Study Shevuot folio 43A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
״כי יתן איש אל רעהו״ – כלל, ״כסף או כלים״ – פרט, ״לשמר״ – חזר וכלל. כלל ופרט וכלל – אי אתה דן אלא כעין הפרט; מה הפרט מפורש – דבר המטלטל וגופו ממון, אף כל דבר המטלטל וגופו ממון.
The verse introduces the halakhot with regard to an unpaid bailee with the phrase: “If a man delivers to his neighbor silver or vessels to safeguard” (Exodus 22:6). The phrase “if a man delivers to his neighbor” is a generalization, “silver or vessels” is a detail, and when the verse states: “To safeguard,” it then generalized again. Consequently, this verse contains a generalization and a detail and a generalization, in which case you may deduce that the verse is referring only to items similar to the detail. Applying this principle here, one concludes that just as each of the items mentioned in the detail is clearly defined as an item that is movable property and has intrinsic monetary value, so too, an unpaid bailee takes an oath concerning anything that is movable property and has intrinsic monetary value.
יצאו קרקעות – שאין מטלטלין; יצאו עבדים – שהוקשו לקרקעות; יצאו שטרות – שאף על פי שמטלטלין, אין גופן ממון; הקדש – ״רעהו״ כתיב.
Land is therefore excluded, as it is not movable property. Canaanite slaves are excluded, as they are compared to land in many areas of halakha. Financial documents are excluded, since although they are movable property, they do not have intrinsic monetary value. Consecrated property is excluded because it is written in the verse: “If a man delivers to his neighbor.” This term indicates that both the one depositing the item and the bailee must be people, and not the Temple treasury.
נושא שכר אינו משלם. מנלן? דתנו רבנן: ״כי יתן איש אל רעהו״ – כלל, ״חמור או שור או שה״ – פרט, ״וכל בהמה לשמר״ – חזר וכלל. כלל ופרט וכלל כו׳, עד הקדש – ״רעהו״ כתיב.
§ The Mishnah teaches that a paid bailee does not pay for the loss or theft of one of these items. The Talmud asks: From where do we derive this halakha? The Talmud answers: It is as A baraita states: The verse introduces the halakhot with regard to a paid bailee with the phrase: “If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, or an ox, or a sheep, or any animal to guard” (Exodus 22:9). The phrase “if a man delivers to his neighbor” is a generalization, the phrase “a donkey, or an ox, or a sheep” is a detail, and when the verse states: “Or any animal to safeguard,” it then generalized again. Consequently, this verse contains a generalization, and a detail, and a generalization, which excludes any item that is not similar to the detail, as delineated in the previous baraita with regard to an unpaid bailee, up to and including the last clause of that baraita: Consecrated property is excluded because it is written in the verse: “If a man delivers to his neighbor.”