If one hired craftsmen and they misled one another, they have only "complaint" against each other. [("and they misled one another":) If one of the workers sent by the employer to hire his fellow misled them — as when the employer told him to hire each at four dinars a day, and he went and hired them at three, they have only "complaint" against him, for they accepted three; but they can say to him: Do you not subscribe to (Proverbs 3:27): "Do not withhold good from its (rightful) recipients?" Another interpretation: "and they misled one another": They backed out, not desiring to do the employer's work on his terms; or the employer backed out, as when he said to them in the morning, before they began working: "I don't want you."] If he hired an ass driver or a wagon driver to deliver piryafarin [slanted poles for making a litter] or flutes [for (mourning) a dead man or for a groom], or workers to raise his flax from the soaking vat, or for any other "perishable" thing, and they backed out — In a place where there is no man [i.e., where he cannot find other workers to hire, and the flax will go lost], he hires on their account [men at their wage, but not higher], or he deceives them [He tells them he will give them an additional zuz, but gives them only what he stipulated with them in the beginning.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
השוכר. והטעו זה את זה – One of the artisans whom the owner sent to hire his fellows and he deceived them, as for example: the boss told him to hire each person for four denars per day, and he went and hired them for three [denars per day], they have no recourse against him other than a complaint. For it was understood and accepted/agreed [that employment was to be offered] at three [denars per day], but they can say to him: you have nothing [quoting](Proverbs 3:27): “Do not withhold good from one who deserves it [when you have the power to do it (for him)]. Another interpretation of “they deceived one another”: They retracted and they didn’t want to go and do the work of the boss as they had been hired to do, or the owner [himself] retracted, such as if he said to them: I have no need for you this morning prior to their going out to the work.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Introduction
The sixth and most of the seventh chapters of Bava Metziah deal with various employment laws. The two mishnayoth which will we learn today discuss the consequences of employers or employees reneging.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
ואת הקרר – it is read with a “reish,” that is to say, the owner of the wagon.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
If one hired craftsmen and they deceived each other, they have no legally valid complain against each other, but only cause for complaint. If an employer hired people to come work for him and then either side deceived the other side, for instance if the employer paid a lower wage than is generally acceptable or the employee claimed a higher wage than acceptable or one of the sides reneged on the deal, neither side can make a legal claim against the other side. All they can do is file a legal complaint which might damage the other side’s reputation but will not be sufficient to force the other side to make monetary compensation. Note that this is all in a case where there was no legally valid contract before the work began. If there had been then each side would be obligated to fulfill their obligations. Furthermore this mishnah deals with a case where the reneging occurs before the work begins. The following mishnah will deal with a case where one side reneges after the work has begun.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
פרייפרין – planed wood to make a frame and hangings of a palanquin (especially for a bride in the wedding procession).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
If one hired a donkey-driver or a wagon-driver to bring litter-bearers or pipers for a bride or for the dead, or laborers to take his flax out of the steep, or any matter that would be lost if delayed, and they retracted, if it was a place where there were no others [who could be hired for the same wage] he may hire others at their (the original expense or he may deceive them. In this situation the employer had hired workers to do a type of work that if not done immediately would be lost, such as carrying a bride to her wedding or carrying the dead to the graveyard or playing the flute at either a wedding or funeral, or removing flax from the steep which if not done immediately would ruin the flax. If in such a case the workers reneged on their deal by not showing up the employee has two options. The first option is to hire other workers at a higher rate and collect the extra money he had to pay from the original workers. In other words if the first workers charged 5 dollars per hour and the workers found at the last minute charge 10 dollars per hour, he can collect the extra five dollars per hour from the original workers. However, he may only do so if there are no other workers available for the same original rate. The second option is to deceive the original workers by telling them that they will get a higher wage and then not giving it to them in the end. Although deception is generally illegal, since the workers themselves put the employer into this situation, he is allowed to deceive them.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Questions for Further Thought: • Do these laws seem to favor the employer or the employee? From these mishnayoth what rights does it seem that each side has?
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
מקום שאין שם אדם – that he does not find workers to hire and the flax is lost.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
שוכר עליהם – people according to the measure of their salary, but not greater than the measure of their salary.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
או מטען – he says that he will give them an extra zuz, but he doesn’t give them other than what he stipulated at first.
