ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Nachalot - Chapter 8
Nachalot - Chapter 8
1When the fields of a person who was taken captive, or who fled, or who left voluntarily but was reported to have died are given to a relative in a share-cropping arrangement, we do not entrust them to a minor,1 lest he ruin the property.2אכְּשֶׁמּוֹרִידִין קָרוֹב לְנִכְסֵי הַשָּׁבוּי אוֹ בּוֹרֵחַ אוֹ לְנִכְסֵי הַיוֹצֵא לַדַּעַת שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ בּוֹ שֶׁמֵּת - לֹא יוֹרִידוּ קָטָן, שֶׁמָּא יַפְסִיד הַנְּכָסִים.
Conversely, we do not give a minor’s property to a relative in a share-cropping arrangement. This is a safeguard, lest that person claim that the property belongs to him, that it is his portion that he received through inheritance.3 The minor’s property is not even given to a relative of a relative.וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין קָרוֹב לְנִכְסֵי קָטָן - שֶׁמָּא יִטְעֹן וְיֹאמַר 'זֶה חֶלְקִי הַמַּגִּיעַ לִי בִּירֻשָּׁתִי'. וְאַפִלּוּ קָרוֹב מֵחֲמַת קָרוֹב אֵין מוֹרִידִין.
What is implied? There were two brothers, one older and one younger, and the younger was taken captive or fled, we do not give the younger brother’s field to the older brother. For the younger brother will not be able to protest.4 Perhaps the older brother will take possession of the property and after many years, he will claim:5 “This is my portion that I received through inheritance; I took possession as an inheritance.”כֵּיצַד? הָיוּ שְׁנֵי אַחִים אֶחָד גָּדוֹל וְאֶחָד קָטָן, וְנִשְׁבָּה הַקָּטָן אוֹ בָּרַח - אֵין מוֹרִידִין הַגָּדוֹל לְתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַקָּטָן אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְמַחוֹת, וְשֶׁמָּא יַחְזִיק זֶה הָאָח, וּלְאַחַר שָׁנִים יֹאמַר 'זֶה הוּא חֶלְקִי שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לִי בִּירֻשָּׁתִי, וּמֵחֲמַת יְרֻשָּׁה בָּאתִי'.
Even the son of the brother6 of the minor who was taken captive is not given the property in a share-cropping agreement, lest he claim: “I inherited this portion because of my father.”וְאַפִלּוּ בֶּן אָחִיו שֶׁל זֶה הַקָּטָן הַנִּשְׁבָּה - אֵין מוֹרִידִין אוֹתוֹ לִנְכָסָיו, שֶׁמָּא יֹאמַר 'מֵחֲמַת אָבִי יָרַשְׁתִּי חֵלֶק זֶה'.
2No relative is ever given possession of the property of a minor,7 not even a person whose family connection stems from one’s maternal brother who is not fit to inherit.8 This is an extra safeguard.9בלְעוֹלָם אֵין מוֹרִידִין קָרוֹב לְנִכְסֵי קָטָן, אַפִלּוּ קָרוֹב מֵחֲמַת אֲחֵי הָאֵם שֶׁאֵינָן רְאוּיִין לִירַשׁ. הַרְחָקָה יְתֵרָה הִיא זוֹ.
Even if there is a document recording the division of the estate, whether homes10 or courtyards, the property should not be given to the relative.וְאַפִלּוּ הָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶן שְׁטָר חֲלֻקָּה בֵּין בַּבָּתִּים בֵּין בַּשָּׂדוֹת - לֹא יֵרֵד.
Even if the relative states: “Write a document stating that I received the field as part of a sharecropping agreement,” he should not be given the field. Perhaps the documents will be lost, and after a long period the person will claim that he received it as an inheritance, or that he received it as an inheritance from a relative who received it as an inheritance.וְאַפִלּוּ אָמַר 'כִּתְבוּ עָלַי שְׁטָר אֲרִיסוּת', לֹא יֵרֵד - שֶׁמָּא יֹאבְדוּ הַשְּׁטָרוֹת, וְיַאַרְכוּ הַיָּמִים, וְיִטְעֹן וְיֹאמַר 'שֶׁזֶּה חֵלֶק יְרֻשָּׁה בָּא לוֹ מֵחֲמָתוֹ אוֹ מֵחֲמַת מוֹרִישָׁיו'.
An incident once occurred concerning an old woman who had three daughters. The old woman and one daughter were taken captive. A second daughter died and left a son below the age of majority.מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁהָיוּ לָהּ שָׁלוֹשׁ בָּנוֹת, וְנִשְׁבָּת הַזְּקֵנָה הִיא וּבַת אַחַת, וּמֵתָה בַּת שְׁנִיָּה, וְהִנִּיחָה בֵּן קָטָן.
The Sages said: We do not give the property to the remaining daughter in a sharecropping agreement, for perhaps the elderly woman died11 and thus one third of the estate would belong to the minor, and we do not give a relative property belonging to a minor. Similarly, we do not give the property to the minor. For perhaps the old woman is still alive, and the property of a person taken captive should not be given to a minor. “What should be done instead? Since a guardian must be appointed for the third12 designated for the minor, we appoint a guardian for the old woman’s entire estate.”13וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים: אֵין מוֹרִידִין זוֹ הַבַּת הַנִּשְׁאָרָה לַנְּכָסִים, שֶׁמָּא מֵתָה הַזְּקֵנָה, וְנִמְצְאוּ שְׁלִישׁ נְכָסִים אֵלּוּ לַקָּטָן, וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין קָרוֹב לְנִכְסֵי קָטָן. וְכֵן אֵין מוֹרִידִין לְזֶה הַקָּטָן בַּנְּכָסִים - שֶׁמָּא עֲדַיִן הַזְּקֵנָה בַּחַיִּים, וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין קָטָן לְנִכְסֵי שָׁבוּי. אֶלָא כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין? מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיד אַפוֹטְרוֹפוֹס לַשְּׁלִישׁ שֶׁל קָּטָן, מַעֲמִידִין אַפוֹטְרוֹפוֹס עַל כָּל נִכְסֵי הַזְּקֵנָה.
Afterwards, it was reported that the older woman died. Our Sages said: “The remaining daughter should receive the third that is her portion of the inheritance. The minor should receive the third that is his14 portion of the older woman’s estate. And a guardian should be appointed for the third that belongs to the daughter in captivity, because of the portion of it that the minor might receive.15 For if the daughter in captivity also dies, the minor would receive one half of her third.” Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.אַחַר זְמַן, שָׁמְעוּ שֶׁמֵּתָה הַזְּקֵנָה. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים: תֵּרֵד הַבַּת הַנִּשְׁאָרָה לִשְׁלִישׁ הַנְּכָסִים, שֶׁהוּא חֵלֶק יְרֻשָּׁתָהּ; וְיֵרֵד הַקָּטָן לִשְׁלִישׁ, שֶׁהוּא חֶלְקוֹ מִנִּכְסֵי הַזְּקֵנָה; וְהַשְּׁלִישׁ שֶׁל בַּת הַשְּׁבוּיָה - מַעֲמִידִין לוֹ אַפוֹטְרוֹפוֹס מִפְּנֵי חֵלֶק הַקָּטָן, שֶׁמָּא מֵתָה גַּם הַבַּת הַשְּׁבוּיָה, וְיֵשׁ לְזֶה הַקָּטָן חֲצִי הַשְּׁלִישׁ שֶׁלָּהּ. וְכֵן כֹּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה.
Footnotes
1.
I.e., even a minor who is a relative; certainly this applies with regard to a minor who is not a relative (Sefer Me’irat Einayim 285:23).
2.
If the owner’s only relative is a minor, we appoint a guardian who in tum finds a sharecropper [Tur (Choshen Mishpat 285)].
3.
Because of the family connection, people at large may not be aware who the rightful owner of the property is.
4.
He may not know that the property is rightfully his and hence be unaware that he should lodge a protest (Sefer Me’irat Einayim 285:25).
5.
I.e., issue a false and dishonest claim.
6.
The Hagahot Maimoniot and the Lechem Mishneh note that Bava Metzia 39a, the source for this halachah, does not mention the example cited by the Rambam in this halachah, but instead mentions a maternal brother. Although there is no difference in actual practice between the two views (the Rambam mentions the maternal brother in the following halachah), these authorities question why the Rambam deviates from his source. See also Sefer Me’irat Einayim 285:24.
7.
The Kessef Mishneh notes that this applies with regard to landed property. With regard to money, even a relative can be appointed as a guardian of a minor, as stated in Chapter 10, Halachah 6.
8.
As stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 6, maternal relatives are not significant with regard to inheritance.
9.
The Ramah (Choshen Mishpat 285:7) quotes the opinion of the Nimukei Yosef, who maintains that the restriction against giving the property of a minor to relatives for safekeeping applies only when the other heirs divide the property they receive into separate portions. If, however, they care for the property as a single unit, they may also care for the minor’s share as well.
10.
There is an opinion in Bava Metzia 39a that states that the ownership of homes is more clearly known then that of fields. The Rambam, however, does not accept that view. At present, when property is registered in the deeds office, it is a question whether the entire halachah should be applied. For once the property is registered in the minor’s name, he will be able to claim it.
11.
Tosafot explain that in other instances (e.g., Gittin 28a), we suppose that the status quo will continue and it is presumed that a person who is alive will remain alive. In this instance, however, we rule more stringently, because
a) extra care is given with regard to the property of orphans;
b) there is a greater likelihood that a person in captivity will die.
12.
I.e., the third that his mother would inherit and the half of the third owned by the other daughter in captivity.
13.
For we suspect that the other daughter in captivity also might die.
14.
More precisely, his mother’s, which becomes his.
15.
Based on the same logic employed above.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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