Jerusalem Talmud Shevuot 7.1

משנה: כָּל הַנִּשְׁבָּעִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה נִשְׁבָּעִין וְלֹא מְשַׁלְּמִין. וְאֵילּוּ נִשְׁבָּעִים וְנוֹטְלִין הַשָּכִיר וְהַנִּגְזָל וְהַנֶּחְבָּל וְשֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ חָשׁוּד עַל הַשְּׁבוּעָה וְהַחֶנְוָנִי עַל פִּינְקָסוֹ. הַשָּכִיר כֵּיצַד אָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי שְׂכָרִי שֶׁיֶּשׁ לִי בְיָדֶךָ הוּא אוֹמֵר נָתַתִּי וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר לֹא נָטַלְתִּי הוּא נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא שָׁם מִקְצָת הוֹדָיָיה. כֵּיצַד אָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי שְׂכָרִי חֲמִשִּׁים דֵּינָר שֶׁיֶּשׁ לִי בְיָדֶךָ וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הִתְקַבַּלְתָּ מֵהֶם דֵּינַר זָהָב:

MISHNAH: All who must swear by Torah standards do swear not to pay. The following do swear and collect: The journeyman, a person robbed or injured, and one whose opponent is suspected of perjury, and the grocer on his account book. How does the journeyman do it? He tells him, “give me my wages which you are holding;” he says, “I gave.” He swears and collects. Rebbi Jehudah says, only if there is partial admission. How is this? He tells him, “give me my wages of fifty denarii which you are holding;” but he says, “you received from these a gold denar.”

הלכה: כָּל הַנִּשְׁבָּעִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה כול׳. מִמַּשְׁמַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שְׁבוּעַת יְי תִּהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁאִם לֹא יִשְׁבַּע יְשַׁלֵּם. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלָקַח בְּעָלָיו וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם. אֶלָּא מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁקִּיבְּלוּ בְעָלִים שְׁבוּעָה הוּא פָטוּר מִלְּשַׁלֵּם. רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְלָמָּה לִי כְרִבִּי מֵאִיר. אֲפִילוּ כְרַבָּנִן. לֹא אָמַר רִבִּי אַסִּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר מִמַּשְׁמַע לָאו אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵין. וְלָקַח בְּעָלָיו וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם. הָא אִם לֹא יִשְׁבַּע יְשַׁלֵּם. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי חִיָיה. מַתְנֶה שׂוֹמֵר חִנָּם וְשׁוֹמֵר שָׂכָר לִהְיוֹת כְּשׁוֹאֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. הַכֹּל מוֹדִין בִּלְשׁוֹן תּוֹרָה מִמַּשְׁמַע לָאו אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵין. מַה פְלִיגִין. בִּלְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם.

HALAKHAH: “All who must swear by Torah standards,” etc. One understands from what is said, an oath before the Eternal shall be between them, would we not know that if he does not swear, he has to pay? Why does the verse say, its owner shall take it, and he does not have to pay? But from the moment the owner accepted his oath, he does not have to pay. Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Yose: Is this only following Rebbi Meїr or even following the rabbis? Did not Rebbi Assi say in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Rebbi Meїr is the one who says that out of a negative one understands a positive? Its owner shall take it, and he does not have to pay, therefore if he does not swear, he has to pay. Rebbi Ḥiyya stated: The unpaid and the paid trustees may stipulate to be like a borrower. Rebbi Ḥanina said, everybody agrees that in the language of the Torah out of a negative one understands a positive; where do they disagree? In everyday speech.

אָמַר רִבִּי אַבִּין. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁבַּעַל הַבַּיִת עֲסָקָיו מְרוּבִּין תִּיקְנוּ בְשָׂכִיר לִישָּׁבַע וְלִיטּוֹל. [אָמַר רִבִּי יוּסֵה בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. תַּמָּן תִּיקְנוּ בְשָׂכִיר שֶׁיְּהֵא נִישְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל.] וְדִכְוָותָהּ תִּיקְנוּ בְבַעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁאִם עָבַר זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁבָּע וְיִטּוֹל. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי חִיָיה. אִם יֵשׁ עֵדִים שֶׁתְּבָעוֹ בִזְמַנּוֹ אֲפִילוּ לְאַחַר שָׁנָה נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בִּלְבַד. רִבִּי יוֹנָה אָמַר. אִתְפַּלְּגוֹן רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי חֲנִינָה וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. חַד אָמַר. תְּבָעוֹ בַיּוֹם אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא יוֹם. לַיְלָה אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא לַיְלָה. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר. בְּשֶׁתְבָעוֹ וְאָמַר. נָתַתִּי. אֲבָל אִם אָמַר לוֹ. אֶתֵּן. חֲזָקָה נָתָן. וְלָא יָדְעִין מָאן אָמַר דָא וּמָאן אָמַר דָא. מִמָּה דָמַר רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר עוּקְבָּא בְשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. תְּבָעוֹ בַיּוֹם אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא יוֹם. לַיְלָה אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא לַיְלָה. הֲוֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי חֲנִינָה דְאָמַר. בְּשֶׁתְבָעוֹ וְאָמַר. נָתַתִּי. אֲבָל אָמַר לוֹ. אֶתֵּן. חֲזָקָה נָתָן. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא. פְּעָמִים שֶׁתְּבָעוֹ אַחַר זְמָן וְנַעֲשֶׂה בְּתוֹךְ זְמַנּוֹ. הֵיךְ עֲבִידָא. תְּבָעוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ. לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לָךְ מֵאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נָתַתִּי. אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נַעֲשֶׂה כְמִי שֶׁהוּא אֶתְמוֹל. נוֹתֵן לוֹ שִׁיעוּר אֶחָד.

Rebbi Abin said, since the householder has many occupations they instituted that the journeyman should swear and collect. [Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, there they instituted that the journeyman should swear and collect;] similarly they instituted for the householder that if its deadline had elapsed, he cannot swear and collect. Rebbi Ḥiyya stated, if there are witnesses that he claimed it in time, he swears and collects even after a year. Rebbi Yose said, he has only that single day. Rebbi Jonah said, Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish disagreed. One said, if he claimed from him during daytime, he has only that day; if in the night he has only that night. But the other said, if he claimed from him and he said, I gave. But if he said, I shall give, the presumption is that he gave. We do not know who said what. Since Rebbi Ḥama bar Uqba said in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: if he claimed from him during daytime, he has only that day; if in the night he has only that night, therefore Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Ḥanina is the one who said, if he claimed from him and he said, I gave. But if he said, I shall give, the presumption is that he gave. Rebbi Mana said, sometimes he claims after its time and it is considered as in time. How is this? He claimed from him and he said to him, did I not say to you that I gave at that date? That date becomes as if it were yesterday; one gives him one measure.

הִקְדִּים לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ. בְּדָא נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. הָיָה הַמַּשְׁכּוֹן בְּיָדוֹ. בְּדָא נוֹטֵל בְּלֹא שְׁבוּעָה. הָיָה עֶבֶד. וּבֵית דִּין מוֹסְרִין שְׁבוּעָה לְעֶבֶד. הָיָה חָשׁוּד. וּבֵית דִּין מוֹסְרִין שְׁבוּעָה לְחָשׁוּד. הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן חֲשׁוּדִין. תַּפְלוּגְתָא דְרִבִּי מֵאִיר וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי. הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן חֲשׁוּדִין חָזְרָה שְׁבוּעָה לִמְקוֹמָהּ. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. רִבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר. יַחֲלוֹקוּ.

If he paid him in advance; in that case he swears and collects. If a pledge was in his hand; in that case he collects without swearing. If he was a slave. Would the court admit a slave to an oath? If he was suspect? Would the court admit a suspect person to an oath? If both were suspect, it is the dispute between Rebbi Meїr and Rebbi Yose: “If both were suspect, the oath returns to its origin, the words of Rebbi Yose; Rebbi Meїr says, they shall split the difference.”

פְּשִׁיטָא. מֵת בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַשָּׂכִיר נִשְׁבָּע לְיוֹרְשָׁיו. וַאֲפִילוּ מֵת הַשָּׂכִיר יוֹרְשָׁיו נִשְׁבָּעִין לְיוֹרְשֵׁי בַעַל הַבַּיִת. כְּלוּם תִּיקְנוּ אֶלָּא בְשָׂכִיר. שֶׁמָּא בְיוֹרְשָׁיו. אָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר. בְּשֶׁתְּבָעוֹ בְעֵדִים. [אֲבָל אִם תְּבָעוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בָעֵידִים.] יְכִיל מֵימַר לֵיהּ. נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אֵין אוֹמְרִים בְּמָמוֹן. מֵאַחַר. מְאַחַר דִּיכִיל מֵימַר לֵיהּ. לֹא שָׂכַרְתִּיךָ. יְכִיל מֵימַר לֵיהּ. שָׂכַרְתִּיךָ וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ. מַתְנִיתָא פְלִיגָא עַל רִבִּי לָעְזָר. בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים. בְּשֶׁזֶּה אוֹמֵר. נָתַתִּי. וְזֶה אוֹמֵר. לֹא נָטַלְתִּי. נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ. וְהוּא אוֹמֵר. לֹא נָטַלְתִּי. שָׂכַרְתָּנִי. וְהוּא אוֹמֵר. לֹא שָׂכַרְתִּיךָ. הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵירוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָיה. וְקַשְׁיָא עַל דְּרִבִּי לָעְזָר. אִם בָּאוֹמֵר. בָּעֵדִים שָׂכַרְתָּנִי. וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר. לֹא שָׂכַרְתִּיךָ.

It is obvious: If the householder dies, the journeyman swears to his heirs. Even if the journeyman dies, do his heirs swear to the householder’s heirs? They made this ordinance only for the journeyman. Maybe for his heirs? Rebbi Eleazar said, if he claimed before witnesses. [But if he claimed without witnesses, he can tell him,] I paid your wages. Rebbi Joḥanan said, does one not in money matters argue “because?” Because he can say to him, I did not hire you, he can tell him, I hired you and paid your wages. A baraita disagrees with Rebbi Eleazar: “When was this said? If he said, I gave, but the other said, I did not take; I gave you your wages, but he says, I did not take. You hired me, but he says, I did not hire you. The burden of proof is on the claimant.” It is difficult for Rebbi Eleazar, if he hired him before witnesses, how can this one say, I did not hire you?

רִבִּי בָּא קַרְתֵּיגָנָא בָעֵי. יוֹם אֶחָד עָשִׂיתָ עִמִּי וְנָתַתִּי לָךְ. וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר. שְׁנֵי יָמִים עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּךְ וְלֹא נָתַתָּ לִי כְלוּם. פְּשִׁיטָא יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן נוֹטֵל בְּלֹא שְׁבוּעָה. שְׁנִיָה תַפְלוּגְתָא דְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרִבִּי לָעְזָר. סֶלַע אֶחָד פָּסַקְתִּי לְךָ וּנְתַתִּיהָ לָךְ. וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר. שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים פָּסַקְתָּה לִי וְלֹא נָתַתָּה לִי כְלוֹם. פְּשִׁיטָא סֶלַע רִאשׁוֹנָה נוֹטֵל בְּלֹא שְׁבוּעָה. שְׁנִיָיה תַפְלוּגְתָא דְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרִבִּי לָעְזָר.

Rebbi Abba from Carthage asked: “You worked for me one day and I paid you.” But the other says, “I worked for you for two days and you did not give anything to me.” It is obvious that he takes for the first day without oath. The second is the disagreement between Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Eleazar. “I hired you for a tetradrachma and gave it to you.” But the other says, “you hired me for two tetradrachmas and did not give me anything.” It is obvious that he takes the first tetradrachma without an oath. The second is the disagreement between Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Eleazar.

רַב הוּנָא אָמַר. אִם בְּשֶׁנִּשְׁבָּע הֵבִיא עֵדִים. הָיְתָה עוֹמֶדֶת בָּאֵבוּס. כְּבָר גְּזַלְתּוֹ שְׁבוּעָה. מַתְנִיתָא פְלִיגָא עַל רַב הוּנָא. אֵיכָן שׁוֹרִי. אָמַר לוֹ. אָבַד. מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ אֲנִי. וְאָמַר אָמֵן. וְעֵדִים מְעִידִין שֶׁאֲכָלוֹ. מְשַׁלֵּם הַקֶּרֶן. הוֹדָה מֵעַצְמוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחוֹמֶשׁ וְאָשָׁם. מַתְנִיתָא בְשֶׁאֲכָלוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִשְׁבָּע לוֹ. מִמַּה דָּמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּשֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיכֵן אֲכָלוֹ.

Rav Huna said, if after he swore he brought witnesses that it was standing at the feeding trough, the oath already had robbed it. A Mishnah disagrees with Rav Huna: “ ‘Where is my ox?’ He told him, it was lost. ‘I am putting an oath on you,’ and he said Amen. But witnesses testify that he ate it. He has to pay the value. If he confessed on his own, he pays the value, an additional fifth, and a reparation offering”. The Mishnah if he ate it and only later swore to him. What Rav Huna said, it he swore to him and only later ate it.

מִחְלְפָה שִׁיטָּתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה. תַּמָּן אָמַר. אֲפִילוּ לֹא יָדַע. וְהָכָא אָמַר. עַד שֶׁיֵּדַע. תַּמָּן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְעֵין שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה אֲפִילוּ שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה לֹא יָדַע. בְּרַם הָכָא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵן כְּעֵין שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה.

Rebbi Jehudah’s argument seems inverted. There he says, even if he does not know. But here he says, not unless he knows. There since it is not in the form of a biblical oath even (about a biblical oath) he does not know. But here it is in the form of a biblical oath.

מָהוּ לְגַלְגֵּל שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה עַל שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה. נִישְׁמְעִינָהּ מִן הָדָא. מְגַלְגְּלִין שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה עַל שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה. שְׁבוּעַת תַּקָּנָה עַל שְׁבוּעַת תַּקָּנָה. שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה עַל שְׁבוּעַת תַּקָּנָה. שְׁבוּעַת תַּקָּנָה עַל שְׁבוּעַת תּוֹרָה. תַּמָּן זֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם. בְּרַם הָכָא זֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. וְזֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם.

May one roll over a biblical oath on a biblical oath? Let us hear from the following: One rolls over a biblical oath on a biblical oath, an instituted oath on an instituted oath, a biblical oath on an instituted oath. An instituted oath on a biblical oath? There, one swears and pays, but here in one case he swears and collects, in the other he swears and does not pay.