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Text Excerpt
אין לי אלא איש שהעריך בין איש בין אשה, אשה שהעריכה איש, אשה שהעריכה אשה מנין? תלמוד לומר ״נפשת״.
I have derived only that this halakha applies in a case of a man who valuated another, whether a man or a woman, as the section begins: “When a man should clearly utter a vow” (Leviticus 27:2). From where is it derived that the halakha of valuations also applies to a woman who valuated a man, or a woman who valuated a woman? The Talmud answers: The same verse states: “Vow of persons to YHWH, according to your valuation,” to include women.
דבר אחר: ״נפשת״ — לרבות מנוול ומוכה שחין.
Alternatively, the word “persons” serves to add a repulsive man and one afflicted with boils. If one valuates such a person, he is obligated to give the set amount according to age and sex.
שיכול ״נדר בערכך״: כל שישנו בדמים — ישנו בערכין, וכל שאינו בדמים — אינו בערכין, תלמוד לומר ״נפשת״.
This derivation is necessary as one might have thought that since the verse states: “A vow of persons to YHWH, according to your valuation” (Leviticus 27:2), it is juxtaposing a person who is valuated and one who is the object of a vow. Therefore, anyone who is included in the category of assessments, i.e., one who is obligated to pay his assessment to the Temple if he takes such a vow, is also included in the category of valuations. If he vows to pay his valuation, he must pay. But anyone who is not included in the category of assessments is not included in the category of valuations. Having no market value, these people are not subject to assessment, and are consequently also not subject to valuation. The verse, therefore, states: “Persons [nefashot],” teaching that anyone who has any amount of life [nefesh] is subject to valuation.