Creditor and Debtor Chapter 7

הַמַּלְוֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וּמִשְׁכֵּן לוֹ אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה עַד זְמַן קָצוּב אוֹ עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא לוֹ מָעוֹת וְיִסְתַּלֵּק וְהָיָה הַמַּלְוֶה אוֹכֵל כָּל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל כְּשִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ אֵין מְסַלְּקִין אוֹתוֹ בְּלֹא כְּלוּם שֶׁאִם תְּסַלֵּק אוֹתוֹ בְּלֹא מָעוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא מִמֶּנּוּ בְּדַיָּנִין. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם אָכַל יֶתֶר עַל מְעוֹתָיו אֵין מוֹצִיאִין מִמֶּנּוּ. וְכֵן אֵין מְחַשְּׁבִין מִשְּׁטָר לִשְׁטָר בְּמַשְׁכּוֹנָא. הָיְתָה הַקַּרְקַע הַמְמֻשְׁכֶּנֶת בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל יְתוֹמִים וְאָכַל שִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ מְסַלְּקִין אוֹתוֹ בְּלֹא כְּלוּם. אֲבָל יֶתֶר עַל חוֹבוֹ אֵין מוֹצִיאִין מִמֶּנּוּ הַיֶּתֶר. וּמְחַשְּׁבִין לוֹ מִשְּׁטָר לִשְׁטָר. כֵּיצַד מְחַשְּׁבִין מִשְּׁטָר לִשְׁטָר. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂדֶה זוֹ מְמֻשְׁכֶּנֶת לוֹ בְּמֵאָה דִּינָר וְשָׂדֶה אַחֶרֶת מְמֻשְׁכֶּנֶת לוֹ בִּשְׁטָר אַחֵר בְּמֵאָה דִּינָר וּשְׁתֵּי הַשָּׂדוֹת לְאָדָם אֶחָד וְאָכַל מִפֵּרוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה הָאַחַת בַּחֲמִשִּׁים וּמִפֵּרוֹת הַשְּׁנִיָּה בְּמֵאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אוֹמְרִים לוֹ הֲרֵי אָכַלְתָּ מִן הַפֵּרוֹת בְּמָאתַיִם וְאֵין לְךָ כְּלוּם וּכְאִלּוּ הַשְּׁנֵי שְׁטָרוֹת שְׁטָר אֶחָד וּמַשְׁכּוֹנָא אַחַת:

The following rules apply when a person lends money to a colleague, and the borrower gives the lender his field as security for a set time or until the borrower repays the lender, at which time, the lender will leave the field. Although the lender benefits from all of the produce of the field, even if he consumes the entire value of the debt, he should not be removed from the field without any payment. The rationale is that if he were removed without payment, it would be as if one had expropriated money taken as "the shade of interest" through legal process. Needless to say, if the produce that the lender consumes is worth more than the money he gave, the difference should not be expropriated by him. Similarly, we do not calculate from one promissory note to another promissory note when property is given as security. When the property given as security belongs to orphans, and the lender consumes an amount of produce equivalent to his debt, he is removed from the property without any payment. If, however, the lender's benefit exceeded the amount of the debt, we do not expropriate the additional amount from him. In the case of orphans, we may calculate from one promissory note to another promissory note. What is meant by "calculating from one promissory note to another promissory note"? One field was given to a lender as security for a debt of 100 dinarim and another field was given to him as security for another debt for another 100 dinarim. If both fields belonged to the same person and the lender consumed produce worth 50 from one field and produce worth 150 from the other field, we tell him: "You already consumed 200 dinarim worth of produce; you are not owed anything more." For it is as if the two debts were one debt and security given for the entire sum as one.

מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְסַלֵּק הַמַּלְוֶה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיָּבִיא לוֹ מָעוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְפָרֵשׁ דָּבָר זֶה. וְכֵן מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתַּלֵּק הַמַּלְוֶה עַד סוֹף זְמַן הַמַּשְׁכּוֹנָא הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ. וְכָל הַמְמַשְׁכֵּן סְתָם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְסַלְּקוֹ עַד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ:

In a place where it is customary to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower pays the debt, it is as if this stipulation were explicitly stated. It is not necessary to make an explicit statement. Conversely, in a place where it is customary not to remove the lender from property until the conclusion of the term for which the property was given as security, it is as if this stipulation was explicitly stated. Whenever a person gives property as security without specifying a term for the loan, he cannot remove the lender from the property until at least twelve months pass.

מָקוֹם שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לְסַלֵּק הַמַּלְוֶה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּרְצֶה הַלּוֶֹה וְהִתְנָה עִמּוֹ הַמַּלְוֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתַּלֵּק עַד סוֹף זְמַן הַמַּשְׁכּוֹנָא הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְסַלְּקוֹ. הָיָה הַמִּנְהָג שֶׁאֵין הַמַּלְוֶה מִסְתַּלֵּק עַד סוֹף זְמַנּוֹ וְקִבֵּל הַמַּלְוֶה עָלָיו שֶׁיִּסְתַּלֵּק בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיָּבִיא לוֹ מְעוֹתָיו הֲרֵי זֶה צָרִיךְ לִקְנוֹת מִיָּדוֹ עַל כָּךְ:

Even in a place where it is customary to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower desires to pay the debt, that custom can be superseded by an explicit condition. If a lender makes a stipulation that the borrower will not remove him from the property until after the full term for which the property was given as security, the borrower cannot pay the debt earlier and have him removed from the property. In a place where it is customary not to remove the lender from property until after the full term for which the property was given as security, although the lender accepts a stipulation that he will leave the property whenever the borrower brings him his money, the stipulation is binding only when the lender affirms his commitment with a kinyan.

הַמַּשְׁכּוֹנָא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמִּנְהָגָם לְסַלֵּק הַמַּלְוֶה בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיָּבִיא מְעוֹתָיו אֵין בַּעַל חוֹב שֶׁל מַלְוֶה גּוֹבֶה מִמֶּנָּה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁגּוֹבֶה מִן הַקַּרְקַע. וְאֵין הַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל בָּהּ פִּי שְׁנַיִם. וּשְׁבִיעִית מְשַׁמַּטְתָּהּ. וּכְשֶׁמְּסַלֵּק אוֹתוֹ אֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל אֲפִלּוּ פֵּרוֹת שֶׁבָּשְׁלוּ וְנָפְלוּ לָאָרֶץ. וְאִם הִגְבִּיהַּ אוֹתָן קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּסַלְּקוּ קָנָה אוֹתָן. וּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְסַלְּקוֹ עַד סוֹף זְמַנּוֹ בַּעַל חוֹב גּוֹבֶה הֵימֶנּוּ. וְהַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל פִּי שְׁנַיִם. וְאֵין הַשְּׁבִיעִית מְשַׁמַּטְתָּה:

In a place where it is customary to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower pays the debt, a creditor of the lender is not entitled to expropriate this property to collect his debt, as he can other properties belonging to his debtor. Similarly, a firstborn does not receive a double portion of it, and the Sabbatical year nullifies the debt. When the borrower pays the debt and causes the lender to leave the field, the lender may not take even produce that is ripe and that has fallen to the ground. If, however, he lifted the produce up before he was forced to leave the property, he acquires the produce. In a place where it is customary that the borrower cannot remove the lender from property given as security until the end of the term of the loan, a creditor of the lender may expropriate this property, a firstborn receives a double portion of it, and the Sabbatical year cannot nullify the debt.

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמַּשְׁכּוֹנָא זוֹ אֲסוּרָה הִיא וַאֲבַק רִבִּית כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִנְהָג זֶה בְּטָעוּת אוֹ לָעַכּוּ"ם אוֹ דֶּרֶךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁחוֹטֵא וּמִשְׁכֵּן בְּאוֹתָהּ מְדִינָה הוֹאִיל וַאֲבַק רִבִּית הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַמִּנְהָג. וְיֵשׁ מִי שֶׁהוֹרָה שֶׁזֹּאת הַמַּשְׁכּוֹנָא בְּנִכּוּי:

Although giving a field as security is forbidden and involves "the shade of interest," as explained, it is possible that this custom was established in error, in relation to a gentile, or practiced by a person who sinned and took property as security in that city. Since "the shade of interest is involved," we follow the local custom. There is someone who ruled that this is what is meant by making a deduction when taking security.

עַכּוּ"ם שֶׁמִּשְׁכֵּן חֲצֵרוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְחָזַר הָעַכּוּ"ם וּמְכָרָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֵר אֵין הַמְמַשְׁכֵּן חַיָּב לְהַעֲלוֹת שָׂכָר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֵת שֶׁקָּנָה הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא דָּר בְּחָצֵר בְּלֹא שָׂכָר עַד שֶׁיַּחְזִיר לוֹ הָעַכּוּ"ם אֶת הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עַל חָצֵר זוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא בִּרְשׁוּת הַמְמַשְׁכֵּן בְּדִינֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ מְעוֹתָיו וְיִסְתַּלֵּק:

When a gentile gives his courtyard as security to a Jew in return for a loan, and afterwards, the gentile sells it to another Jew, the person in possession of the security does not have to pay the Jewish owner rent from the time he purchased the courtyard. Instead, he may dwell in the courtyard without paying rent until the gentile repays the loan taken out against the courtyard. The rationale is that according to secular law, the property belongs to the person to whom it was given as security until the debt is repaid. Only then, he leaves the property.

הַמְמַשְׁכֵּן בַּיִת אוֹ שָׂדֶה בְּיַד חֲבֵרוֹ וְהָיָה בַּעַל הַקַּרְקַע אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ וְאָמַר לוֹ הַמַּלְוֶה לִכְשֶׁתִּמְכֹּר קַרְקַע זוֹ לֹא תִּמְכְּרֶנָּה אֶלָּא לִי בְּדָמִים אֵלּוּ הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. וְאִם אָמַר לוֹ אַל תִּמְכְּרֶנָּה אֶלָּא לִי בְּשָׁוְיָהּ וְעַל מְנָת כֵּן אֲנִי מַלְוֶה אוֹתְךָ הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר:

The following rules apply when a person designates a house or a field as security for a loan in his colleague's possession and the owner of the land derives the benefits from it. If the lender tells the borrower: "When you desire to sell this property, do not sell it to anyone but to me at this price," it is forbidden. If he told him: "Do not sell it to anyone else but to me at its fair value. It is on this condition that I am making the loan," it is permitted.

מֻתָּר לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּשְׂכַר הַקַּרְקַע. כֵּיצַד. הִשְׂכִּיר לוֹ אֶת הֶחָצֵר וְאָמַר לוֹ אִם מֵעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִי הֲרֵי הִיא לְךָ בְּעֶשֶׂר סְלָעִים בְּכָל שָׁנָה. וְאִם תִּתֵּן שְׂכַר חֹדֶשׁ בְּחֹדֶשׁ הֲרֵי הִיא בְּסֶלַע בְּכָל חֹדֶשׁ. הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר:

It is permitted to increase the rent offered for land in return for delayed payment. What is implied? A person rents a colleague a courtyard and tells him: "If you pay me now, it is yours at ten selaim a year. If you pay me month by month, the rent is a sela per month." This arrangement is permissible.

הַמַּשְׂכִּיר שָׂדֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ בַּעֲשָׂרָה כּוֹרִים לְשָׁנָה. וְאָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי מָאתַיִם זוּז שֶׁאֲפַרְנֵס בָּהֶן אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר כּוֹר בְּכָל שָׁנָה. הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאִם יְפַרְנֵס אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה בְּדִינָרִין אֵלּוּ יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרָהּ יוֹתֵר. וְכֵן אִם הִשְׂכִּיר לוֹ חֲנוּת אוֹ סְפִינָה בַּעֲשָׂרָה דִּינָרִין בְּשָׁנָה וְאָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי מָאתַיִם זוּז שֶׁאֶבְנֶה בָּהֶן חֲנוּת וַאֲצַיְּרֶנָּה וַאֲכַיְּרֶנָּה אוֹ אֲתַקֵּן בָּהֶן סְפִינָה זוֹ וּכְלֵי תַּשְׁמִישֶׁיהָ וַאֲנִי אַעֲלֶה לְךָ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר דִּינָר בְּכָל שָׁנָה הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר. אֲבָל אִם אָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי מָאתַיִם זוּז כְּדֵי לְהִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶן בַּחֲנוּת אוֹ אוֹצִיאֵם בִּסְחוֹרָה שֶׁל סְפִינָה אוֹ אֶשְׂכֹּר בָּהֶן מַלָּחִין וַאֲנִי אַעֲלֶה לְךָ בְּשָׂכָר הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר:

When a person rents a field to a colleague at ten korim a year, it is permissible for the tenant to tell the owner: "Give me a loan of 200 zuz to improve the field and I will pay you twelve korim a year." This is not considered interest, because if he uses this money to improve the field, it will be worth more to rent. Similarly, if a person rents a colleague a store or a ship for ten dinarim, it is permissible for the renter to tell the owner: "Give me a loan of 200 zuz to use to remodel the store, decorate it and plaster it, or to improve the ship and its facilities, and I will pay you twelve dinarim per year." If, however, he tells him: "Give me a loan of 200 zuz so that I can do business with them in the store, purchase merchandise for the ship with them, or hire sailors, and I will increase the fee," that is forbidden.

אָסוּר לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּשְׂכַר הָאָדָם. כֵּיצַד. לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי הַיּוֹם מְלָאכָה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא שָׁוָה כֶּסֶף וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה עִמְּךָ בְּשָׁבוּעַ אַחֵר מְלָאכָה שֶׁהִיא שָׁוָה שְׁתַּיִם:

It is forbidden to increase the compensation paid a person in return for delayed payment. What is implied? A person should not tell a colleague: "Perform work for me today that is worth one silver piece and I will perform work for you in a later week that is worth two silver pieces.

מֻתָּר לָאָדָם לוֹמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ נַכֵּשׁ עִמִּי הַיּוֹם וַאֲנַכֵּשׁ עִמְּךָ לְמָחָר עֲדֹר עִמִּי הַיּוֹם וְאֶעֱדֹר עִמְּךָ לְמָחָר. אֲבָל לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ נַכֵּשׁ עִמִּי וְאֶעֱדֹר עִמְּךָ עֲדֹר עִמִּי וַאֲנַכֵּשׁ עִמְּךָ. כָּל יְמֵי גָּרִיד אֶחָד וְכָל יְמֵי רְבִיעָה אַחַת. וְלֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ חֲרשׁ עִמִּי בְּגָרִיד וַאֲנִי אֶחֱרשׁ עִמְּךָ בִּרְבִיעָה. שֶׁהֲרֵי טֹרַח הַחֲרִישָׁה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים יָתֵר. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:

It is permissible for a person to tell a colleague: "Weed with me today in my field, and I will weed with you tomorrow in your field," or "Hoe with me today, and I will hoe with you tomorrow." He should not, however, tell him: "Weed for me and I will hoe for you later," or "Hoe for me and I will weed for you later." One law applies for the entire summer, and one law for the entire rainy season. A person should not, by contrast, say: "Plow for me in the summer and I will plow for you in the rainy season," for there is greater difficulty in plowing during the rainy season. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.

הַשּׂוֹכֵר אֶת הַפּוֹעֵל בִּימֵי הַחֹרֶף לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ בִּימֵי הַקֹּר בְּדִינָר בְּכָל יוֹם וְנָתַן לוֹ הַשָּׂכָר וַהֲרֵי שְׂכָרוֹ שָׁוֶה בִּימֵי הַחֹרֶף סֶלַע בְּכָל יוֹם הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כְּמַלְוֶה אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוֹזִיל לוֹ בִּשְׂכָרוֹ. אֲבָל אִם אָמַר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי מֵהַיּוֹם וְעַד זְמַן פְּלוֹנִי בְּדִינָר בְּכָל יוֹם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁוֶה שְׂכָרוֹ סֶלַע בְּכָל יוֹם הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר הוֹאִיל וְהוּא מַתְחִיל לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵעַתָּה אֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה כְּנוֹטֵל שְׂכַר מְעוֹתָיו שֶׁהִקְדִּים וּנְתָנָן לוֹ בִּשְׂכָרוֹ:

It is forbidden to hire a worker in the early winter to perform tasks in the later winter at a dinar a day and give him the money in advance, when a worker's wage in the winter is ordinarily a sela. The rationale is that it appears that he is giving him a loan immediately so that he will later reduce his wages. It is, however, permissible for an employer to tell a worker: "Work for me from today until this and this time at a dinar a day," even though his wages would ordinarily be a sela a day. The rationale is that since he already began working, the worker is not considered to be receiving benefit for money that was paid to him in advance.