Sales Chapter 4

כֶּלִיוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהַנִּיחוֹ קָנָה לוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין בְּתוֹךְ הַכְּלִי אֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן יָכוֹל לַחְזֹר בּוֹ וַהֲרֵי זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִגְבִּיהָן אוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֻנְּחוּ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם קוֹנֶה לוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְלֹא בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר. אֶלָּא אִם אָמַר לוֹ הַמַּקְנֶה לֵךְ וּקְנֵה בִּכְלִי זֶה. וְכֵן אִם קָנָה הַכְּלִי תְּחִלָּה וְהִגְבִּיהוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִנִּיחוֹ שָׁם בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר וְחָזַר וְקָנָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַפֵּרוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בְּתוֹךְ כְּלִי זֶה קָנָה אוֹתָם. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֲנָאַת הַמּוֹכֵר בִּמְכִירַת הַכְּלִי אֵינוֹ מַקְפִּיד עַל מְקוֹמוֹ:

Containers owned by a person can acquire articles on his behalf wherever he has permission to place them down. Once movable property enters this container, neither can retract; it is as if the article were lifted up or placed in his home. Therefore, a person's containers cannot acquire articles on his behalf in the public domain or in a domain belonging to the seller unless the seller tells him, "Go, acquire the article with this container." Similarly, if the purchaser first acquired the container and lifted it up, and afterwards placed it down in the domain of the seller and bought produce from him, once the produce is placed in this container, he acquires it. Since the seller derives satisfaction from selling the container, he does not object to the container being placed in his domain.

כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל לוֹקֵחַ קוֹנֶה לוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת מוֹכֵר כָּךְ אֵין כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל מוֹכֵר קוֹנֶה לַלּוֹקֵחַ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּת הַלּוֹקֵחַ:

Just as containers belonging to the purchaser do not acquire articles for him when placed in the seller's domain, so too, containers belonging to the seller do not acquire articles for the purchaser even when they are within the purchaser's domain.

מְסִירָה אֵינָהּ קוֹנָה אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וּבְחָצֵר שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם. וְהַמְּשִׁיכָה אֵינָהּ קוֹנָה אֶלָּא בְּסִמְטָא אוֹ בְּחָצֵר שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם. וְהַגְבָּהָה קוֹנָה בְּכָל מָקוֹם:

Mesirah may be used to acquire an article only in the public domain, or in a courtyard that is not owned by either the seller or the purchaser. Meshichah may be used to acquire an article only in a corner off the public domain or in a courtyard that is owned jointly by the seller and the purchaser. Hagbahah may be used to acquire an article in any place.

דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה בִּמְשִׁיכָה אִם הָיָה בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וּמְשָׁכוֹ הַלּוֹקֵחַ לִרְשׁוּתוֹ אוֹ לְסִמְטָא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹצִיא מִקְצָת הַחֵפֶץ מֵרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים קָנָה:

The following rule applies when an article that could be acquired through meshichah is located in the public domain, and is drawn by the purchaser into his own domain or into a corner of the public domain. As soon as he removes a portion of the article from the public domain, he acquires it.

טָעוּן שֶׁל פֵּרוֹת שֶׁהָיָה מֻנָּח בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וּמְשָׁכוֹ לוֹקֵחַ לִרְשׁוּתוֹ אוֹ לְסִמְטָא אַחַר שֶׁפָּסַק הַדָּמִים קָנָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא מָדַד. וְכֵן אִם מְדָדָן הַלּוֹקֵחַ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים קָנָה רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן בְּהַגְבָּהָה:

When there is a load of produce in the public domain and, after having established a price, the purchaser draws it into his own domain or into a corner of the public domain he acquires it, even if he has not measured it. Similarly, if, while in the public domain, the purchaser measures produce that he purchases, he acquires it, item by item, for as he measures it, he is lifting it up.

הָיָה מוֹכֵר מוֹדֵד לְתוֹךְ כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל לוֹקֵחַ לֹא קָנָה שֶׁאֵין כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל לוֹקֵחַ קוֹנֶה לוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים. הָיוּ הַפֵּרוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הַלּוֹקֵחַ כֵּיוָן שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו הַמּוֹכֵר לִמְכֹּר קָנָה לוֹקֵחַ וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא מָדַד. הָיוּ בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר אוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הַמֻּפְקָדִין אֶצְלוֹ לֹא קָנָה הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַד שֶׁיַּגְבִּיהַּ הַפֵּרוֹת אוֹ עַד שֶׁיּוֹצִיאֵם מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ בִּשְׂכִירוּת מְקוֹמָן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

If, by contrast, the seller measures the produce into containers belonging to the purchaser, the purchaser does not acquire it. For a purchaser's containers cannot acquire on his behalf in the public domain. If the produce is located in a domain belonging to the purchaser, once the seller agrees to sell the produce, the purchaser acquires it, even if he does not measure it. If the produce is located in a domain belonging to the seller, or in a domain belonging to a person to whom the seller has entrusted it, the purchaser does not acquire the produce until he lifts it up, or until he removes it from the seller's domain by renting its place, or the like, as we have explained.

הָיוּ הַפֵּרוֹת בְּסִמְטָא אוֹ בְּחָצֵר שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ בִּרְשׁוּת לוֹקֵחַ וְהָיוּ בְּתוֹךְ כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל מוֹכֵר וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו הַמּוֹכֵר לִמְכֹּר וְהִתְחִיל הַמּוֹכֵר לִמְדֹּד בְּתוֹךְ כֶּלְיוֹ שֶׁל מוֹכֵר. אִם אָמַר לוֹ כּוֹר בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים סֶלַע אֲנִי מוֹכֵר לְךָ יָכוֹל לַחְזֹר בּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בִּסְאָה אַחֲרוֹנָה הוֹאִיל וַעֲדַיִן הַפֵּרוֹת בְּכֵלָיו וְלֹא גָּמַר כָּל הַמִּדָּה וְכֵלָיו שֶׁל מוֹכֵר אֵינוֹ קוֹנֶה לַלּוֹקֵחַ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּת הַלּוֹקֵחַ. וְאִם אָמַר לוֹ כּוֹר בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים סְאָה בְּסֶלַע רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן קָנָה שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁפָּסְקוּ הַדָּמִים עַל כָּל סְאָה וּסְאָה כָּל סְאָה שֶׁיַּגְבִּיהַּ הַמּוֹכֵר וִיעָרֶה אוֹתָהּ נִגְמְרָה מְכִירָתָהּ. הוֹאִיל וְאֵין הַפֵּרוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר וְלֹא בִּרְשׁוּת הַלּוֹקֵחַ. וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה הַפֵּרוֹת בְּכֵלָיו שֶׁל מוֹכֵר כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵן בִּרְשׁוּת לוֹקֵחַ קָנָה מִשֶּׁפָּסַק אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא מָדַד כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

The following rules apply when the produce is located in a corner of the public domain or in a domain belonging to both the seller and the purchaser -or even if it is in a domain belonging to the purchaser, but in containers belonging to the seller- and the seller agreed to sell the produce, and has begun to measure it into containers belong to the seller. If the seller tells the purchaser: "I will sell you a kor of produce for 30 sela," he can retract even at the last se'ah, because the produce is in his containers, and he has not completed the measurement. For the containers belonging to a seller do not acquire for a purchaser, even in the purchaser's domain. If he told him: "I will sell you a kor of produce for 30 sela, i.e., each se'ah for a sela" the purchaser acquires each se'ah, one by one as it is measured.For since the seller mentioned the price for each individual se'ah, each of those units is a distinct entity. Whenever the seller lifts up a se'ah and pours it into the measure, the sale of this unit is concluded. The rationale for this law is that the produce is not located in a domain belonging to the seller, nor is it in the public domain. If the produce was not held in the containers of the seller, the purchaser would acquire it once a price was agreed upon, since it is located in his domain even though it had not been measured, as has been explained in the previous halachah.

וְכֵן הַמּוֹכֵר יַיִן אוֹ שֶׁמֶן לַחֲבֵרוֹ בְּסִמְטָא אוֹ בְּחָצֵר שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם אוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת לוֹקֵחַ. וְהָיְתָה הַמִּדָּה שֶׁל סַרְסוּר. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְמַלֵּאת הַמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הֵן שֶׁל מוֹכֵר. מִשֶּׁנִּתְמַלֵּאת הַמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הֵן בִּרְשׁוּת לוֹקֵחַ. וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן יָכוֹל לַחְזֹר בּוֹ:

Similar rules apply when a person sells wine or oil to a colleague in a corner of the public domain or in a courtyard belonging to both the seller and the purchaser, or in a domain belonging to the purchaser, and the measure belongs to the broker. Before the measure is filled, the liquid remains the seller's. Once the measure is filled, the liquid becomes the purchaser's. Neither of them can retract.

וְכֵן פֵּרוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ צְבוּרִין בְּסִמְטָא אוֹ בְּחָצֵר שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם וְהַמִּדָּה אֵינָהּ שֶׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶן וְהָיָה הַמּוֹכֵר מוֹדֵד. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְמַלֵּאת הַמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הִיא בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר. וּמִשֶּׁנִּתְמַלֵּאת הַמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הִיא בִּרְשׁוּת לוֹקֵחַ:

Similar rules apply if produce is held in a corner of the public domain or in a courtyard belonging to both the seller and the purchaser, the measuring container does not belong to either of them, and the seller was measuring. Before the measure is filled, it remains in the possession of the seller. Once the measure is filled, however, it becomes the purchaser's.

הָיְתָה הַמִּדָּה שֶׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶן. וְהָיוּ בָּהּ רְשָׁמִין לֵידַע חֶצְיָהּ. שְׁלִישָׁהּ. וּרְבִיעָהּ. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְרשֶׁם מִן הָרְשָׁמִים קָנָה רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְמַלֵּאת הַמִּדָּה. שֶׁכָּל רשֶׁם מֵהֶם כְּמִדָּה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. שֶׁהֲרֵי שֶׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶן הִיא הַמִּדָּה וְהוּא סוֹמֵךְ עַל הָרְשָׁמִים שֶׁבָּהּ:

The following rules apply when the measure belongs to either the purchaser or the seller, and it has marks indicating the halfway point, thirds, quarters and the like. Once the produce reaches one of those markings, that portion is acquired even though the entire measure has not been filled. For every marking is considered to be a measure in its own right. For the measure belongs to one of them, and he relies on its markings.

זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה בְּיָדְךָ. הַקּוֹנֶה אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין אִם פָּסַק הַדָּמִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִגְבִּיהַּ קָנָה. וְאִם הִגְבִּיהַּ תְּחִלָּה וְהִנִּיחַ וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּסַק הַדָּמִים לֹא קָנָה בְּאוֹתָהּ הַגְבָּהָה עַד שֶׁיַּגְבִּיהַּ אַחַר שֶׁפָּסַק. אוֹ יִמְשֹׁךְ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכּוֹ לְהַגְבִּיהַ:

Maintain awareness of this significant general principle: When a person acquires movable property, he acquires it, if he establishes the price and afterwards lifts up the article. If first he lifts it up and puts it down, and then a price is established afterwards, he does not acquire it because he lifted it up at the outset. Instead, it is only when he lifts it up after a price is established, or performs meshichah on an object that is not ordinarily lifted up.

הָיָה דָּבָר הַנִּמְכָּר דָּמָיו קְצוּבִין וִידוּעִין וְהִגְבִּיהוֹ קָנָהוּ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁפָּסַק אַחַר שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ. וְהוּא הַדִּין בִּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים שֶׁקּוֹנִין בָּהֶם אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִקְנוֹת בָּהֶם אַחַר שֶׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּמִים. אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן דָּמָיו קְצוּבִין כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

When an object that has a standard and known price is sold, and the purchaser lifts it up, he acquires it, even though he and the seller agree on the price only after he lifts it up. Similarly, with regard to other means through which movable property is acquired. The acquisition must be made after the price of the article is established, unless there is a standard price for the article, as has been explained.

לְפִיכָךְ הַמּוֹשֵׁךְ חַמָּרִים וּפוֹעֲלִים וְהִכְנִיסָן לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. אִם מָדַד עַד שֶׁלֹּא פָּסַק הַדָּמִים אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה הַלּוֹקֵחַ הוּא הַמּוֹדֵד. אוֹ שֶׁפָּסַק הַדָּמִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ מָדַד הַמּוֹכֵר. שְׁנֵיהֶם יְכוֹלִין לַחְזֹר בָּהֶן. פֵּרְקָן הַלּוֹקֵחַ וְהִכְנִיסָן לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. אִם פָּסַק הַדָּמִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ מָדַד הַמּוֹכֵר אֵין שְׁנֵיהֶם יְכוֹלִין לַחְזֹר בָּהֶן שֶׁהֲרֵי סָמְכָה דַּעְתּוֹ לִמְכֹּר. וְאִם מָדַד עַד שֶׁלֹּא פָּסַק שְׁנֵיהֶם יְכוֹלִין לַחְזֹר בָּהֶם שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא סָמְכָה דַּעְתּוֹ עֲדַיִן לִמְכֹּר. וַאֲפִלּוּ מָדַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ:

For this reason, the following rules apply if a person draws donkey-drivers and the produce their beasts are carrying and porters bearing containers filled with produce into his home. If the produce is measured before a price is established - even if the purchaser is the one who measures - or they established the price and then the seller measures the produce, both the seller and purchaser are entitled to retract. Different rules apply if the purchaser unloaded the produce and brought it into his home. If a price was established and then the seller measured, neither can retract. For the seller had made a commitment to sell. If he measured before a price was established, both can retract, because he has not made a commitment to sell. This applies even if the purchaser measures.

הַנּוֹטֵל כֵּלִים מִן הָאֻמָּן עַל מְנָת לְבַקְּרָן. אִם הָיוּ דָּמָיו קְצוּבִין וְנֶאֱנַס בְּיָדוֹ חַיָּב בְּדָמָיו. הוֹאִיל וְדָמָיו קְצוּבִין מֵעֵת שֶׁהִגְבִּיהוֹ נַעֲשָׂה בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ. וְהוּא שֶׁיַּגְבִּיהֶנּוּ כְּדֵי לִקְנוֹת אֶת כֻּלּוֹ וְיִהְיֶה אוֹתוֹ חֵפֶץ הַנִּמְכָּר חָבִיב עַל הַלּוֹקֵחַ. אֲבָל חֵפֶץ שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר קָץ בּוֹ וְהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ וְרוֹדֵף לְמָכְרוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא בִּרְשׁוּת הַמּוֹכֵר עַד שֶׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּמִים וְיַגְבִּיהֶנּוּ הַלּוֹקֵחַ אַחַר שֶׁפָּסַק:

The following rules apply if a person takes utensils from a craftsman in order to inspect them to see whether he will purchase them. If they have a fixed price, and they are destroyed by forces beyond his control while in his possession, he is responsible for their value. The rationale is that since they are of a fixed value, they are considered to have entered his domain at the time he lifted them up. The above applies under two conditions: a) he lifts the utensil up with the intent of acquiring it in its entirety, and b) the article being sold would be appreciated by a purchaser. When, however, the seller is repelled by an article and seeks - and indeed pursues - an opportunity to sell it, it remains in the domain of the seller until a price is established and the purchaser lifts it up afterwards.

אֶחָד הַמּוֹשֵׁךְ אוֹ הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ אוֹ הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּעַצְמוֹ אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְאַחֵר לְהַגְבִּיהַּ אוֹ לִמְשֹׁךְ לוֹ אוֹ לְהַחֲזִיק לוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה זָכָה לוֹ. וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר דַּרְכֵי הַקְּנִיָּה:

All the above rules apply whether the purchaser himself performs meshichah on an object, lifts it up or manifests ownership over it, or tells another person to lift it up, perform meshichah or manifest ownership. The other person acquires for the purchaser. This also applies with regard to other acts of acquisition.