Shevuot 93

Chapter 93

א וכל דדמי ליה:
1 and all that are similar to it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All oaths in the past which are false the moment they are uttered, just as a vain oath is, are included (as far as disqualifying the offender is concerned) in the category of VAIN OATH.');"><sup>1</sup></span> IF ONE OF THEM WAS A DICE-PLAYER'Wherefore is this necessary?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A dice-player is accounted a robber, and we have already been told that, in the case of a robber, the opponent takes the oath.');"><sup>2</sup></span> - He [the tanna] mentions a Biblical disqualification, and he mentions a Rabbinic disqualification.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A real robber is disqualified by Scripture from taking an oath; but a gambler, since he does not take his winnings by force but with the other's consent, is disqualified merely by the Rabbis.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ב היה אחד מהן משחק בקוביא: הא תו למה לי תנא פסולא דאוריית' וקתני פסולא דרבנן:
2 IF BOTH WERE SUSPECT, etc. Raba said to R'Nahman: 'How did we learn in the Mishnah? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Was it R. Jose or R. Meir who said that the amount in dispute should be divided? He did not remember what the tradition was.');"><sup>4</sup></span> - He said to him: 'I do not know.' 'What is the law? ' - He said to him: 'I do not know.'
ג היו שניהן חשודין: א"ל רבא לרב נחמן היכי תנן א"ל לא ידענא הלכתא מאי א"ל לא ידענא
3 It was stated: R'Joseph B'Minyomi said that R'Nahman said: R'Jose says, They divide.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Later R. Nahman remembered the tradition.');"><sup>5</sup></span> And so did R'Zebid B'Oshaia learn: R'Jose says, They divide. Some say.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not that R. Zebid, the son of Oshaia, had that tradition, but that R. Zebid said that R. Oshaia had the tradition that it was R. Jose who holds the view that the plaintiff and defendant divide.');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ד איתמר אמר רב יוסף בר מניומי אמר רב נחמן ר' יוסי אומר יחלוקו וכן תני רב זביד בר אושעיא ר' יוסי אומר יחלוקו איכא דאמרי תני רב זביד א"ר אושעיא ר' יוסי אומר יחלוקו אמר רב יוסף בר מניומי עבד רב נחמן עובדא יחלוקו:
4 R'Zebid learned: R'Oshaia said: R'Jose says, They divide. R'Joseph B'Minyomi said: R'Nahman decided a case thus: they divide. THE OATH RETURNS TO ITS PLACE.
ה חזרה שבועה למקומה: להיכן חזרה א"ר אמי רבותינו שבבבל אמרו חזרה שבועה לסיני רבותינו שבארץ ישראל אמרו חזרה שבועה למחויב לה
5 Whither does it return? - R'Ammi said: Our Masters of Babylon said, the oath returns to Sinai;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since both claimant and defendant are suspected of swearing falsely, neither can be asked to take the oath; it returns to Sinai (its place of origin) , for it cannot be applied. The result is, the case cannot be tried by the court, and the matter is left alone until evidence is produced by either of the two.');"><sup>7</sup></span> our Masters of the Land of Israel said, the oath returns to him upon whom it devolves.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The defendant who admits a portion of the claim; and since he cannot take the oath (for he is suspect) he must pay the whole claim.');"><sup>8</sup></span> R'Papa said: Our Masters of Babylon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who hold that the oath returns to Sinai.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ו אמר רב פפא רבותינו שבבבל רב ושמואל רבותינו שבארץ ישראל ר' אבא רבותינו שבבבל רב ושמואל דתנן וכן היתומין לא יפרעו אלא בשבועה והוינן בה ממאן אילימא מלוה אבוהון שקיל בלא שבועה ואינהו בשבועה אלא הכי קאמר וכן היתומין מן היתומין לא יפרעו אלא בשבועה
6 are Rab and Samuel; our Masters of the Land of Israel are R'Abba.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v. Sanh. 17b.');"><sup>10</sup></span> 'Our Masters of Babylon are Rab and Samuel,' for we learnt: AND SO ALSO ORPHANS CANNOT EXACT PAYMENT EXCEPT WITH AN OATH. And we discussed this: From whom?
ז ורב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו לא שנו אלא שמת מלוה בחיי לוה אבל מת לוה בחיי מלוה כבר נתחייב מלוה לבני לוה שבועה ואין אדם מוריש שבועה לבניו
7 Shall we say, from the borrower?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If orphans produce a document showing that the borrower is indebted to their father, can they not exact payment unless they take an oath');"><sup>11</sup></span> Their father would have received payment without an oath, and they require an oath!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely not! We do not impose restrictions on orphans.');"><sup>12</sup></span> But it means: 'And so also orphans from orphans cannot exact payment except with an oath.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lender and borrower both died, and the lender's sons are claiming from the borrower's sons. Here the lender's sons must take an oath, for the lender himself could not have exacted payment from the borrower's sons without an oath; for payment cannot be exacted from orphans except on oath.');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ח רבותינו שבארץ ישראל רבי אבא דההוא גברא דחטף נסכא מחבריה אתא לקמיה דרב אמי יתיב ר' אבא קמיה אייתי חד סהדא דמחטף חטפא מיניה א"ל אין חטפי ודידי חטפי
8 And Rab and Samuel both said: They did not teach this,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the lender's sons receive payment from the borrower's sons, if they take an oath.');"><sup>14</sup></span> except if the lender died during the lifetime of the borrower;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the lender's sons would have obtained payment from the borrower without an oath; and when the borrower dies, the lender's sons can exact payment from the borrower's sons only with an oath.');"><sup>15</sup></span> but if the borrower died during the lifetime of the lender, the lender was already obliged to take an oath to the sons of the borrower;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For no payment can be exacted from orphans except with an oath.');"><sup>16</sup></span>
ט א"ר אמי היכי לידיינו דייני להאי דינא נימא ליה זיל שלים ליכא תרי סהדי נפטריה איכא חד סהדא נימא ליה זיל אישתבע כיון דאמר מיחטף חטפי הוה ליה כגזלן
9 and a man cannot bequeath an oath to his sons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a man cannot bequeath to his sons money which he himself cannot obtain without an oath. Now, the lender would have to take an oath to the sons of the borrower that he had not yet been paid by their father. When he dies, he cannot transmit this oath to his sons, for their oath (if they were to take one) would have to be, 'We swear that our father did not inform us that the debt had been paid.' (v. Mishnah) . Since the father had already become liable to take an oath, and the same oath cannot be transmitted to his sons, they cannot take an oath at all. The sons of the borrower also cannot take an oath that their father had already paid. Hence, Rab and Samuel hold that since neither can take an oath, there is neither oath nor payment; i.e., the oath returns to Sinai.');"><sup>17</sup></span> 'Our Masters of the Land of Israel are R'Abba'; for there was a man who snatched a bar of silver from his neighbour; they came before R'Ammi, and R'Abba was sitting in his presence. He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The owner of the silver bar; v. supra 32b.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
י א"ל ר' אבא הוה מחויב שבועה ואין יכול לישבע וכל המחויב שבועה ואינו יכול לישבע משלם
10 brought one witness that he had snatched it from him. The other said, 'Yes, I snatched it; but it is mine that I snatched.' Said R'Ammi: How shall judges settle this dispute?
יא אמר רבא כוותיה דרבי אבא מסתברא דתני רבי אמי (שמות כב, י) שבועת ה' תהיה בין שניהם ולא בין היורשין היכי דמי
11 Shall we say to him, 'Go and pay'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For he admits that he snatched it; and we cannot believe him when he says it is his own, for every robber could put forward that excuse.');"><sup>19</sup></span> There are not two witnesses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who saw him snatch it; he could therefore have denied snatching it; he should therefore be believed when he admits he snatched it, but maintains that it is his.');"><sup>20</sup></span> Shall we exempt him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For this reason.');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יב אילימא דאמר ליה מנה לאבא ביד אביך ואמר ליה חמשין אית ליה וחמשין לית ליה מה לי הוא ומה לי אבוהא
12 There is one witness [that he snatched].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He could not therefore have denied snatching it, for he would have had to take an oath to refute the statement of the witness.');"><sup>22</sup></span> Shall we say to him, 'Go and swear'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To refute the statement of the witness.');"><sup>23</sup></span> Since he says.'
יג אלא לאו דאמר ליה מנה לאבא ביד אביך אמר ליה חמשין ידענא וחמשין לא ידענא
13 I snatched it,' he is like a robber!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And is not believed on oath, v. B.B. (Sonc. ed.) p. 336 and notes.');"><sup>24</sup></span> - R'Abba said to him: He is liable to take an oath, and he cannot take the oath; and everyone who is liable to take an oath, and cannot take the oath, must pay.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence R. Abba holds that 'the oath returns to him upon whom it devolves'; and since he cannot take the oath, he pays.');"><sup>25</sup></span> Raba said: It is reasonable to agree with R'Abba, for R'Ammi learned: The oath of the Lord shall be between them both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 10.');"><sup>26</sup></span> - but not between the heirs. How is this [to be understood]? Shall we say, that he said to him: 'Your father owed my father a hundred zuz,' and the other replied to him: 'Fifty he owed him, but not the other fifty'; what is the difference between him and his father?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he definitely admits a portion, and definitely denies a portion, why should he not take the oath, as his father would have taken it?');"><sup>27</sup></span> But then, [it must mean] he said to him: 'Your father owed my father a hundred zuz,' and the other replied to him: 'Fifty I know, but the other fifty I do not know.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He is exempt both from oath (for he cannot take an oath that his father does not owe it, since he is not sure about it) and from payment.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
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