEIVE [THEIR DUE].16 BEN NANNUS SAID: HOW CAN BOTH BE PERMITTED TO COME TO A VAIN OATH?17 BUT HE14

ו אמר לשולחני תן לי בדינר מעות ונתן לו אמר לו תן לי את הדינר אמר לו נתתי לך ונתתו באונפלי ישבע בעל הבית נתן לו את הדינר אמר לו תן לי את המעות אמר לו נתתים לך והשלכת לתוך כיסך ישבע שולחני רבי יהודה אומר אין דרך שולחני ליתן איסר עד שיטול דינר

6 TAKES WITHOUT AN OATH, AND THEY13 TAKE WITHOUT AN OATH. - IF HE SAID TO A SHOPKEEPER, 'GIVE ME FRUIT FOR A DENAR,' AND HE GAVE HIM, THEN THE SHOPKEEPER SAID TO HIM, 'GIVE ME THE DENAR'; AND HE REPLIED TO HIM, 'I GAVE IT TO YOU, AND YOU PLACED IT IN THE TILL,' THE HOUSEHOLDER TAKES AN OATH.18 IF HE GAVE HIM THE DENAR, AND SAID TO HIM, 'GIVE ME THE FRUIT,' AND THE SHOPKEEPER SAYS TO HIM, 'I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU, AND YOU TOOK IT TO YOUR HOUSE,' THE SHOPKEEPER TAKES AN OATH.19

ז כשם שאמרו הפוגמת כתובתה לא תפרע אלא בשבועה ועד אחד מעידה שהיא פרועה לא תפרע אלא בשבועה מנכסים משועבדים ומנכסי יתומים לא תפרע אלא בשבועה והנפרעת שלא בפניו לא תפרע אלא בשבועה וכן היתומים לא יפרעו אלא בשבועה

7 R'JUDAH SAYS: HE WHO HAS THE FRUIT IN HIS POSSESSION. HIS HAND IS UPPERMOST.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He disagrees with the first clause which states that the householder takes an oath that he has paid the denar. R. Judah says he does not need to swear, for it is not usual for a shopkeeper who sells for cash to give the fruit before he receives the money, and since the householder already has the fruit, his hand is uppermost, and we assume that he has paid.');">20 IF HE SAID TO A MONEY-CHANGER, 'GIVE ME CHANGE FOR A DENAR,' AND HE GAVE HIM; AND SAID TO HIM, 'GIVE ME THE DENAR,' AND THE OTHER SAID, 'I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU, AND YOU PLACED IT IN THE TILL,' THE HOUSEHOLDER TAKES AN OATH. IF HE GAVE HIM THE DENAR, AND SAID TO HIM, 'GIVE ME THE SMALL CHANGE,' AND THE OTHER SAID TO HIM, 'I HAVE GIVEN IT YOU, AND YOU THREW IT IN YOUR PURSE,' THE MONEY-CHANGER TAKES AN OATH.

ח שבועה שלא פקדנו אבא ולא אמר לנו אבא שלא מצינו בין שטרותיו של אבא ששטר זה פרוע ר' יוחנן בן ברוקה אומר אפי' נולד הבן לאחר מיתת האב הרי זה נשבע ונוטל א"ר שמעון בן גמליאל אם יש עדים שאמר האב בשעת מיתתו שטר זה אינו פרוע הוא נוטל שלא בשבועה

8 R'JUDAH SAYS: IT IS NOT USUAL FOR A MONEY-CHANGER TO GIVE [EVEN] AN ISSAR UNTIL HE RECEIVES THE DENAR.21 - JUST AS THEY HAVE SAID THAT SHE WHO IMPAIRS HER KETHUBAH CANNOT RECEIVE PAYMENT EXCEPT ON OATH;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a wife, producing her kethubah (v. Glos.) admits that she has been paid a part of the money due to her, she 'impairs her kethubah' (i.e., weakens its validity, for the amount shown in the document is no longer correct, on her own admission) , and if the husband, who is divorcing her, says he has paid her the whole amount, she cannot obtain payment of her claim unless she takes an oath that she has not been paid.');">22 AND THAT IF ONE WITNESS TESTIFIES AGAINST HER THAT IT HAS BEEN PAID [IN FULL], SHE CANNOT RECEIVE PAYMENT EXCEPT ON OATH; AND THAT FROM ASSIGNED PROPERTY23 OR ORPHANS' PROPERTY SHE CANNOT EXACT PAYMENT EXCEPT ON OATH; AND THAT IF SHE CLAIMS NOT IN HIS PRESENCE,24

ט ואלו נשבעין שלא בטענה השותפין והאריסין והאפוטרופין והאשה הנושאת והנותנת בתוך הבית ובן הבית אמר לו מה אתה טועניני רצוני שתשבע לי חייב

9 SHE CANNOT RECEIVE PAYMENT EXCEPT ON OATH; SO, TOO, ORPHANS CANNOT RECEIVE PAYMENT25 EXCEPT ON OATH [NAMELY]: 'WE SWEAR THAT OUR FATHER DID NOT ENJOIN IN HIS TESTAMENT UPON US, NEITHER DID OUR FATHER SAY UNTO US, NOR DID WE FIND [WRITTEN] AMONG THE DOCUMENTS OF OUR FATHER THAT THIS DOCUMENT IS PAID.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'our father did nor tell us before his death that the claim in this document which we now produce has been satisfied; nor did we find that he had already written out a receipt ready to be dispatched to the debtor.'');">26 R'JOHANAN B. BEROKA SAYS: EVEN IF THE SON WAS BORN AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH HE MAY TAKE AN OATH,27 AND RECEIVE HIS CLAIM.

י חלקו השותפין והאריסין אין יכול להשביעו נתגלגל לו שבועה ממקום אחר מגלגלין עליו את הכל והשביעית משמטת את השבועה:

10 R'SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS: IF THERE ARE WITNESSES THAT THE FATHER SAID AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH THAT THIS DOCUMENT WAS NOT PAID, HE RECEIVES [HIS CLAIM] WITHOUT AN OATH, - AND THESE TAKE AN OATH THOUGH THERE IS NO [DEFINITE] CLAIM:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though the claimant does not make a definite charge of fraudulence against them, but only suspects them, they must take an oath to refute the charge; v. infra 48b.');">28 PARTNERS,29 TENANTS,30 ADMINISTRATORS,31

יא <big>גמ׳</big> כל הנשבעין שבתורה נשבעין ולא משלמין מנלן דאמר קרא (שמות כב, י) ולקח בעליו ולא ישלם מי שעליו לשלם לו שבועה:

11 THE WIFE WHO TRANSACTS THE AFFAIRS IN THE HOUSE,32 AND THE SON OF THE HOUSE.33 [IF] HE34 SAID TO HIM,35

יב ואלו נשבעין ונוטלין כו': מאי שנא שכיר דתקינו ליה רבנן דמשתבע ושקיל אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכות גדולות שנו כאן הלכות הני הלכתא נינהו אלא אימא תקנות גדולות שנו כאן

12 'WHAT DO YOU CLAIM OF ME? ' [AND THE OTHER REPLIED.] 'I DESIRE THAT YOU SWEAR TO ME';36 HE MUST TAKE AN OATH. IF THE PARTNERS OR TENANTS HAD DIVIDED,37 HE CANNOT IMPOSE AN OATH UPON THEM.38

יג גדולות מכלל דאיכא קטנות

13 IF AN OATH WAS IMPOSED UPON HIM IN ANOTHER CASE, THEY IMPOSE UPON HIM THE WHOLE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If this partner or tenant was concerned in another law-suit with the same claimant, and had to take an oath in that case, then the Court insert in the oath a statement having reference to the present claim, so that he takes the oath for both claims together; v. infra p. 301, n. 9.');">39 AND THE SEVENTH YEAR CANCELS THE OATH.40 <big>GEMARA: </big>ALL WHO TAKE AN OATH [ENFORCED] IN SCRIPTURE, TAKE AN OATH, AND DO NOT PAY. Whence do we know this? - Because Scripture said: And the owner thereof shall accept it, and he shall not pay<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 10; the verse begins: The oath of the Lord shall be between them both, to see whether he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. The owner shall accept this oath, and the guardian (in whose care the animal had died) does not need to pay; hence the person whose duty it is to pay has the oath imposed upon him, and exempts himself from payment.');">41

יד אלא אמר רב נחמן אמר שמואל תקנות קבועות שנו כאן עקרוה רבנן לשבועה מבעל הבית ושדיוה אשכיר משום כדי חייו משום כדי חייו דשכיר קנסינן ליה לבעל הבית בעל הבית גופיה ניחא ליה דמשתבע שכיר ושקיל כי היכי דאיתגרון ליה פועלין

14 - he whose duty it is to pay: upon him devolves the oath. BUT THESE TAKE AN OATH, AND RECEIVE [PAYMENT], etc. In what way is the hired labourer different that the Rabbis have instituted for him [the privilege] that he should take the oath and receive [his wages]? - Rab Judah said that Samuel said: Great halachoth did they teach here.' Halachoth!' Are these then halachoth?42 But say: Great enactments did they teach here.

טו אדרבה שכיר ניחא ליה דלשתבע בעל הבית ונפקע כי היכי דליגריה בעל הבית בעה"ב על כורחיה אגר שכיר נמי על כורחיה מיתגר אלא בעה"ב טרוד בפועליו הוא

15 - 'Great'! Hence there are also small [enactments]?43 - But, said R'Nahman that Samuel said: Fixed enactments did they teach here: our Rabbis removed the oath from the householder44 and imposed it upon the hired labourer for the sake of his livelihood. [But] for the sake of the labourer's livelihood do we fine the householder? - The householder himself is satisfied that the labourer should take the oath and receive [his wages], so that labourers may hire themselves out to him.45

טז וליתב ליה בלא שבועה

16 On the contrary, the hired labourer is satisfied that the householder should take the oath, and be released [from payment], so that the householder should hire him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On this occasion when there is a dispute as to whether he has paid him his wages or not, the labourer prefers to allow the employer to take the oath (and not pay) , so that he may employ him again.');">46 - The householder must of necessity employ [labourers].47 The labourer also must of necessity be employed!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence employer and labourer are equally dependent upon each other; so that we cannot say the reason why the oath is imposed upon the labourer is because the employer prefers it thus, so that labourers may not be afraid of him, and may hire themselves out to him; they would in any case seek employment from him.');">48 - Well, then, the householder is busy with his labourers.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He has many labourers to whom he pays wages, and he may genuinely have made a mistake and thought he had paid this one too; but the labourer has only one employer to deal with, and he remembers whether he has received his wages; therefore the oath is imposed upon the labourer.');">49

יז כדי להפיס דעתו של בעה"ב וליתב ליה בעדים טריחא ליה מילתא וליתב ליה מעיקרא שניהן רוצין בהקפה

17 - Then, let him give him without an oath!50 - In order to appease the mind of the householder [an oath is imposed].51 - Well, let him pay him in the presence of witnesses?52 - That would be too troublesome for him.53 Then let him pay him at the beginning?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the morning before he begins work. If then, at the end of the day, the labourer claims his daily wage, there will be no need for an oath, for we would assume definitely that the wages had been paid in the morning, since the Rabbis had established that rule, and the labourer would not have commenced his work unless he had been paid first.');">54 - Both desire credit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The employer desires credit till the evening, for he frequently has not the money for the wages in the morning; and the labourer desires to grant this credit, and does not want his money in the morning, in case he spends it.');">55

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