Queste sono cose rispetto alle quali ona'ah non ottiene: bondmen, fatture, terre e hekdeshoth (proprietà consacrata), [essendo scritto (Levitico 25:14): "E se vendi una vendita ai tuoi simili, o acquista dalla mano del tuo compagno " —escludere terre che non sono mobili e escludere i servi che sono paragonati alla terra. Fatture— viene scritto: "E se vendi una vendita", qualcosa la cui sostanza viene acquistata e venduta —per escludere le fatture, che servono solo come conferma. Hekdeshoth— (Ibid.): "Non sbaglierai un uomo, suo fratello" — suo fratello, e non Hekdesh.] Il pagamento di Kefel non si ottiene con loro, essendo scritto in riferimento a un osservatore che sostiene (falsamente) che (ciò che gli era stato affidato) era stato rubato (Esodo 22: 8): "Per ogni cosa di violazione " —generale; "per un bue, per un asino, ecc."—specifico; "per ogni oggetto perduto"—un'inversione al generale. Abbiamo qui un esempio di "generale-specifico-generale", in cui la sentenza segue la natura dello specifico, vale a dire: proprio come lo specifico è esplicitamente qualcosa di mobile e di valore monetario intrinseco, quindi tutto (per la responsabilità del kefel) deve essere mobile e di intrinseco valore monetario: escludere terre che non sono mobili; escludere i servi, che sono paragonati alla terra; escludere le fatture che, sebbene siano mobili, non hanno un valore monetario intrinseco. Hekdeshoth—La Scrittura afferma (Ibid.): "Il suo vicino", e non hekdesh.] E quattro e cinque pagamenti non ottengono con loro [se uno rubava e massacrava o vendeva un bue o un agnello di hekdesh, la Scrittura imponeva il pagamento "quattro e cinque" e non tre per una pecora e quattro per un bue. Poiché poiché sono esclusi dal kefel, sono ridotti di uno, il kefel in un caso di macellazione o vendita è incluso nel pagamento quattro e cinque.] Un osservatore non pagato non giura (per assolvere se stesso dal pagamento per quanto sopra), e un osservatore assoldato non paga (per loro se fossero stati smarriti o rubati), [essendo scritto (Esodo 22: 9): "Se un uomo dà al suo vicino"—generale; "un asino o un bue o un agnello"—specifico; "o qualsiasi bestia da guardare"—un'inversione al generale. Abbiamo qui un esempio di "generale-specifico-generale", in cui la sentenza segue la natura dello specifico, vale a dire: proprio come lo specifico è esplicitamente qualcosa di mobile, ecc. Hekdeshoth—La Scrittura afferma (Ibid.): "Il suo vicino", e non hekdesh.] R. Shimon dice: Con i kodshim (animali consacrati) per i quali si deve fare il restauro, [come quando ha detto: "Sta a me portare un bruciato -offerto ", e lo separò, e subì un difetto, e lo vendette], ottiene unah. [Dal momento che se è morto o è stato rubato, deve fare il restauro, è considerato suo ed è riassunto in: "E non sbaglierai, un uomo, suo fratello".] E (con Kodshim) per il quale non si deve fare il restauro, [come quando ha detto: "Questo è (un olocausto)"], ona'ah non ottiene. R. Yehudah dice: Ona'ah, inoltre, non ottiene con chi vende un rotolo della Torah, [che non ha valore delimitato], una perla e una bestia. [Per uno desidera abbinarli. Se ha un buon aratro, ne cerca uno simile con cui allearlo sotto il giogo. Perché se fa squadra a un bue debole con uno forte, danneggia quest'ultimo. E così con una bella perla, (desidera) metterla con il suo compagno nell'oro del yechidith (un tipo di ornamento).] Gli dissero: Gli specificarono solo questi (i precedenti, come non soggetti a ona ' ah). [L'halachah non è né conforme a R. Yehudah né a R. Shimon.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
אלו דברים שאין להם אונאה וכו' – as Scripture states (Leviticus 25:14): “When you sell property to your neighbor, or buy any from your neighbor, [you shall not wrong one another],” a thing that is acquired from hand to hand, excluding land which are not movables, excluding slaves which is juxtaposed to land; excluding documents. As it is written (Leviticus 25:14): “When you sell property…” a thing whose essence is sold and whose essence is bought, excluding documents which do not stand other than for seeing what is in them. Things dedicated to the Sanctuary/Temple, Scripture states, “[you shall not wrong] one another/one’s brother, and not dedicated to the Temple.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Introduction
Mishnah nine lists things to which the laws of fraud by overcharging do not apply. Mishnah ten deals with defrauding by spoken words. This mishnah has nothing to do with the laws of sales but rather deals with things a person should not say to another person.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
לא תשלומי כפל – it is written in the pleading of the claim of the thief (Exodus 22:8): “In all charges of misappropriation” – a generalization; “pertaining to an ox, an ass, etc.,” – a specification; “or any other loss” – he has returned and made a generalization. A generalization, a specification and a generalization, you only judge what is like the specification. Just as the specification is explained as something that is movable and its essence is money, , even all things that are movable and its essence is money. This excludes land which is not movable. This excludes slaves which are juxtaposed to land. This excludes documents even though they are movable, their essence is not money. Dedications to the Temple, Scripture said, “to his neighbor/fellow” (Exodus 22:8); his neighbor/fellow, and not to that which is dedicated to the Temple.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
These are the things to which the laws of fraud through overcharging do not apply: The sale of slaves, debt documents, land and what belongs to the Temple. The laws of fraud through overcharging are learned from Leviticus 25:14, “When you sell something to your neighbor or buy from the hand of your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another.” According to the Rabbinic interpretation of this verse, the “wrong” is fraud through overcharging. From the words “from the hand” the Rabbis learn that in order for a sale to be subject to the laws of fraud through overcharging it must be something passed from hand to hand. This excludes land and slaves (whose laws are always similar to the laws regarding land) which cannot be passed from hand to hand. The word “something” excludes documents which have no value of themselves. The word “neighbor” excludes property which belongs to the Temple.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
ולא תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה – If a person stole and slaughtered or sold an ox or a sheep dedicated to the Temple, for the four and five-times payment (Exodus 21:37 – “When a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox, and four sheep for the sheep.”), the All-Merciful stated, and not three-times payment for the sheep and four-times [payment] for the ox, for the since it is excluded from double [payment]. Deduct one from it, for the double [payment] is for someone who slaughters or sells, which are included in the four and five-times payment.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
They are not subject to twofold restitution, nor fourfold or fivefold restitution. An unpaid guardian does not take an oath [on their account, that he did not damage them] nor does a paid guardian make compensation [if they are lost on his watch]. The things listed in section one are also exempt from other laws. A thief who steals any of these things and is caught does not have to pay the fine of twofold, fourfold or fivefold restitution (see Bava Kamma 7:1). If an unpaid guardian was guarding these items and they were lost, he need not take an oath to the owner that he was not careless in his watch. If a paid guardian was watching them and they were lost he need not make restitution. (For the laws of guardians see Bava Metziah 7:8).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
נושא שכר אינו משלם – as it is written (Exodus 22:9): “When a man gives to another…” – generalization; “ “an ass, an ox, a sheep” – a specification; “or any other animal to guard”- a generalization. A generalization, a specification and a generalization, you do not judge other than what is like the specification. Just as the specification is explained as a thing that is movable, etc. Things dedicated to the Temple – Scripture said: “his fellow/neighbor,” and not something dedicated to the Temple.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Rabbi Shimon says: “Holy Things for which he is responsible, are subject to the laws of fraud through overcharging, and Holy Things for which he is not responsible are not subject to the laws of fraud through overcharging.” If a person makes a statement saying that he will dedicate a certain animal, for instance a sheep, to the Temple, he must dedicate a sheep. If he sets aside a sheep to bring to the Temple and it is lost, he will have to bring another sheep in its place. This is an example of a Holy Thing for which he is responsible. If, however, he states “This sheep is dedicated to the Temple” then he is responsible for bringing this specific sheep. If the sheep should die he need not bring another in its place. This is a Holy Thing for which he is not responsible. According to Rabbi Shimon, the first category is subject to the laws of fraud through overcharging. Since the owners are responsible for the animal, it is as if the animal is their property, and thereby liable to the laws of fraud. On the other hand, Holy Things for which he is not responsible are not subject to the laws of fraud, since they cannot be construed at all as the property of the owner.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
קדשים שחייב באחריותן – He said, a burnt-offering is upon me and he separated it and it became blemished/defective or he sold it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Rabbi Judah says: “Also one who sells a Torah scroll, and an animal or a pearl they are not subject to the laws of fraud through overcharging.” They (the said to him: “They only said these.” Rabbi Judah adds three more things that are not subject to the laws of fraud. According to the explanation of Rabbi Shimon found in the Talmud the laws of fraud through overcharging do not apply to the selling of a Torah scroll, since a set value cannot be placed on a Torah scroll by which to establish when there has been overcharging. An animal or pearl’s value is subject to the needs of the buyer and therefore it is impossible to establish a set value for these as well. The Sages disagree with Rabbi Judah. According to them the only things which are not subject to the laws of fraud are those listed in section one.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
יש להם אונאה – for since if it died or it was stolen, he is liable for it [by replacing it], which is his, and we call it (Leviticus 25:14): “you shall not wrong one another.”
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
Questions for Further Thought: • Mishnah nine, section four: If according to Rabbi Judah the laws of fraud through overcharging do not apply to the sale of land, slaves, animals or pearls, to what types of sales do these laws apply?
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
מרגלית ובהמה – because a person wants to pair them. Whomever has a nice ox for ploughing will go around after another that is like it [to join it with the other with a yoke] for if he comes to join under a yoke a weak ox with a healthy [one], it would ruin the healthy one, and similarly a nice precious stone to be filled with its partner with gold from the individual [stone]. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda nor according to Rabbi Shimon.
