Shevuot 97

Chapter 97

א לכל מגלגלין חוץ משכיר שאין מגלגלין רב חסדא אמר לכל אין מקילין חוץ משכיר דמקילין מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו לפתוח לו:

1 On all [oaths] we impose others, except on [the oath of] the hired labourer on which we do not impose others.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a man is liable to take even a Rabbinic oath, other Rabbinic oaths may be included at the same time at the instance of the claimant; but when the labourer has to take an oath that he has not received his wages, the court do not permit the employer to include any other oath; for in reality the labourer should be believed without an oath; and it is only to appease the employer that an oath is imposed on him (supra 45a) , therefore the court do not allow other oaths to be added.');">1 R'Hisda said: To all we are not lenient,2

ב והשביעית משמטת כו': מנה"מ אמר רב גידל אמר רב דאמר קרא (דברים טו, ב) וזה דבר השמטה ואפילו דיבור משמטת:

2 except a hired labourer to whom we are lenient. What is the difference between them?3

ג <big>הדרן עלך כל הנשבעין</big>

3 - There is this difference: [whether the court] find an opening for him [to impose another oath].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to R. Huna, even if the claimant does not urge the imposing of other oaths, the court investigate and ask the claimant whether he has any further claims against the defendant in which an oath might be imposed; but according to R. Hisda the court are not lenient with the defendant if the claimant wishes to impose other oaths (and they permit the imposition) , but they do not themselves, if the claimant does not urge it, endeavour to find an opening for the imposition of other oaths (Rashi) .');">4 BUT THE SABBATICAL YEAR CANCELS THE OATH.

ד מתני׳ <big>ארבעה</big> שומרין הן שומר חנם והשואל נושא שכר והשוכר

4 Whence do we know this? - R'Giddal said that Rab said: Because Scripture says. And this is the word of the release:5

ה שומר חנם נשבע על הכל והשואל משלם את הכל

5 even a 'word'6 it releases.

ו נושא שכר והשוכר נשבעין על השבורה ועל השבויה ועל המתה ומשלמין את האבדה ואת הגניבה

6 <big>MISHNAH: </big>THERE ARE FOUR GUARDIANS: AN UNPAID GUARDIAN, A BORROWER, A PAID GUARDIAN, AND A HIRER.7 AN UNPAID GUARDIAN TAKES AN OATH IN ALL CASES;8

ז אמר לשומר חנם היכן שורי אמר לו מת והוא שנשבר או נשבה או נגנב או אבד נשבר והוא שמת או נשבה או נגנב או אבד נשבה והוא שמת או נשבר או נגנב או אבד נגנב והוא שמת או נשבר או נשבה או אבד אבד והוא שמת או נשבר או נשבה או נגנב משביעך אני ואמר אמן פטור

7 A BORROWER PAYS IN ALL CASES;9 A PAID GUARDIAN AND A HIRER TAKE AN OATH IN THE CASE OF INJURY, CAPTURE,10

ח היכן שורי אמר לו איני יודע מה אתה סח והוא שמת או נשבר או נשבה או נגנב או אבד משביעך אני ואמר אמן פטור

8 OR DEATH, BUT PAY FOR LOSS OR THEFT. IF HE [THE OWNER] SAID TO THE UNPAID GUARDIAN, WHERE IS MY OX? ' AND HE REPLIED TO HIM, 'IT DIED,' WHEREAS IT WAS INJURED OR CAPTURED OR STOLEN OR LOST; [OR HE REPLIED], 'IT WAS INJURED,' WHEREAS IT DIED OR WAS CAPTURED OR STOLEN OR LOST; [OR HE REPLIED,] 'IT WAS CAPTURED,' WHEREAS IT DIED OR WAS INJURED OR STOLEN OR LOST; [OR HE REPLIED,] 'IT WAS STOLEN,' WHEREAS IT DIED OR WAS INJURED OR CAPTURED OR LOST; [OR HE REPLIED,] 'IT WAS LOST,' WHEREAS IT DIED OR WAS INJURED OR CAPTURED OR STOLEN; [AND THE OWNER SAID,] 'I ADJURE YOU,' AND HE SAID, 'AMEN', HE IS EXEMPT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From a guilt-offering for denying a deposit on oath; for he is liable for an offering only in a case where, if he had admitted the truth, he would have had to make restitution; by his denial on oath, therefore, he wishes to free himself from payment, and if it is found that he has sworn falsely, he brings a guilt-offering and makes restitution, adding also a fifth of its value (Lev. V, 21-26) . In this case of an unpaid guardian, however, he did not, by his denial, wish to exempt himself from payment; for even if he had admitted the truth, he would have been exempt; therefore he does not bring a guilt-offering.');">11

ט היכן שורי אמר לו אבד משביעך אני ואמר אמן והעדים מעידים אותו שאכלו משלם את הקרן הודה מעצמו משלם קרן וחומש ואשם

9 [IF THE OWNER SAID,] 'WHERE IS MY OX? ' AND HE REPLIED TO HIM, 'I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU SAY,' WHEREAS IT DIED OR WAS INJURED OR CAPTURED OR STOLEN OR LOST; [AND THE OWNER SAID,] 'I ADJURE YOU,' AND HE SAID, AMEN, HE IS EXEMPT.12 [IF THE OWNER SAID,] 'WHERE IS MY OX? ' AND HE REPLIED TO HIM, 'IT WAS LOST'; [AND THE OWNER SAID,] 'I ADJURE YOU', AND HE SAID, 'AMEN'; AND WITNESSES TESTIFIED AGAINST HIM THAT HE HAD CONSUMED IT, HE PAYS THE PRINCIPAL; IF HE CONFESSED HIMSELF, HE PAYS THE PRINCIPAL, FIFTH, AND GUILT-OFFERING.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to the law governing oath of deposit; if he confesses, and repents and desires atonement, he pays back the principal, adds a fifth of its value, and brings a guilt-offering: they shall confess their sin . . and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof. . besides the ram of the atonement. . (Num. V, 7, 8) .');">13

י היכן שורי ואמר לו נגנב משביעך אני ואמר אמן והעדים מעידים אותו שגנבו משלם תשלומי כפל הודה מעצמו משלם קרן וחומש ואשם

10 [IF THE OWNER SAID,] 'WHERE IS MY OX? ' AND HE REPLIED TO HIM, 'IT WAS STOLEN;' [AND THE OWNER SAID,] 'I ADJURE YOU, AND HE SAID, 'AMEN;' AND WITNESSES TESTIFIED AGAINST HIM THAT HE HIMSELF STOLE IT, HE PAYS DOUBLE;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An unpaid guardian who tries to free himself by maintaining that the animal was stolen, whereas he himself had stolen it, pays double (like a thief) ; but if he tries to free himself by maintaining that it was lost (as in the previous clause) , whereas he had himself stolen it, he does not pay double; v. B.K. 63b.');">14 IF HE CONFESSED HIMSELF, HE PAYS THE PRINCIPAL,15

יא אמר לאחד בשוק היכן שורי שגנבת הוא אומר לא גנבתי והעדים מעידים אותו שגנבו משלם תשלומי כפל טבח ומכר משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה ראה עדים שממשמשין ובאין אמר גנבתי אבל לא טבחתי ולא מכרתי אינו משלם אלא קרן

11 FIFTH, AND GUILT-OFFERING. IF A MAN SAID TO ONE IN THE STREET, 'WHERE IS MY OX WHICH YOU HAVE STOLEN? ' AND HE REPLIED, 'I DID NOT STEAL IT,' AND WITNESSES TESTIFIED AGAINST HIM THAT HE DID STEAL IT, HE PAYS DOUBLE;16

יב אמר לשואל היכן שורי אמר לו

12 IF HE KILLED IT OR SOLD IT, HE PAYS FOUR OR FIVE TIMES ITS VALUE.17 IF HE SAW WITNESSES COMING NEARER AND NEARER, AND HE SAID, I DID STEAL IT, BUT I DID NOT KILL OR SELL IT,' HE PAYS ONLY THE PRINCIPAL.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For since he confessed that he stole it (though he confessed only out of fear of the witnesses) , it is a proper confession, and he is exempt from paying double for the theft; and since there is no double, there is no fourfold or fivefold payment (though he denied the selling or killing, and witnesses testified against him that he did steal and kill or sell) ; v. B.K. 75b.');">18 IF HE [THE OWNER] SAID TO THE BORROWER, 'WHERE IS MY OX? ' AND HE REPLIED TO HIM,

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