Wenn jemand Geld bei seinem Nachbarn hinterlegt und es [in seinen Schal] gebunden und über die Schulter gehängt hat [obwohl dies eine echte Bewachung ist, haftet er. Denn wenn man von Ort zu Ort eingezahltes Geld nimmt, liegt die einzig gültige Bewachung in seiner Hand, die geschrieben steht (5. Mose 14, 25): "Und du sollst das Geld in deiner Hand binden".—Obwohl es gebunden ist, muss es in Ihrer Hand sein. Und in einem Haus wird es nur im Boden bewacht. Und in einer Wand, in der Handbreite nahe der Decke oder in der Handbreite nahe am Boden, werden Diebe dort wahrscheinlich nicht suchen. Wenn er sie auf andere Weise beschützt, gilt er als verfallen und haftet—es sei denn, er hat von Anfang an mit dem Einleger vereinbart, dass er dies nur unter der Bedingung akzeptiert, dass er nicht für alle diese "Schutzmaßnahmen" haftet.]; oder wenn er es seinem minderjährigen Sohn oder seiner minderjährigen Tochter gab und sich vor ihnen unzureichend "schloss", haftet er, weil er nicht in der Art der Beobachter zugesehen hat. Aber wenn er in der Art der Beobachter zuschaute, haftet er nicht. [Aber wenn er es Erwachsenen gab, schwören sie, dass sie es in der Art der Beobachter bewacht haben und sie haften nicht. Und wir sagen in einem solchen Fall nicht, dass ein Beobachter, der einem Beobachter gibt, haftbar ist. Denn es ist üblich, dass man bei seiner Frau oder seinen Kindern hinterlegt, was bei ihm hinterlegt wurde. Und einer, der etwas bei einem anderen hinterlegt, tut es mit diesem Verständnis.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
צררן – in his kerchief/scarf
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
If a man left money in his fellow’s keeping and his fellow bound it up and hung it over his back, or delivered it to his son or his daughter who were minors, or locked it up improperly, he is liable since he did not guard in the way of guardians. If he guarded it in the way of guardians he is exempt. This mishnah teaches how a person should guard another person’s given to him for safekeeping. He should not tie it up and put it in a bundle behind him lest a thief come and take it. He should not give it to minor children nor lock it up improperly. All of these are not the way that guardians watch other people’s objects. If he should act in such a manner and the money were to be lost he would be liable. If, however, he guarded it properly and something happened to the money, he would be exempt.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
והפשילן לאחוריו – even though that this is high-level guarding, he is liable, for a person who carries deposited monies from place to place, they lack guarding other than in his hand, as it is written (Deuteronomy 14:24): “Wrap up the money (in your hand) [and take it with you to the place that the LORD your God has chosen].” Even though they are wrapped up, they will be “in your hand.” And if it is in the house, they lack [appropriate] guarding other than in the ground, or in the wall, in the handbreadth closest to the ceiling or the handbreadth closest to the ground. For it is not the manner of thieves to search there. But if he guarded it in another manner, he is negligent and liable, other than if initially, he made a condition with the depositor that for this condition he will accept the deposit, that he would not be liable for all of these forms of guardianship.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Questions for Further Thought: Mishnah ten: Why does the mishnah need to teach the idea of “the way of guardians”? Why not just state that the guardian is either liable or not liable? What additional information might we glean from these words?
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
לבנו ולבתו הקטנים – but for adults, they take an oath that they guarded in the [appropriate] manner of bailees and are exempt. But we do not say regarding this that a bailee who transferred [the object] to another bailee is liable, for it is the way of a person to entrust what has been deposited in his hand – in the hand of his wife and his children. And all who make a deposit, with the knowledge that when he deposits something, that the one commissioned will give them into the hands of his wife and/or his children.
