Responsa su Bava Metzia 7:6
קוֹצֵץ אָדָם עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ, עַל יְדֵי בְנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ הַגְּדוֹלִים, עַל יְדֵי עַבְדּוֹ וְשִׁפְחָתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלִים, עַל יְדֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן דָּעַת. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ קוֹצֵץ עַל יְדֵי בְנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים, וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי עַבְדּוֹ וְשִׁפְחָתוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים, וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי בְהֶמְתּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן דָּעַת:
Uno (cioè un lavoratore) può stipulare [(prendere denaro invece di mangiare] per se stesso, per il figlio e la figlia cresciuti, per il suo servo e serva cresciuto, e per sua moglie, perché hanno "conoscenza" [e loro conoscerlo e rinunciarlo]. Ma non può stipulare in tal modo il figlio minore, la sua schiava minore e la sua bestia, poiché mancano di "conoscenza".
Shut min haShamayim
They responded: even though this is permitted, we only share this ruling with the pious, lest it is seen is public and the masses come to transgress.*The language of the question comes from a responsum of Rav Saadia Gaon, who forbids this practice of asking a non-Jew to buy on Shabbat. The responsum is quoted by the Rosh on Bava Metzia 7:6:1, and although Saadia's reasoning is rejected, it seems that he agrees with the ruling - although maybe the ambiguity reflects something of the answer given here.
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