💼 Mishnah Bava Metzia 3

הַמַּפְקִיד אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ בְּהֵמָה אוֹ כֵלִים, וְנִגְנְבוּ אוֹ שֶׁאָבְדוּ, שִׁלֵּם וְלֹא רָצָה לִשָּׁבַע, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ שׁוֹמֵר חִנָּם נִשְׁבָּע וְיוֹצֵא, נִמְצָא הַגַּנָּב, מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי כֶפֶל. טָבַח וּמָכַר, מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה. לְמִי מְשַׁלֵּם, לְמִי שֶׁהַפִּקָּדוֹן אֶצְלוֹ. נִשְׁבַּע וְלֹא רָצָה לְשַׁלֵּם, נִמְצָא הַגַּנָּב, מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי כֶפֶל, טָבַח וּמָכַר, מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה. לְמִי מְשַׁלֵּם, לְבַעַל הַפִּקָּדוֹן:

In the case of one who deposits an animal or vessels with another, who is acting as an unpaid bailee, and they were stolen or they were lost, and the bailee paid the owner the value of the deposit, and did not wish to take an oath that he did not misappropriate the item and that he was not negligent in safeguarding it, that will effect who keeps the deposit if it is found or returned. The bailee may also choose to take the oath, as the Sages said: An unpaid bailee takes an oath, and he is thereby released from the liability to pay the owner. If the thief is later found, the thief pays the double payment. If the deposited item was a sheep or an ox and the thief slaughtered or sold it, he pays the fourfold or fivefold payment. To whom does the thief pay? He gives the payment to the one who had the deposit in his possession when it was stolen, i.e., the bailee. When the bailee paid the owner for the stolen item, the owner granted the rights to the item to the bailee. Therefore, the bailee is entitled to any payment the thief presents for the item, be it compensation for the item’s value or a fine. In the case of a bailee who took an oath and did not wish to pay, if the thief is then found and required to pay the double payment, or if he slaughtered or sold the animal and is required to pay the fourfold or fivefold payment, to whom does the thief pay? He gives the payment to the owner of the deposit, not the bailee.

הַשּׂוֹכֵר פָּרָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ וְהִשְׁאִילָהּ לְאַחֵר, וּמֵתָה כְדַרְכָּה, יִשָּׁבַע הַשּׂוֹכֵר שֶׁמֵּתָה כְדַרְכָּה, וְהַשּׁוֹאֵל יְשַׁלֵּם לַשּׂוֹכֵר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, כֵּיצַד הַלָּה עוֹשֶׂה סְחוֹרָה בְּפָרָתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, אֶלָּא תַחֲזֹר פָּרָה לַבְּעָלִים:

In the case of one who rents a cow from another, and this renter then lends it to another person, and the cow dies in its typical manner, i.e., of natural causes, in the possession of the borrower, the renter takes an oath to the owner of the cow that the cow died in its typical manner, and the borrower pays the renter for the cow that he borrowed. A renter is exempt in a case of damage due to circumstances beyond his control, including death, but a borrower is liable to compensate the owner even for damage due to circumstances beyond his control. Rabbi Yosei said: How does the other party, i.e., the renter, do business with and profit from another’s cow? Rather, the value of the cow should be returned to the owner. The renter need not take an oath, but the borrower must compensate the owner of the cow.

אָמַר לִשְׁנַיִם, גָּזַלְתִּי לְאֶחָד מִכֶּם מָנֶה, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶה מִכֶּם, אוֹ, אָבִיו שֶׁל אֶחָד מִכֶּם הִפְקִיד לִי מָנֶה, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶה הוּא, נוֹתֵן לָזֶה מָנֶה וְלָזֶה מָנֶה, שֶׁהוֹדָה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ:

If one said to two people: I robbed one of you of one hundred dinars, but I do not know from which of you I took the money, or if one said to two people: The father of one of you deposited one hundred dinars with me, but I do not know the father of which of you he is, then he gives one hundred dinars to this person and one hundred dinars to that person. This is because there is no way to determine which of them is entitled to the money, and he admitted his obligation at his own initiative.

שְׁנַיִם שֶׁהִפְקִידוּ אֵצֶל אֶחָד, זֶה מָנֶה וְזֶה מָאתַיִם, זֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי מָאתָיִם וְזֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי מָאתָיִם, נוֹתֵן לָזֶה מָנֶה וְלָזֶה מָנֶה, וְהַשְּׁאָר יְהֵא מֻנָּח עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִם כֵּן מַה הִפְסִיד הָרַמַּאי. אֶלָּא הַכֹּל יְהֵא מֻנָּח עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ:

In the case of two people who deposited money with one person, and this one deposited one hundred dinars and that one deposited two hundred dinars, and when they come to collect their deposit, this one says: My deposit was two hundred dinars, and that one says: My deposit was two hundred dinars, the bailee gives one hundred dinars to this one and one hundred dinars to that one. And the rest of the money, i.e., the contested one hundred dinars, will be placed in a safe place until Elijah comes and prophetically determines the truth. Rabbi Yosei said: If so, what did the swindler lose? He lost nothing by claiming the one hundred dinars that belongs to another, and he has no incentive to admit the truth. Rather, the entire deposit will be placed in a safe place until Elijah comes. As his fraud will cause him to lose even the one hundred dinars that he deposited, perhaps he will be discouraged from making a fraudulent claim.

וְכֵן שְׁנֵי כֵלִים, אֶחָד יָפֶה מָנֶה וְאֶחָד יָפֶה אֶלֶף זוּז, זֶה אוֹמֵר יָפֶה שֶׁלִּי וְזֶה אוֹמֵר יָפֶה שֶׁלִּי, נוֹתֵן אֶת הַקָּטָן לְאֶחָד מֵהֶן, וּמִתּוֹךְ הַגָּדוֹל נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי קָטָן לַשֵּׁנִי, וְהַשְּׁאָר יְהֵא מֻנָּח עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִם כֵּן מַה הִפְסִיד הָרַמַּאי. אֶלָּא הַכֹּל יְהֵא מֻנָּח עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ:

And likewise, if two people deposited two vessels, one worth one hundred dinars and one worth one thousand dinars, and this one says: The expensive vessel is mine, and that one says: The expensive vessel is mine, the bailee gives the small vessel to one of them, and from the proceeds of the sale of the large vessel he gives the value of the small vessel to the other, and the rest of the money is placed in a safe place until Elijah comes. Rabbi Yosei said: If so, what did the swindler lose? Rather, the entire deposit, i.e., both vessels, are placed in a safe place until Elijah comes or one of them admits his deceit.

הַמַּפְקִיד פֵּרוֹת אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ הֵן אֲבוּדִין לֹא יִגַּע בָּהֶן. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, מוֹכְרָן בִּפְנֵי בֵית דִּין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְמֵשִׁיב אֲבֵדָה לַבְּעָלִים:

In the case of one who deposits produce with another, even if it is lost due to spoilage or vermin, the bailee may not touch it, as it is not his. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: He sells it before the court, as by doing so he is like one returning a lost item to the owner, since through its sale he prevents the owner from losing the value of his produce.

הַמַּפְקִיד פֵּרוֹת אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה יוֹצִיא לוֹ חֶסְרוֹנוֹת. לְחִטִּין וּלְאֹרֶז, תִּשְׁעָה חֲצָאֵי קַבִּין לְכוֹר, לִשְׂעֹרִין וּלְדֹחַן, תִּשְׁעָה קַבִּין לְכוֹר, לְכֻסְמִין וּלְזֶרַע פִּשְׁתָּן, שָׁלשׁ סְאִין לְכוֹר. הַכֹּל לְפִי הַמִּדָּה, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַזְּמָן. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי, וְכִי מָה אִכְפַּת לָהֶן לָעַכְבָּרִין, וַהֲלֹא אוֹכְלוֹת בֵּין מֵהַרְבֵּה וּבֵין מִקִּמְעָא. אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לוֹ חֶסְרוֹנוֹת אֶלָּא לְכוֹר אֶחָד בִּלְבָד. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אִם הָיְתָה מִדָּה מְרֻבָּה, אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לוֹ חֶסְרוֹנוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹתִירוֹת:

In the case of one who deposits produce with another, and the bailee provides him with different produce in return, that bailee deducts from the produce that he returns an amount equal to the standard decrease of the produce. The decrease is calculated according to this formula: For wheat and for rice, he deducts nine half-kav per kor, which is 180 kav; for barley and millet, he deducts nine kav per kor; for spelt and flaxseed, he deducts three se’a, which total eighteen kav, per kor. The entire calculation is according to the measure, and the entire calculation is according to the time elapsed. This is the amount of produce that the bailee deducts per one kor of produce over the course of one year. Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri said: And what do the mice care how much produce the bailee is safeguarding? Don’t they eat the same amount whether it is from much produce and whether it is from little produce? Rather, he deducts an amount equal to the standard decrease of just one kor of produce. Rabbi Yehuda says: If the deposit was a large measure, the bailee does not deduct the decrease from it, due to the fact that for different reasons it increases. Therefore, he returns the measure of produce that was deposited with him, because the increase offsets the decrease.

יוֹצִיא לוֹ שְׁתוּת לְיַיִן. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, חֹמֶשׁ. יוֹצִיא לוֹ שְׁלשֶׁת לֻגִּין שֶׁמֶן לְמֵאָה, לֹג וּמֶחֱצָה שְׁמָרִים, לֹג וּמֶחֱצָה בָּלַע. אִם הָיָה שֶׁמֶן מְזֻקָּק, אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לוֹ שְׁמָרִים. אִם הָיוּ קַנְקַנִּים יְשָׁנִים, אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לוֹ בָּלַע. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אַף הַמּוֹכֵר שֶׁמֶן מְזֻקָּק לַחֲבֵרוֹ כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מְקַבֵּל עָלָיו לֹג וּמֶחֱצָה שְׁמָרִים לְמֵאָה:

When the bailee returns liquids that were deposited with him, he deducts one-sixth of the amount for wine, to offset the decrease in volume due to absorption into the cask and evaporation. Rabbi Yehuda says: He deducts one-fifth. He deducts three log of oil for one hundred log: A log and a half for sediment that sinks to the bottom of the cask, and a log and a half for absorption into the cask. If it was refined oil, he does not deduct any of the oil for sediment because it was filtered. If the oil was stored in old casks that are already saturated, he does not deduct any of the oil for absorption. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even in a case of one who sells refined oil to another all the days of the year, this buyer accepts upon himself that the seller will deduct a log and a half of sediment for one hundred log, as that is the standard measure of sediment.

הַמַּפְקִיד חָבִית אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְלֹא יִחֲדוּ לָהּ הַבְּעָלִים מָקוֹם, וְטִלְטְלָהּ וְנִשְׁבְּרָה, אִם מִתּוֹךְ יָדוֹ נִשְׁבְּרָה, לְצָרְכּוֹ, חַיָּב, לְצָרְכָּהּ, פָּטוּר. אִם מִשֶּׁהִנִּיחָהּ נִשְׁבְּרָה, בֵּין לְצָרְכּוֹ בֵּין לְצָרְכָּהּ, פָּטוּר. יִחֲדוּ לָהּ הַבְּעָלִים מָקוֹם, וְטִלְטְלָהּ וְנִשְׁבְּרָה, בֵּין מִתּוֹךְ יָדוֹ וּבֵין מִשֶּׁהִנִּיחָהּ, לְצָרְכּוֹ, חַיָּב, לְצָרְכָּהּ, פָּטוּר:

In the case of one who deposits a barrel with another, and the owners did not designate a specific place for the barrel to be stored in the bailee’s house, and the bailee moved it and it broke, if it broke while still in his hand, there is a distinction: If he moved the barrel for his purposes, he is liable to pay for the damage. If he moved the barrel for its own purposes, to prevent it from being damaged, he is exempt. If, after he replaced the barrel it broke, whether he initially moved it for his purposes or whether he moved it for its own purposes, he is exempt. But if the owners designated a specific place for the barrel, and the bailee moved it and it broke, whether it broke while still in his hand or whether it broke after he replaced the barrel, if he moved it for his purposes he is liable to pay, and if he moved it for its own purposes, he is exempt.

הַמַּפְקִיד מָעוֹת אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ, צְרָרָן וְהִפְשִׁילָן לַאֲחוֹרָיו, אוֹ שֶׁמְּסָרָן לִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים, וְנָעַל בִּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא כָרָאוּי, חַיָּב, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים. וְאִם שָׁמַר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים, פָּטוּר:

In the case of one who deposited coins with another, and that bailee bound it in a cloth and slung it behind him, or conveyed them to his minor son or daughter for safeguarding, or locked the door before them in an inappropriate, i.e., insufficient, manner to secure them, the bailee is liable to pay for the coins, as he did not safeguard the coins in the manner typical of bailees. But if he safeguarded the money in the manner that bailees safeguard items and it was nevertheless stolen, he is exempt.

הַמַּפְקִיד מָעוֹת אֵצֶל שֻׁלְחָנִי, אִם צְרוּרִין, לֹא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ אִם אָבְדוּ אֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן, מֻתָּרִין, יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ אִם אָבְדוּ חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן. אֵצֶל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, בֵּין צְרוּרִין וּבֵין מֻתָּרִים לֹא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ אִם אָבְדוּ אֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן. חֶנְוָנִי כְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, חֶנְוָנִי כַּשֻּׁלְחָנִי:

In the case of one who deposits money with a money changer, if the money is bound, the money changer may not use it. Therefore, if it is lost he does not bear responsibility for it. If the money was unbound, the money changer may use it. Therefore, if it is lost he bears responsibility for it. If he deposited money with a homeowner, whether it is bound or whether it is unbound, the homeowner may not use it, as it never entered the mind of the depositor that the homeowner might use the money. Therefore, if the homeowner lost the money, he does not bear responsibility for it. If the bailee is a storekeeper, his status is like that of a homeowner; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: If the bailee is a storekeeper, his status is like that of a money changer.

הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ יָד בְּפִקָּדוֹן, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, יִלְקֶה בְחָסֵר וּבְיָתֵר. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, כִּשְׁעַת הוֹצָאָה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, כִּשְׁעַת הַתְּבִיעָה. הַחוֹשֵׁב לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּפִקָּדוֹן, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, חַיָּב. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁלַח בּוֹ יָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב) אִם לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ בִּמְלֶאכֶת רֵעֵהוּ. כֵּיצַד. הִטָּה אֶת הֶחָבִית וְנָטַל הֵימֶנָּה רְבִיעִית, וְנִשְׁבְּרָה, אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם אֶלָּא רְבִיעִית. הִגְבִּיהָהּ וְנָטַל הֵימֶנָּה רְבִיעִית, וְנִשְׁבְּרָה, מְשַׁלֵּם דְּמֵי כֻלָּהּ:

With regard to one who misappropriates a deposit, Beit Shammai say: He is penalized for its decrease and its increase. If the value of the deposit decreases, the bailee is liable to pay in accordance with its value at the time of the misappropriation. If it increases in value, he is liable to pay in accordance with its value at the time of repayment. And Beit Hillel say: He pays in accordance with its value at the time of removal. Rabbi Akiva says: He pays in accordance with its value at the time of the claim. With regard to one who intends to misappropriate a deposit and voices that intent in the presence of witnesses, Beit Shammai say: He is liable to pay for any damage to the deposit from that point forward, and Beit Hillel say: He is liable to pay only if he actually misappropriates the deposit, as it is stated concerning a bailee: “Whether he has misappropriated his neighbor’s goods” (Exodus 22:7). If he tilted the deposited barrel and took from it a quarter-log of wine for his own use, and the barrel broke, then he pays only for that quarter-log. If he lifted the barrel and took from it a quarter-log of wine, and the barrel broke, since he acquired the barrel by lifting it, he pays the value of the entire barrel.