Jerusalem Talmud Peah 5.3

משנה: אֵין מְגַלְגְּלִין בְּטוֹפֵיחַ דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים מַתִּירִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵיפְשָׁר.

MISHNAH: One does not use a waterwheel with buckets, the words of Rebbi Meïr. But the Sages do permit it, because it is impossible. A householder wandering from one place to another who was in need of taking gleanings, forgotten sheaves, peah, and tithes of the poor should repay them once he comes home, the words of Rebbi Eliezer. But the Sages say, he was poor at that moment.

הלכה: תַּנִּי הַמְּרַבֵּץ שָׂדֵהוּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד עָנִי לְתוֹכָהּ אִם הֶזֵּיקוֹ מְרוּבָּה עַל שֶׁל עָנִי מוּתָּר. וְאִם הֶיזֵּק עָנִי מְרוּבָּה עַל שֶׁלּוֹ אָסוּר. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ מֵנִיחָן עַל הַגֶּדֶר וְהֶעָנִי בָּא וְנוֹטֵל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ.

HALAKHAH: It was stated: He who waters his field before a poor person had entered it, if his potential loss is greater than the poor man’s, it is permitted, but if the poor man’s loss is greater than his, it is prohibited. Rebbi Jehudah says, in both cases he deposits them on the fence and the poor man comes and takes what is his.

מֻחְלְפָא שִׁיטָּתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה. תַּמָּן הוּא אָמַר כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מֵידָל בְּשֶׁלּוֹ כָּךְ הוּא מֵידָל בְּשֶׁל עֲנִיִים. וְכֹא הוּא אָמַר הָכִין. תַּמָּן הֵן גָּרְמוּ לְעַצְמָן וְלֹא בָאוּ. בְּרַם הָכָא הֲרֵי בָּאוּ.

The reasoning of Rebbi Jehudah is inverted: There, he says that just as he prunes for himself, so he prunes for the poor; but here he says thus! There, they caused it for themselves since they did not come, but here they came.

מֻחְלְפָא שִׁיטָּתִין דְּרַבָּנִין. תָּמַּן אִינּוּן אָמְרִין אִם הֶזֵּיקוֹ מְרוּבָּה עַל שֶׁל עָנִי. וְכֹא אִינּוּן אָמְרִין הָכֵין. תַּמָּן אֶפְשַּׁר בְּרַם הָכָא אֵיפְשַׁר.

The reasoning of the rabbis is inverted: There, they say if his potential loss is greater than the poor’s, and here they say thus! There, it is possible, but here it is impossible.

וְהָא רִבִּי מֵאִיר אָמַר אֵין מְגַלְגְּלִין וְשָׁמִין שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בְּהֶפְסֵידוֹ. וְהָא רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין מְגַלְגְּלִין וְשָׁמִין לָעֲנִיִים בְּהֶפְסֵידָן. וּלְמִי הוּא מְשַׁלֵּם. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָה לָעֲנִיֵי אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר דְּלָא כֵן מַה נָן אָמְרִין. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא בַּר אָדָא לְמִידַּת הַדִּין נִצְרְכָה.

Now Rebbi Meïr says, one does not use the water wheel, and one estimates the loss to the owner. Now the rabbis say, one uses the water wheel and estimates the loss to the poor. To whom does he pay? Rebbi Jonah said, to the poor of his place, because otherwise, what could we say? Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, it is needed for the measure of justice.