משנה: שָׁמִין פָּרָה וַחֲמוֹר וְכָל־דָּבָר שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת וְלֶאֱכוֹל. מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לַחֲלוֹק אֶת הַווְלָדוֹת מִיַּד חוֹלְקִין מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְגַדֵּל יְגַדְּלוּ. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר שָׁמִין עֵגֶל עַל אִמּוֹ וּסְייָח עִם אִמּוֹ וּמַפְרִין עַל שָׂדֵהוּ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ מִשּׁוּם רִיבִּית. MISHNAH: One hands a cow or a donkey over for care as well as anything which works and eats84This is the text also of most Mishnah and Babli mss.; only the editio princeps of the Babli follows Rashi in reading: “One estimates the value of a cow and a donkey and anything which works and eats for the middle,” i. e., the owner of the animal and the person who cares for it and is the beneficiary of its work split any increase or loss arising from the animal 50–50. Maimonides, whose Mishnah text is identical with the Yerushalmi and the mss., does not comment on it, but in his Code (Šutafim 8:3) formulates that the owner and the tenant farmer share profits on a 50–50 basis; he does not mention that the farmer has to carry 50% of the risk and even 100% of the risk if the animal dies through of his fault (Note 102). In modern terms the Mishnah states that an investment is not a loan, and that the worker and the capitalist who provides the means of production are free to conclude any contractual arrangement.
While the dictionaries and the commentators identify this שם with Aramaic שם “to estimate, determine its value”, for the translation it is identified with Arabic سام، سوم “to impose a task” (“to let graze freely” in the af‘ala stem). In the Halakhah, both meanings are used.. At a place where one usually divides the young immediately, one divides; at a place where one usually raises them, they should be raised. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, one hands over a calf with its mother, a foal with its mother85Even though the calf is not productive, the tenant farmer is obligated to provide food and care for his share in its future value., and one invests in improving a field and does not worry about interest86It is legal for the tenant farmer to ask the landlord to invest money in his field, to be repaid by future increases in yield. That is yield of investment, rather than interest..
הלכה: שָׁמִין פָּרָה וַחֲמוֹר כול׳. תַּנֵּי. שָׁם הוּא אָדָם מֵחֲבֵירוֹ בְּהֵמָה בִּמְנָת לַעֲלוֹת לוֹ װְלָד אֶחָד וְגִיזָה אַחַת לַשָּׁנָה. תַּרְנְגוֹלֶת בְּיֹ בֵצִים לַחוֹדֶשׁ. הַשָּׁמָה תַרְנְגוֹלֶת מֵחֲבֵירָתָהּ מִיטַּפֶּלֶת בְּאֶפְרוֹחִין כָּל־זְמַן שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְאִימָּן. מִיטַּפֵּל בִּבְהֵמָה דַקָּה ל̇ יוֹם וּבְגַסָּה נ̇ יוֹם. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר. (בְּגַסָּה) [בַּדַּקָּה] ג̇ חֳדָשִׁים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁטִּיפּוּלָה מְרוּבָּה. יוֹתֵר מִיכֵּן חַלְּקוֹ שֶׁלְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת וְהִשְׁוָה עָלָיו. הַכֹּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְדִינָה. מַהוּ חַלְּקוֹ שֶׁלְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת וְהִשְׁוָה עָלָיו. בַּר נַשׁ דִּיהַב לְחַבְרֵיהּ ק̇ דֵּינָרִין עַבְדוֹן כ̇ דֵּינָרִין. אָהֵן נְסַב פַּלְגָּא וָאָהֵן פַּלְגָּא שֶׁלֶּבַעַל הַבַּיִת אִיתְעַבְּדוּן עֲלוֹי קֶרֶן. בְּנֵי אִינָשׁ עַבְדִין כֵּן. אֶלָּא נָֽסְבִין וִיהָבִין וּבְסֵיפָא פַלְּגִין. הַשָּׁם בְּהֵמָה לַחֲבֵירוֹ כַּמָּה חַייָב בָּאַחֵרָיוּתוֹ. בִּבְהֵמָה טְמֵיאָה י̇ב̇ חוֹדֶשׁ. בָּאָדָם כ̇ד̇ חוֹדֶשׁ. מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לַעֲלוֹת שְׂכָר כַּתָּף לְמָעוֹת מַעֲלִין. װְלָדוֹת לַבְּהֵמָה מַעֲלִין. הַכֹּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְדִינָה. HALAKHAH: “One hands a cow or a donkey over for care,” etc. It was stated: “A person may receive from another an animal on condition to deliver to him one lamb and one shearing per year, a chicken for ten eggs a month. 87Tosephta 5:5. For the entire Halakhah, the basic commentary is S. Lieberman, Tosefta ki-Fshutah Bava Meṣi‘a pp. 211–216. The woman receiving a chicken has to care for the chicks as long as those depend on their mother. 88Tosephta 5:7, Babli 69a. One cares for small animals 30 days and for large animals 50 days. Rebbi Yose says, for (large) [small]89“Large” is L’s, “small” the E text. The latter is supported by Tosephta, Babli, Mishnah Bekhorot 4:1. animals three months because they need special care. After that, he gives the owner his part equally, everything according to local practice.” What means “he gives the owner his part equally”? A person gave to another 100 denars; they produced 20 denars. Each takes half of it; the half of the owner remains with him as capital90The contract is amended automatically to increase the owner’s share in the herd.. Do people do that91In E: People do not do that.? But they trade, and at the end they divide it up. 92Tosephta 5:5, Babli 69a.“A person receiving an animal for care is responsible for it, for an unclean animal93A horse or a donkey, which are not kosher. This is the minimum duration of a contract for care of such animals; the contract period can be shorter for edible animals raised for their meat. twelve months, for a human 24 months94The contract period for a wet-nurse.. At a place where work95Work exceeding the daily routine. is compensated separately, one pays; for offspring of animals, one pays96The terms described at the start of the paragraph are not prescriptive; without special written stipulation local custom prevails., everything following local custom.”
רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר שָׁמִין כול׳. אֲפִילוּ בְמָקוֹם שֶׁמַּעֲלִין שְׂכַר כַּתָּף לְמָעוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ מִשּׁוּם רִבִּית. 97Tosephta 5:5.“Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, one hands over, etc., even at a place where one pays additional money for exertion, and one is not worried because of interest.85Even though the calf is not productive, the tenant farmer is obligated to provide food and care for his share in its future value.”
הַשָּׁם בְּהֵמָה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ עַד כַּמָּה חַייָב בָּאַחֵרָיוּתָהּ. סוּמָכוֹס אוֹמֵר. הַגּוֹדָרוֹת י̇ב̇ חוֹדֶשׁ. בָּאֲתוֹנוֹת כ̇ד̇ חוֹדֶשׁ. עָמַד עָלָיו בְּתוֹךְ הַזְּמַן שָׁמִין לוֹ. אַחַר הַזְּמַן אֵין שָׁמִין לוֹ. לֹא דוֹמֶה טִיפּוּל שָׁנָה אַחַת לִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. 98Tosephta 5:8; Babli 69a.“If one accepts an animal for care from another person, how long does he have to care for it? Symmachos says, small asses twelve months, adult donkeys 24 months99In E and both other sources, the minimum time is 18 months for adult she-asses, 24 months for the young. This seems reasonable.
In E, the name Symmachos is correctly spelled סימכוס.
The translation follows S. Lieberman (l. c. Bava Metzia 5:4:2" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Bava_Metzia.5.4.2">Note 87 p. 213–4) in identifying גודרות (in E: העדרות) as γαϊδάρια, plural of γαϊδάριον, “small donkey”, a word frequently found in Egyptian papyri (it seems originally Persian gaudar, “calf”). He also notes that since in all of Talmudic literature חֲמוֹר denotes both male and female donkeys, one may assume that the word אֲתוֹן, “she-ass” in Biblical texts, also denotes both male and female donkeys.. If he terminates the care in the middle of the term, one estimates for him; after the term one does not estimate for him, but care for one year is not comparable to two years100If one of the parties wants to terminate the contract (for cause, as shown later in the Halakhah), the determination of the difference in value of the animals at the start and at the end of the time of care is a matter for the courts. Otherwise, this is not the case since the sale price will determine the final value. It is noted that the increase in value of calves is not constant in time; the increase in the first year of a two-year contract is less than half of the final value..”
הַשָׁם בְּהֵמָה לַחֲבֵירוֹ אֵין פָּחוֹת מִי̇ב̇ חֳדָשִׁים. מֵתָה בַבּוֹסְיָא יְהַב כּוּלֵּיהּ. דְּלָא בְבוֹסיָא יְהַב פַּלְגָּא. כֵּיצַד. שָׁמָהּ בִּמְנָה וְהִשְׁבִּיחָה וְשָׁוָה מָאתַיִם. מֵתָה בַבּוֹסְיָא יְהַב שִׁשָּׁה שֶׁלְּזָהָב. דְּלָא בְבוֹסיָא יְהַב חֲמִשִּׁים זוּז. הִכְחִישָׁה וְיָפָה חֲמִשִּׁים זוּז. מֵתָה בַבּוֹסְיָא יְהַב ג̇ שֶׁלְּזָהָב. דְּלָא בְבוֹסיָא יְהַב חֲמִשִּׁים זוּז. 101Tosephta 5:11–12.“If it dies because of gross negligence, he gives everything; not because of gross negligence, he gives half102Since the tenant farmer is given a 50% interest in the gain, he also must bear a 50% risk of loss. The element of risk is what distinguishes investment from loan and exempts the transaction from the laws of interest. If the death is due to gross negligence of the caregiver, the owner may sue him for his loss.. How is this? It was estimated as one mina103At the start of the contract period. and improved and now is worth 200. If it dies because of gross negligence, he gives six gold denars104150 silver denars. He pays 100 for the animal and 50 for the owner’s part in the improvement which was lost through the caregiver’s fault.; if not because of gross negligence, he gives 50 zuz.105Half the original value.”
הַשָׁם בְּהֵמָה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ אֵין פָּחוֹת מִי̇ב̇ חוֹדֶשׁ. עָשָׂה בָהּ כָּל־יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה וְאָמַר לְמוֹכְרָהּ בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים כּוֹפִין אוֹתָוֹ שֶׁיַּאֲכִילָהּ כָּל־יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. הֶאֱכִיל כָּל־יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וְאָמַר לְמוֹכְרָהּ בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה כּוֹפִין אוֹתָוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בָהּ כָּל־יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה. 106Tosephta 5:9.“If one accepts an animal for care from another person, it is for no less than twelve months. If he occupied himself with it all through the summer and he says to sell it, one forces him to feed it all through the winter. If he fed it all through the winter and he wants to sell it in the summer, one forces him to occupy himself with it all through the summer.107If either of the parties wants to terminate the contract before its expiration date, the other party can go to court and force the continuation until the end of the contract period.”
תַּנֵּי. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מַפְרִין עַל שָׂדֵהוּ וְאֵין חוֹשֵׁשׁ מִשּׁוּם רִבִּית. כֵּיצַד. קִיבֵּל הֵימֶינּוּ בְּי̇ כוֹרִין חִטִּין. אָמַר לוֹ. תֵּן לִי סֶלַע אֶחָד וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָךְ י̇ב̇ כּוֹרִין לַגּוֹרֶן מוּתָּר. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַשָּׂדֶה מְצוּיָה לְהִתְבָּרֵךְ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר. נַעֲשֶׂה כְמַשְׂכִּיר לוֹ שָׂדֶה בְיוֹקֶר. מַה בֵינֵיהוֹן. חֲנוּת וּסְפִינָּה. מָאן דָּמַר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַשָּׂדֶה מְצוּיָה לְהִתְבָּרֵךְ. מַפְרִין עַל חֲנוּת וּסְפִינָּה. מָאן דָּמַר. נַעֲשֶׂה כְמַשְׂכִּיר לוֹ שָׂדֶה בְיוֹקֶר. חֲנוּת וּסְפִינָּה אֵין מַפְרִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא. בְּפֵירוּשׁ פְּלִיגֵי. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר. מַפְרִין עַל חֲנוּת וּסְפִינָּה. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר. אֵין מַפְרִין. מַתְנִיתָא מְסַייְעָא לְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. אֵין מַפְרִין עַל חֲנוּת וּסְפִינָּה וְעַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה בְגוּפוֹ. 108Tosephta 5:13, Babli 69b. It was stated: “Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, one invests in improving a field and does not worry about interest. How is this? One leased a field for ten kor of wheat and said to him, give me a tetradrachma109In the parallel sources: 200 denars, 2 minas. This seems to be the correct text since it is unlikely that much improvement can be bought for 4 silver denars, and it is incomprehensible that the rent should increase by 50 silver denars a year for a loan of 4. But in E the text is: תֵּן לִי סֶלַע אַחַת וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָךְ כּוֹר אֶחָד. “Give me one tetradrachma and I shall give you one kor.” and I shall give you twelve kor at threshing time, it is permitted.” Rebbi Joḥanan said, because the field may bring an extraordinary yield110The improvement of the object justifies the increase in rent.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, it is as if he increased the rent for the field. What is the difference between them? A store or a ship111As will be noted at the end, this refers to an additional investment by the owner in merchandise to be sold in the store or transported on the ship.. According to him who said, because the field may bring an extraordinary yield, one invests in a store or a ship112A larger inventory may yield larger earnings.. According to him who said, it is as if he increased the rent for the field, one may not invest in a store or a ship113A perpetual rent for an investment in merchandise would be interest.. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa said, they disagree explicitly: Rebbi Joḥanan said, one invests in a store or a ship. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, one may not invest in a store or a ship, nor in anything which is not invested in the object itself114R. Simeon ben Laqish agrees that an investment in a renovation of the store, or to provide the ship with better sails or steering gear, is legitimate (opinion of Rav Naḥman in the Babli)..