ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Genevah - Chapter 8
Genevah - Chapter 8
1It is a positive commandment to correct the scales, weights1 and measures carefully and to be exact in their measure when making them,2 as Leviticus 19:36 states: “You shall have correct scales....”אמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְצַדֵּק הַמֹּאזְנַיִם וְהַמִּשְׁקָלוֹת וְהַמִּדּוֹת יָפֶה יָפֶה וּלְדַקְדֵּק בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנָן בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיָּתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק אַבְנֵי צֶדֶק אֵיפַת צֶדֶק וְהִין צֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לָכֶם" (ויקרא יט, לו).
Similarly, with regard to the measurement of land, one must be exact according to the principles of geometry. Even a fingerbreadth of land is considered to be a great loss, as if it were filled with saffron.3וְכֵן בְּמִדַּת הַקַּרְקַע, צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן מְשִׁיחַת הַקַּרְקַע עַל פִּי הָעִיקָרִים הַמִּתְבָּאֲרִים בְּכִתְבֵי הַגֵּימְטַרְיוֹת, שֶׁאַפִלּוּ מְלוֹא אֶצְבָּע מִן הַקַּרְקַע, רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא מְלֵאָה כַּרְכֹּם.
2The four cubits that are next to an irrigation ditch need not be measured carefully,4 and those that are next to a river bank are not measured at all, for they belong to the public domain.5באַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת הַסְּמוּכִין לְחָרִיץ, מְזַלְזְלִין בִּמְשִׁיחָתָן; וְהַסְּמוּכִים לִשְׂפַת הַנָּהָר - אֵין מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתָן כְּלָל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן שֶׁל בְנֵי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים.
3A person who measures land should not measure the portion of one partner6 in the summer and of the other in the winter, because a rope will contract in the summer.7גוְהַמּוֹדֵד אֶת הַקַּרְקַע - לֹא יָמֹד לְאֶחָד בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וּלְאֶחָד בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַחֶבֶל מִתְקַצֵּר בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה.
Therefore, if the measurement was made with a rod, with iron chains or with the like,8 the differences in season are of no consequence.לְפִיכָךְ אִם מָדַד בְּקָנֶה אוֹ בְּשַׁלְשֶׁלֶת בַּרְזֶל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ, אֵין בְּכָּךְ כְּלוּם.
4Weights should not be made of iron, lead or other metals of that nature, for they rust and become reduced in weight. One should make them from marble, glass, diamond and the like.9דאֵין עוֹשִׂין מִשְׁקָלוֹת לֹא שֶׁל בְדִיל, וְלֹא שֶׁל עוֹפֶרֶת, וְלֹא שֶׁל שְׁאָר מִינֵי מַתְּכוֹת כְּאֵלּוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּעֲלִין חֲלוּדָה וּמִתְחַסְּרִין; אֲבָל עוֹשִׂין שֶׁל צְחִיחַ סֶלַע, וְשֶׁל זְכוּכִית, וְשֶׁל אֶבֶן שֹׁהַם, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן.
5The stick used to level the top of a dry measure10 should not be made of a gourd, because it is too light,11 nor of metal, because it is too heavy.12האֵין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַמֶּחָק לֹא שֶׁל דְלַּעַת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵקֵל, וְלֹא שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַכְבִּיד.
Instead, it should be made of olive wood, walnut, box wood, sycamore wood or the like.13אֲבָל עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל זַיִת, וְשֶׁל אֱגוֹזִים, וְשֶׁל שִׁקְמָה, וְשֶׁל אֶשְׁכְּרוֹעַ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן.
6The stick used to level the top of a dry measure should not be made with one side narrow and one side thick.14ואֵין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַמֶּחָק, צִדּוֹ אֶחָד קָצֵר וְצִדּוֹ אֶחָד עָבֶה.
One should not level a measure slowly, bit by bit, for in doing so the seller is cheated, nor should it be leveled in one fell swoop, for by doing so the purchaser is cheated.15וְלֹא יִמְחֹק מְעַט מְעַט, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּפְחִיתוֹ לַמּוֹכֵר; וְלֹא יִמְחֹק בְּבַת אַחַת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּפְחִיתוֹ לַלּוֹקֵחַ.
7One may not bury weights in salt so that their weight will be reduced,16 nor may one heat while measuring a liquid.17 This applies even if the measure is very small, for the Torah was concerned with even the slightest deviation from an honest measure, as implied by the mention of a mesurah in Leviticus 19:35. A mesurah is a very tiny measure, merely a thirty-third of a log.18זאֵין טוֹמְנִין אֶת הַמִּשְׁקָלוֹת בַּמֶּלַח כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּפְחֲתוּ, וְלֹא יַרְתִּיחַ בְּמִדַּת הַלַּח בְּעֵת שֶׁמּוֹדֵד, וְאַפִלּוּ הָיְתָה הַמִּדָּה קְטַנָּה בְּיוֹתֵר - שֶׁהֲרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הִקְפִּידָה עַל הַמִּדּוֹת בְּכָל שֶׁהוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבַמְּשׂוּרָה" (ויקרא יט, לה) - וְהִיא מִדָּה קְטַנָּה אֶחָד, מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים בַּלּוֹג.
8Sellers of scrap iron and the like should construct the scale they use in the following manner. The balance that the person who is weighing holds in his hands should hang freely in the air for at least three handbreadths, and should be three handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be twelve handbreadths.19חמוֹכְרֵי עֲשָׁשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁל בַרְזֶל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן - צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת חוּט הַמֹּאזְנַיִם שֶׁאוֹחֵז הַשּׁוֹקֵל בְּיָדוֹ תָּלוּי בָּאַוִּיר שְׁלוֹשָׁה טְפָחִים, וּגְבוֹהִין מִן הָאָרֶץ שְׁלוֹשָׁה טְפָחִים, וְאֹרֶךְ קָנֶה הַמֹּאזְנַיִם וְאֹרֶךְ הַחוּטִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר טֶפַח.
9A scale used by wool merchants and glass merchants should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least two handbreadths and should be two handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be nine handbreadths.טמֹאזְנַיִם שֶׁל מוֹכְרֵי צֶמֶר וְשֶׁל מוֹכְרֵי זְכוּכִית - יִהְיֶה אֹרֶךְ הַחוּט שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִין בּוֹ שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים, וּגְבוֹהִין מִן הָאָרֶץ שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים, וְהַקָּנֶה וְהַחוּטִין אָרְכָּן תִּשְׁעָה טְפָחִים.
10A scale used by an ordinary storekeeper and a house-owner should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least one handbreadth, and should be one handbreadth above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be six handbreadths.ימֹאזְנַיִם שֶׁל חֶנְוָנִי וְשֶׁל בַעַל הַבַּיִת - יִהְיֶה אֹרֶךְ הַחוּט שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִים בּוֹ טֶפַח, וּגְבוֹהִין מִן הָאָרֶץ טֶפַח, וְאֹרֶךְ הַקָּנֶה וְאֹרֶךְ הַחוּטִין שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים.
11The cables on which the balance is hung, and similarly the cables of the scales used to weigh gold and used by merchants of purple fabric should be three fingerbreadths long and should be three fingerbreadths above the ground.20 No standard measure was given for the length of the balance and the length of its chains; it depends on the desire of the person doing the weighing.יאהַחוּט שֶׁתּוֹלִין בּוֹ הַפֶּלֶס, וְכֵן חוּט מֹאזְנַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל מוֹכְרֵי אַרְגָּמָן טוֹב - אָרְכּוֹ שָׁלוֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת, וּגְבוֹהִין מִן הָאָרֶץ שָׁלוֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת, וְאֹרֶךְ הַפֶּלֶס וְאֹרֶךְ הַשַּׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ כְּפִי מַה שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה.
12What is the source that teaches us that one must tip the balance in favor of the purchaser when his purchase is being weighed for him?21 Deuteronomy 25:15 states: “You shall have a perfect and just weight.” The Torah’s statements can be interpreted to mean: “Justify your balance from what you have and give it to him.”יבמְנַיִן שֶׁחַיָּב הַמּוֹכֵר לְהַכְרִיעַ לַלּוֹקֵחַ בְּעֵת שֶׁשּׁוֹקֵל לוֹ? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וָצֶדֶק" (דברים כה, טו) - אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה צַדֵּק מִשֶּׁלָּךְ וְתֶן לוֹ.
13How much should the seller tip in the purchaser’s favor? With regard to liquid measure, one hundredth of the amount purchased.22 With regard to dry measure, one four-hundredth of the amount purchased.23יגוְכַמָּה? בַּלַּח, אֶחָד לְמֵאָה; וּבַיָּבֵשׁ, אֶחָד לְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת.
What is implied? If he sold him ten pounds of a liquid measure, he should give him one tenth of a pound as an extra amount. If he sold him twenty pounds of a dry measure, he should give him an extra twentieth of a pound.כֵּיצַד? מָכַר לוֹ עֶשֶׂר לִּיטְרָא לַח, נוֹתֵן לוֹ גֵרוּמִין אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה בַּלִּיטְרָא; וְאִם מָכַר לוֹ עֶשְׂרִים לִיטְרִין יָבֵשׁ, נוֹתֵן לוֹ גֵרוּמִין אֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִים בַּלִּיטְרָא.
This ratio should be followed regardless of whether the amounts involved are great or small.וְכֵן לְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה, בֵּין רַב בֵּין מְעַט.
14When does the above apply? In a place where it is customary to sell by looking at the scale. In a place where it is customary actually to tip the balance, one must tip it at least a handbreadth in favor of the purchaser.ידבַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִמְכֹּר עַיִן בְּעַיִן; אֲבָל בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְהַכְרִיעַ, חַיָּב לְהַכְרִיעַ לוֹ טֶפַח.
15If the seller had to weigh ten pounds for the purchaser, the purchaser should not say: “Weigh them out one at a time and tip the balance each time.” Instead, the seller may weigh out all ten at once and tip the balance only once for the entire amount.טוהָיָה שׁוֹקֵל לוֹ עֶשֶׂר לִיטְרִין - לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ שְׁקֹל אַחַת אַחַת וְהַכְרַע, אֶלָא שׁוֹקֵל לוֹ עֲשָׂרָה בְּבַת אַחַת וְהֶכְרֵעַ אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן.
16In a place where it is customary to measure with a small measure, one should not measure with a large one.24 In a place where it is customary to measure with a large measure, one should not measure with a small one.25 Where it is customary to even off the measure, one should not sell a heaping measure and raise the price, nor where it is customary to give a heaping measure should one sell a level measure and reduce the price.26 Instead, one should measure according to the local custom.טזמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לָמֹד בְּדַּקָּה, לֹא יָמֹד בְּגַּסָּה; בְּגַּסָּה, לֹא יָמֹד בְּדַּקָּה; לִמְחֹק, לֹא יִגְדֹּשׁ וְיוֹסִיף בְּדָמִים; וְכֵן אִם נָהֲגוּ לִגְדֹּשׁ, לֹא יִמְחֹק וְיִפְחֹת מִן הַדָּמִים; אֶלָא מוֹדֵד כְּמִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה.
17When the inhabitants of a locale desire to increase the size of the measures or weights, they should not increase them more than a sixth.27 For example, if a kav held five measures, they may establish it as holding six. They should not, however, establish it as holding more than six.יזבְּנֵי מְדִינָה שֶׁרָצוּ לְהוֹסִיף עַל הַמִּדּוֹת אוֹ עַל הַמִּשְׁקָלוֹת, לֹא יוֹסִיפוּ יָתֵר עַל שְׁתוּת. שֶׁאִם הָיָה הַקַּב מֵכִיל חֲמִשָּׁה, וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ מֵכִיל שִׁשָּׁה - הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָן; יָתֵר עַל שִׁשָּׁה, לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ.
18A wholesale merchant must clean his measures once every 30 days.28 A house-owner must do this every twelve months, and a storekeeper twice a week.יחהַסִּיטוֹן מְקַנֵּחַ אֶת מִדּוֹתָיו, אַחַת לִשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם. וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, אַחַת לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. וְהַחֶנְוָנִי מְקַנֵּחַ מִדּוֹתָיו, פַּעֲמַיִם בַּשַּׁבָּת.
Once a week, he must wash his weights,29 and he should clean the balance after every time that he weighs, so that it will not rust.וּמְמַחֶה מִשְׁקְלוֹתָיו, פַּעַם אַחַת בַּשַּׁבָּת; וּמְקַנֵּחַ מֹאזְנַיִם עַל כָּל מִשְׁקָל וּמִשְׁקָל, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַחְלִידוּ.
19A person who desires to weigh three-fourths of a pound of meat should place a pound weight on one side of the balance and place the meat and a quarter-pound weight in the other side of the balance. If one said that he should place a half-pound weight and a quarter-pound weight on one side and the meat on the other side, it is possible that the quarter-pound weight will fall30 without being seen by the purchaser.31יטהַמְּבַקֵּשׁ לִשְׁקֹל שְׁלוֹשָׁה רְבִיעֵי לִיטְרָא - נוֹתֵן לִיטְרָא בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם, וְהַבָּשָׂר וּרְבִיעַ לִיטְרָא בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה; שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר נוֹתֵן חֲצִי לִיטְרָא וּרְבִיעַ לִיטְרָא בְּכַף אַחַת - שֶׁמָּא יִפֹּל רְבִיעַ הַלִיטְרָא, וְאֵין הַלּוֹקֵחַ רוֹאֵהוּ.
20The court is obligated to appoint police in every city and town to inspect the stores periodically, correct the scales and measures, and set the prices.כחַיָּבִין בֵּית דִּין לְהַעֲמִיד שׁוֹטְרִים בְּכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וּבְכָל פֶּלֶךְ וּפֶלֶךְ, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְחַזְּרִין עַל הַחֲנֻיּוֹת, וּמְצַדְּקִין אֶת הַמֹּאזְנַיִם וְאֶת הַמִּדּוֹת, וּפוֹסְקִין אֶת הַשְּׁעָרִים.
They are permitted to beat any person who possesses an unjust measure or weight or an improper balance according to his capacity, and to fine him as the court sees fit to elnforce the matter.וְכָל מִי שֶׁנִּמְצָא עִמּוֹ מִשְׁקָל חָסֵר, אוֹ מִדָּה חֲסֵרָה, אוֹ מֹאזְנַיִם מְקֻלְקָלִין - יֵשׁ לָהֶן רְשׁוּת לְהַכּוֹתוֹ כְּפִי כּוֹחוֹ, וּלְקָנְסוֹ כְּפִי רְאוּת בֵּית דִּין לְחַזֵּק הַדָּבָר.
Whenever a person raises prices and sells at a higher price, he may be beaten and compelled to sell at the ordinary market price.32וְכָל מִי שֶׁמַּפְקִיעַ אֶת הַשַּׁעַר וּמוֹכֵר בְּיֹקֶר - מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ, וְכוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹכֵר כְּשַׁעַר הַשּׁוּק.
Footnotes
1.
I.e., one must check both the mechanism of the scale and the weights used.
2.
Sefer HaMitzvot (Positive Commandment 208) and Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 259) consider this to be one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. (See also Chapter 7, Halachah 1.)
3.
A spice that was very expensive at the time of the Mishnah.
4.
An irrigation ditch would serve many fields while passing through a locale. It was considered to be public property. Accordingly, it is expected that the owners of the adjoining lands would not object if a small portion of their property were also included as part of the public domain.
5.
See Hilchot Nizkei Mammon 13:26, which states that “An empty space should be left next to the banks on both sides of a river, wide enough for the crewmen who descend and pull a boat.” This space was not considered the private property of the owner of the adjacent field, but rather part of the public domain.
6.
The halachah is speaking about an instance in which two partners (or two heirs) seek to divide land that they jointly own.
7.
Because of the dry heat. Thus, the division of the property will not be just, for the person whose share was measured in the winter will receive more land.
8.
I.e., substances whose size will not be altered by climate fluctuations.
9.
The Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:10) and the Ramah quote opinions that allow weights to be made from silver or gold.
10.
I.e., a measure would be filled with flour, salt or the like and then leveled off by passing a stick over the top.
11.
And thus the seller will be cheated.
12.
And thus the purchaser will be cheated.
13.
I.e., solid woods that will allow for even distribution of the substance being sold.
14.
For this will lead to an uneven measure.
15.
The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:6) reverse the positions. Both the Rambam and these sources agree that the measure should be leveled with one slow, careful sweep of the leveling stick.
16.
Others explain that burying weights in salt will make them heavier.
17.
Rashi (Bava Metzia 61b) and the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:7) interpret this to refer to the boiling of the liquid. When the liquid is boiling, it expands and the vapor arising from it fills the measure. Alternatively, the vapor arising from the liquid will prevent the purchaser from seeing that the measure is lacking.
18.
This is the Rambam’s version of Bava Metzia 61b and Bava Batra 89b. It is shared by Rabbenu Yitzchak Alfasi and others. The standard published text states one thirty-sixth.
Based on the measures of Rabbenu Avraham, the Rambam’s son, the Shitah Mekubetzet determines this to be approximately 10.75 grams.
19.
Since the scale is being used to weigh heavy substances, it needs to be large and have ample room for the balances to sway back and forth. For smaller substances being weighed, a smaller balance is used.
20.
Since these substances are very valuable, they are sold in small quantities, and thus a small measure is also satisfactory.
21.
I.e., thus giving the purchaser slightly more than he ordered.
22.
I.e., at the outset, the seller should weigh out 101 percent of the amount purchased [Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:14)].
23.
The Maggid Mishneh states that a greater amount is given for the liquid measure because some of the liquid will remain in the measure.
24.
Since it is customary to add to the measure sold, by using a larger measure the purchaser will be shortchanged, for he will not receive the extra amount given each time a new small measure is used (Sefer Me’irat Einayim 231:13).
25.
For the seller will be shortchanged and will be forced to add to the measure more times than would ordinarily be required.
26.
For this will enable the seller to deceive the purchaser (ibid.:14).
Alternatively, buying and selling in this manner may cause an unnecessary fluctuation in the market prices for these commodities. For people may hear the price paid per measure without hearing that either a heaping or leveled off measure was used, and they may adjust the prices of their own commodities accordingly.
27.
Sefer Me’irat Einayim 231:28 states that this limit was imposed because we found that our Sages increased the value of a sela from 20 to 24 me’ah. This precedent is supported by a logical premise. It is possible that people coming from other locales will not know about the revaluation and will continue to do business as if the old standard were still being followed. Since the laws against ona’ah, charging more than the fair price, do not apply when the difference is less than a sixth, we assume that they will be willing to forgo the difference.
28.
In his Kessef Mishneh, Rav Yosef Karo questions the Rambam’s ruling. Nevertheless, he quotes it in his Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:7).
29.
To clean them from oils and the like.
30.
I.e., accidentally. This reflects the Rambam’s (and Rabbenu Yitzchak Alfasi’s) interpretation of Bava Batra 89a. The standard published text of the Talmud [and the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:14)] reads “lest he cause to fall,” implying that the seller may deliberately attempt to deceive the purchaser. The Maggid Mishneh mentions other textual differences between the Rambam’s version and the standard text of the Talmud.
31.
Thus, he will receive only half a pound of meat.
32.
There is a difference of opinion among our Sages (Bava Batra 89a) whether the prices of commodities should be allowed to fluctuate or should be arbitrarily fixed. The Rambam [and the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 231:20)] follow the opinion that maintains that the local sages should fix the prices. See Hilchot Mechirah 14:8-11 for further discussion of this matter.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.
