Creditor and Debtor Chapter 20

מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חוֹבוֹת הַרְבֵּה כָּל שֶׁקָּדַם חוֹבוֹ גּוֹבֶה תְּחִלָּה בֵּין מִן הַלּוֶֹה עַצְמוֹ בֵּין מִן הַלָּקוֹחוֹת. וְאִם קָדַם הָאַחֲרוֹן וְגָבָה מוֹצִיאִים מִיָּדוֹ שֶׁכָּל שֶׁקָּדַם חוֹבוֹ זָכָה. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּקַרְקָעוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁלָּוָה אֲבָל הַקַּרְקָעוֹת שֶׁקָּנָה אַחַר שֶׁלָּוָה מִבַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת הַרְבֵּה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּתַב לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶן מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לִקְנוֹת מְשֻׁעְבָּד לְךָ אֵין בָּהֶן דִּין קְדִימָה אֶלָּא כֻּלָּן שָׁוִין וְכָל שֶׁקָּדַם וְגָבָה זָכָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא אַחֲרוֹן:

When a person owes many debts, the person whose debt was made first has the right to expropriate property first - from the borrower himself and from his creditors. If a later creditor expropriated property before the first creditor, the first creditor may expropriate it from him. For the person whose debt was established first acquires the property. To what does the above apply? To landed property that the borrower possessed at the time that he took the loan. When, however, he purchased landed property after borrowing from many creditors, no one is granted precedence over the others, even if the borrower wrote to each one in the promissory note: "The property that I will purchase in the future is on lien to you." Instead, all are equal, and whoever comes first and expropriates the property acquires it, even if he was the last to make the loan.

לָוָה וְכָתַב לוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לִקְנוֹת מְשֻׁעְבָּד לְךָ וְאַחַר כָּךְ קָנָה שָׂדֶה וְחָזַר וְלָוָה מֵאַחֵר הֲרֵי הַשָּׂדֶה מְשֻׁעְבָּד לָרִאשׁוֹן וְהוּא קוֹדֵם לִגְבּוֹת. וְכֵן אֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ מֵאָה. אֵין דִּין קְדִימָה בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין אֶלָּא כָּל שֶׁקָּדַם וְגָבָה מֵהֶן זָכָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא אַחֲרוֹן. קִדֵּם אֶחָד מִשְּׁאָר אָדָם וְתָפַס מִן הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁל זֶה כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְאֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת לֹא זָכָה שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹפֵס לְבַעַל חוֹב בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו חוֹב לַאֲחֵרִים לֹא קָנָה. אֲבָל אֵין עָלָיו חוֹב לַאֲחֵרִים קָנָה לוֹ. וְכֵן אִם אָמַר לוֹ הַלּוֶֹה זְכֵה בְּחֵפֶץ זֶה לִפְלוֹנִי זָכָה לוֹ וְאֵין אֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת יְכוֹלִין לִגְבּוֹת מֵאֵלּוּ הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁכְּבָר זָכָה בָּהֶן אַחֵר:

When a borrower writes in the promissory note: "What I will acquire in the future is on lien to you," afterwards purchases a field and then borrows from another person, the field is on lien to the first lender. He has the right to expropriate it first. Similar principles apply even if there are 100 creditors. There is no concept of precedence with regard to the expropriation of movable property. Instead, whoever comes first and expropriates it acquires it, even if he was the last to make the loan. If another person came and seized possession of movable property belonging to this debtor in order to acquire the property on behalf of one of the creditors, that person does not acquire the property. The rationale is that a person who seizes property on behalf of a creditor in a situation where a loss is caused to another person does not acquire it. If, however, seizing it would not cause a loss to other people, he does acquire it for him. Similarly, if the borrower tells him: "Acquire this article on behalf of so-and-so," he acquires it for him. None of the other creditors can expropriate this movable property, because another person has already acquired it.

שְׁטָרוֹת שֶׁזְּמַן כֻּלָּן יוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ שָׁעָה אַחַת בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין שָׁעוֹת כָּל שֶׁקָּדַם מֵהֶן וְגָבָה בֵּין קַרְקַע בֵּין מִטַּלְטְלִין זָכָה:

If there are many promissory notes each bearing the same date (or the same hour, where the custom is to write the time of day) - whoever claims first wins, whether with regards to land or movable property.

בָּאוּ כֻּלָּן בְּיַחַד לִגְבּוֹת. וְכֵן בַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן קוֹדֵם לִזְמַן חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ לִגְבּוֹת מִן הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין בָּהֶן דִּין קְדִימָה. אוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ לִגְבּוֹת מִקַּרְקַע שֶׁקָּנָה הַלּוֶֹה לְאַחַר שֶׁלָּוָה מִן הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶן וְאֵין בַּנְּכָסִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּגְבֶּה כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֶת חוֹבוֹ. מְחַלְּקִין בֵּינֵיהֶן. כֵּיצַד חוֹלְקִין. אִם כְּשֶׁיִּתְחַלֵּק הַמָּמוֹן הַנִּמְצָא עַל מִנְיָנָם יַגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶן כְּשִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ אוֹ פָּחוֹת חוֹלְקִים לְפִי מִנְיָנָם בְּשָׁוֶה. וְאִם יַגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם יוֹתֵר עַל חוֹבוֹ חוֹלְקִים מִכָּל הַמָּמוֹן בֵּינֵיהֶם כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם כְּשִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ וְחוֹזְרִין הַנִּשְׁאָרִים מִבַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת וְחוֹלְקִין הַיֶּתֶר בֵּינֵיהֶן כַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֹּאת. כֵּיצַד. הָיוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה חוֹבוֹת שֶׁל זֶה מָנֶה וְשֶׁל זֶה מָאתַיִם וְשֶׁל זֶה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אִם הָיָה כָּל הַנִּמְצָא שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת נוֹטְלִין מֵאָה מֵאָה. וְכֵן אִם נִמְצָא שָׁם פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת חוֹלְקִין בְּשָׁוֶה. נִמְצָא שָׁם יֶתֶר עַל שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת חוֹלְקִין שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הַמֵּאָה וּשְׁאָר הַמָּמוֹן חוֹלְקִין אוֹתוֹ הַשְּׁנַיִם עַל אוֹתָהּ הַדֶּרֶךְ. כֵּיצַד. נִמְצְאוּ שָׁם חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אוֹ פָּחוֹת חוֹלְקִין שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה וְיִסְתַּלֵּק הָאֶחָד וְחוֹזְרִין וְחוֹלְקִין הַמָּאתַיִם אוֹ הַפָּחוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה וְיִסְתַּלֵּק הַשֵּׁנִי. נִמְצָא שָׁם שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חוֹלְקִין שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הַמָּנֶה וְחוֹזְרִין וְחוֹלְקִין הַמָּאתַיִם בֵּין הַשְּׁנַיִם בְּשָׁוֶה וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הַמָּאתַיִם. וְנוֹתְנִין הַמֵּאָה הַנִּשְׁאָרִים לְבַעַל הַשְּׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְנִמְצָא בְּיָדוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת בִּלְבַד. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ חוֹלְקִין אֲפִלּוּ הֵן מֵאָה כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ לִגְבּוֹת כְּאַחַת. וְיֵשׁ מִן הַגְּאוֹנִים שֶׁהוֹרוּ שֶׁחוֹלְקִין לְפִי מָמוֹנָם:

The ensuing laws apply when creditors whose promissory notes are dated on the same date all come to expropriate property together, or when creditors whose promissory notes were dated before one another come to expropriate movable property, for there is no concept of precedence with regard to movable property, or creditors come to expropriate property that the borrower purchased after taking the loan dated last, and the property the borrower possesses is not sufficient to enable each one to collect the debt that is owed to them. How is the property divided? If when the property is divided in equal portions according to the number of creditors, the person owed the least will receive the amount owed him or less, the property is divided into that number of equal portions. If dividing the property into equal portions would give the person owed the least more than he is owed, this is what should be done: We divide the sum equally among the creditors so that the person owed the least will receive the money that he is owed. He then withdraws. The remaining creditors then divide the balance of the debtor's resources in the following manner. What is implied? A person owed three debts: one of a maneh, one for 200 and one for 300. If all the resources of the debtor total 300 zuz, they are divided 100 for each. Similarly, if his resources are less than 300, they should be divided equally among the three. If his resources total more than 300 zuz, the 300 should be divided equally and then the person owed 100 should withdraw. The remaining money should be divided equally in this same manner. What is implied? If the debtor's resources total 500 or less, the 300 should be divided equally, and then the person owed 100 should withdraw. The balance of 200 or less should then be divided equally among the remaining creditors, and then the second one withdraws. If the debtor's resources total 600, the 300 should be divided equally, and then the person owed 100 should withdraw. They then divide 200 between the two equally, and then the second one withdraws. The 100 that remain should then be given to the person owed 300; he thus receives only 300. The debtor's resources should be divided according to this pattern even if there are 100 creditors, if they come to divide the resources at the same time. There are, however, Geonim who rule that the resources should be divided in proportion to the amount owed each creditor.

רְאוּבֵן וְשִׁמְעוֹן לְכָל אֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם שְׁטַר חוֹב עַל לֵוִי רְאוּבֵן שְׁטָרוֹ בַּחֲמִישִׁי בְּנִיסָן וְשִׁמְעוֹן שְׁטָרוֹ בְּנִיסָן סְתָם וַהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לְלֵוִי שָׂדֶה שֶׁאֵינָהּ כְּדֵי חוֹב שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם מוֹרִידִין לְתוֹכָהּ רְאוּבֵן שֶׁמָּא שְׁטָרוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְעוֹן בְּסוֹף נִיסָן הָיָה. וְכֵן אֵין שִׁמְעוֹן יָכוֹל לִטְרֹף מֵאִיָּר וְאֵילָךְ שֶׁהֲרֵי הַלּוֹקֵחַ אוֹמֵר לוֹ שֶׁמָּא בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן הוּא זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁל שְׁטָרְךָ וַהֲרֵי שָׂדֶה בַּת חוֹרִין בְּיַד רְאוּבֵן שֶׁתִּגְבֶּה אוֹתָהּ וְיָבוֹא רְאוּבֵן שֶׁהוּא אַחַר זְמַנְּךָ וְהוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לִטְרֹף מִמֶּנּוּ. לְפִיכָךְ אִם כָּתְבוּ הַרְשָׁאָה זֶה לָזֶה טוֹרְפִין מֵאִיָּר וְאֵילָךְ מִכָּל צַד. וְהוּא הַדִּין בִּרְאוּבֵן וְשִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁמָּכַר לָהֶן לֵוִי שָׂדֶה אַחַת בִּשְׁנֵי שְׁטָרוֹת שְׁטָרוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בְּנִיסָן וּשְׁטָרוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בְּנִיסָן סְתָם:

The fact that a promissory note is not dated correctly creates difficulties for its bearer. For example, Reuven and Shimon each possess a promissory note, stating that Levi owes them money. The promissory note possessed by Reuven is dated Nissan 5, and that possessed by Shimon is dated Nissan, without specifying a day. Levi possesses only one field that is not equal in value to the debts owed them both. Reuven is allowed to take possession of the field, for perhaps the promissory note owed Shimon was signed at the end of Nissan. Similarly, Shimon cannot expropriate a field that was sold by Levi from lyyar or afterwards. For the purchaser will tell him: "Perhaps the date of your promissory note is the first of Nissan. There is a field that was not sold at that time in the possession of Reuven. Expropriate it and then let Reuven, whose promissory note is dated after yours, come and expropriate the field from me." Therefore, if Reuven and Shimon write each other a document granting power of attorney, they may expropriate a field that was sold after lyyar using both vantage points. Similar laws apply if Levi sold one field twice, composing separate deeds of sale for Reuven and for Shimon, with one dated on the first of Nissan and one Nissan, without specifying a day.