Ownerless Property and Gifts Chapter 7

מִנְּהָג פָּשׁוּט בְּרֹב הַמְּדִינוֹת שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשָּׂא אָדָם אִשָּׁה מְשַׁלְּחִין לוֹ רֵעָיו וּמְיֻדָּעָיו מָעוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְחַזֵּק בָּהֶן עַל הַהוֹצָאָה שֶׁמּוֹצִיא בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ. וּבָאִים אוֹתָן הָרֵעִים וְהַמְיֻדָּעִים שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ לוֹ וְאוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין עִם הֶחָתָן בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אוֹ בְּמִקְצָתָן. הַכּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה. וְאֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁמְּשַׁלְּחִין נִקְרָאִין שׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת. וְאוֹתָם שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ הַמָּעוֹת וְאוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין עִם הֶחָתָן נִקְרָאִים שׁוֹשְׁבִינִין:

It is a universally accepted custom in most countries that when a man marries, his friends and acquaintances send him money to support the expenses he must undertake on behalf of his wife. Then the friends and acquaintances who sent him this money come and eat and drink with the groom during all - or part - of the seven days of wedding celebration; everything should be done according to the accepted local custom. The money that he is sent is called shushvinut, and the people who send the money and then come and eat and drink with the groom are called shushvinin.

הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת אֵינָהּ מַתָּנָה גְּמוּרָה. הַדְּבָרִים יְדוּעִים שֶׁלֹּא שָׁלַח זֶה עֲשָׂרָה דִּינָרִין בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיֹּאכַל וְיִשְׁתֶּה בָּזֶה וְלֹא שָׁלַח אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבְּדַעְתּוֹ הָיָה שֶׁאִם יִשָּׂא הוּא אִשָּׁה יַחְזֹר וְיִשְׁלַח לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁלַח לוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ אִם נָשָׂא זֶה אִשָּׁה וְלֹא הֶחְזִיר לוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת הֲרֵי זֶה תּוֹבְעוֹ בְּדִין וּמוֹצִיא מִמֶּנּוּ:

Shushvinut is not an outright gift. For it is plainly obvious that a person did not send a colleague 10 dinarim with the intent that he eat and drink a zuz's worth. He sent him the money solely because his intent was that when he would marry, he would send him money as he has sent him. Therefore, if the sender marries a woman, and the recipient does not return the shushvinut, the sender may lodge a legal claim against the recipient and expropriate the money from him.

וְאֵין יָכוֹל לְתָבְעוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂא כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא הוּא. כֵּיצַד. רְאוּבֵן שֶׁנָּשָׂא בְּתוּלָה וְשָּׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן שׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָשָׂא שִׁמְעוֹן אַלְמָנָה. אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִתְבֹּעַ לְהַחְזִיר לוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת שֶׁהֲרֵי אוֹמֵר לוֹ אֵינִי מַחְזִיר לְךָ אֶלָּא בִּבְתוּלָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לִי. וְכֵן אִם שָׁלַח לוֹ בְּנִשּׂוּאֵי אַלְמָנָה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְתָבְעוֹ לְהַחְזִיר לוֹ בְּנִשּׂוּאֵי בְּתוּלָה:

He cannot lodge a claim against him unless he marries in the same way as he did. What is implied? If Reuven married a maiden and Shimon sent him shushvinut, and then Shimon married a widow, Shimon cannot demand that he return the shushvinut, for he will tell him: "I will return it to you only for a maiden, as you gave to me." Conversely, if the giver sent the recipient shushvinut for the marriage of a widow, he cannot demand that it be returned for the marriage of a maiden.

עָשָׂה רְאוּבֵן מִשְׁתֶּה בְּגָלוּי וּבְפַרְהֶסְיָא וְעָשָׂה שִׁמְעוֹן בְּצִנְעָה. אוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה רְאוּבֵן בְּצִנְעָה וְשִׁמְעוֹן בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְתָבְעוֹ. שֶׁהֲרֵי אוֹמֵר לוֹ אֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמְּךָ אֶלָּא כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִמִּי:

If Reuven made a large public reception, while Shimon made a modest private affair, or Reuven married modestly and Shimon made a public affair, he cannot lodge a claim against him. For he can tell him: "I will not do for you anything else than what you did for me."

רְאוּבֵן שֶׁנָּשָׂא אִשָּׁה וְשָׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן שׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת וְאָכַל וְשָׁתָה עִמּוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָשָׂא שִׁמְעוֹן כְּנִשּׂוּאֵי רְאוּבֵן עַצְמָן וּבָא רְאוּבֵן וְאָכַל וְשָׁתָה עִמּוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁקָּרָא לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֹא רָצָה לָבוֹא. אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בַּמְּדִינָה וְשָׁמַע קוֹל טַבְלָא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן לִקְרוֹת אֶחָד אֶחָד אֶלָּא כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ יָבוֹא. וְשָׁמַע וְלֹא בָּא. חַיָּב לְהַחְזִיר לוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת כֻּלָּהּ. שֶׁהֲרֵי יָדַע וְלֹא בָּא אוֹ קָרָא לוֹ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לִקְרוֹת אֶחָד אֶחָד וְלֹא בָּא:

Reuven married a woman and Shimon sent him shushvinut, and came and ate and drank with him. Afterwards, Shimon married in precisely the same manner as Reuven did, and Reuven came and ate and drank with him, or Shimon called Reuven and he did not desire to come, or Reuven was in the city and heard the herald in a place where it is not customary to give private invitations, but rather everyone who hears the announcement comes, and Reuven heard the announcement and yet did not come, Reuven is obligated to return the entire amount of the shushvinut. For he knew about the wedding and did not come or was given a private invitation in a place where that is the custom, and yet he did not come.

לֹא הָיָה רְאוּבֵן בַּמְּדִינָה מְנַכִּין לוֹ דְּמֵי מַה שֶּׁאָכַל וְשָׁתָה שִׁמְעוֹן אֶצְלוֹ וּמַחֲזִיר לוֹ שְׁאָר הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת. וְכֵן אִם הָיָה בַּמְּדִינָה וְלֹא קְרָאָהוּ אוֹ לֹא הוֹדִיעוֹ מְנַכִּין לוֹ וְיֵשׁ לוֹ עָלָיו תַּרְעֹמֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הוֹדִיעוֹ:

If Reuven was not in the city when Shimon married, he may deduct the cost of the food that Shimon ate at his wedding feast, but must return to him the remainder of the shushvlnut. Similarly, if Reuven was in the city when Shimon married, and he did not invite him or notify him, he may make such a deduction. Moreover, he has a justified complaint, for he should have notified him.

וְכַמָּה מְנַכִּין. נָהֲגוּ בְּנִכּוּי אִם דִּינָר אֶחָד שָׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן אֵינוֹ מַחְזִיר לוֹ כְּלוּם שֶׁהֲרֵי זֶה דְּמֵי מַה שֶּׁאָכַל. וְאִם יִתֵּר עַל הַדִּינָר עַד סֶלַע מְנַכֶּה לוֹ מֶחֱצָה. מִסֶּלַע וּלְמַעְלָה אוֹמְדִין דַּעַת הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ:

How much should he deduct? These are the deductions customarily made. If Shimon sent him only a dinar, he need not return anything to him, for the dinar is the cost of what he ate. If Shimon sent him between a dinar and a sela half should be deducted.

וְשִׁעוּר הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת אִם אָדָם חָשׁוּב מְנַכֶּה לוֹ מֶחֱצָה. וְאִם צַר עַיִן וּמְדַקְדֵּק בְּהוֹצָאָתוֹ אֵינוֹ מְנַכֶּה לוֹ אֶלָּא שִׁעוּר מַה שֶּׁאָכַל וְשָׁתָה וּמְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ הַשְּׁאָר:

If he gave more than a sela, we must assess the intent of the sender and the size of the shushvinut. If he is a prestigious person, half of what he gave is deducted. If he is tightfisted and keeps careful account of his expenditures, only what he ate and drank should be deducted, and he must pay him the remainder.

מֵת שִׁמְעוֹן קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּשָּׂא אִשָּׁה אוֹ שֶׁנָּשָׂא וּמֵת בְּתוֹךְ יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֵין רְאוּבֵן חַיָּב לְהַחְזִיר לְיוֹרְשֵׁי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּלוּם שֶׁהֲרֵי אוֹמֵר לָהֶם תְּנוּ לִי שׁוֹשְׁבִינִי וְאֶשְׂמַח עִמּוֹ:

If Shimon dies before he marries, or he marries and dies in the midst of the wedding celebrations, Reuven is not required to give anything to his heirs. For he can tell the heirs: "Bring me my shushvinin; I will gladly celebrate with him and pay my due."

לְפִיכָךְ אִם שָׂמַח עִמּוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵת שִׁמְעוֹן. אוֹ קָרָא לוֹ וְלֹא בָּא אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בַּמְּדִינָה אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הוֹדִיעוֹ. הוֹאִיל וְשָׁלְמוּ יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵת שִׁמְעוֹן. חַיָּב רְאוּבֵן לְהַחְזִיר הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת לְיוֹרְשָׁיו אוֹ כֻּלָּהּ אוֹ בְּנִכּוּי אִם לֹא הוֹדִיעוֹ אוֹ לֹא הָיָה עִמּוֹ בַּמְּדִינָה:

Therefore, if Reuven rejoiced with Shimon and afterwards Shimon died, Shimon invited him to the wedding and he did not come, Reuven was not in the city at the time of Shimon's wedding, or he did not notify him, since Shimon died after the days of rejoicing were concluded, Reuven is obligated to return the shushvinut to Shimon's heirs - either in its entirety or after a deduction has been made - if he did not notify him or if he was not in the city.

מֵת רְאוּבֵן וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָשָׂא שִׁמְעוֹן אִשָּׁה וְשָׁלְמוּ יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה. מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִגְבּוֹת הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת מִיּוֹרְשִׁין כּוֹפִין יוֹרְשֵׁי רְאוּבֵן לְהַחְזִיר בְּנִכּוּי. וּמָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא נָהֲגוּ אֵין הַיּוֹרְשִׁין מְשַׁלְּמִין כְּלוּם:

Different rules apply if Reuven died, and then Shimon married a woman and the days of rejoicing were concluded. If the local custom is to collect the shushvinut from the heirs, Reuven's heirs are compelled to return the shushvinut. In a place where this is not the local custom, Reuven's heirs are not obligated to pay anything.

מֵת רְאוּבֵן אַחַר שֶׁנָּשָׂא שִׁמְעוֹן אִשָּׁה וְשָׁלְמוּ יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה. כּוֹפִין אֶת יוֹרְשָׁיו וּמְשַׁלְּמִין הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת בְּכָל מָקוֹם. שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְחַיֵּב אֲבִיהֶן לְשַׁלֵּם. וְאִם כֻּלָּהּ הָיָה חַיָּב לְשַׁלֵּם מְשַׁלְּמִין כֻּלָּהּ. וְאִם בְּנִכּוּי מְשַׁלְּמִין בְּנִכּוּי:

If Reuven died after Shimon married a woman and the days of rejoicing were concluded, Reuven's heirs are compelled to pay the shushvinut regardless of the locale in which they live. For their testator was obligated to pay before his death. If he was required to pay the entire sum, they must pay that amount. If a deduction was made, that deduction also applies to them.

חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בַּשּׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת. נִגְבֵּית בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ מִלְוֶה. וְאֵינָהּ מִשְׁתַּלֶּמֶת אֶלָּא בְּעוֹנָתָהּ כְּעֵין נִשּׂוּאֵי רִאשׁוֹן. שֶׁזֶּה כְּמוֹ תְּנַאי הוּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁעַל דַּעַת זֶה שְׁלָחָהּ. וְאֵין בָּהּ מִשּׁוּם רִבִּית. אֲפִלּוּ שָׁלַח לוֹ דִּינָר וְהֶחְזִיר לוֹ עֲשָׂרָה מֻתָּר שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְהוֹסִיף לוֹ שָׁלַח. וְאֵין הַשְּׁבִיעִית מְשַׁמַּטְתָּהּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִגּשֹׁ אוֹתוֹ וּלְתָבְעוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂא כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא הוּא. וְאֵין הַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל בָּהּ פִּי שְׁנַיִם כְּשֶׁתַּחְזֹר לַיּוֹרְשִׁין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא רָאוּי וְאֵין הַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל בָּרָאוּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ:

Five statements were made concerning shushvinut: a) It may be expropriated by a court of law, for it is only like a loan and not an outright gift; b) It need be repaid only at the required time, when the marriage is held in the same manner as the first person's marriage; this is like a condition of the loan, although he did not explicitly state that he was giving the loan with this intent; c) The prohibition against taking interest is not involved; even if a person sent his colleague a dinar and the colleague sent him ten, it is permissible; the rationale is that he did not send him with the intent that he add; d) It is not nullified in the Sabbatical year; the rationale is that the giver may not demand payment from the recipient until he marries in the same manner as he married; e) The firstborn does not receive a double portion when the shushvinut is returned to the giver's heirs; the rationale is that at the time of the division of the estate, it is not an actual part of the estate, but rather ra'ui; and the firstborn does not receive a double portion of ra'ui, as will be explained with regard to that subject.

הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ תְּשׁוּרָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ מָעוֹת כְּשֶׁמָּטָה יָדוֹ וְהוּא מְמָאֵן לִקַּח. וְזֶה נִשְׁבָּע שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא תִּקַּח וְהִפְצִיר בּוֹ עַד שֶׁלָּקַח. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא פֵּרֵשׁ הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מַתָּנָה. וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַחְזֹר הוּא וְלִתְבֹּעַ עַד שֶׁיְּפָרֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא מִלְוֶה:

When a person offers a colleague money when the latter's financial status suffers, the intended recipient refuses to take it, and the giver takes an oath that he is unwilling that the recipient not accept it, and he presses the recipient until he accepts it, even though the giver did not say so explicitly, the money is considered to be a gift. The same law applies when a person sends a gift of food to a colleague or offers other similar forms of generosity. The giver may not retract and demand repayment unless he explicitly states that he is making the gift as a loan.

וְכֵן הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ לַחֲבֵרוֹ כַּדֵּי יַיִן וְכַדֵּי שֶׁמֶן וּפֵרוֹת בְּעֵת הַנִּשּׂוּאִין. אֵין נִגְבִּין בְּבֵית דִּין. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. וְלֹא נֶאֶמְרוּ דִּינֵי שׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת אֶלָּא בְּמָעוֹת בִּלְבַד:

When a person sends jugs of wine or oil to a colleague at the time of his wedding, he may not demand repayment in court. These gifts are considered to be deeds of kindness; the laws of shushvinut apply only to money.