ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Mechirah - Chapter 2
Mechirah - Chapter 2
1A Canaanite servant1 is considered as landed property with regard to the laws of acquisition, and can be acquired through the transfer of money and a deed of sale, or through chazakah.אעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי - הֲרֵי הוּא כַּקַרְקַע לִקְנִיָּה, וְנִקְנֶה בְּכֶּסֶף בִּשְּׁטָר אוֹ בַחֲזָקָה.
2What manifestation of ownership is effective in acquiring a servant? Making use of him as one makes use of a servant in the presence of his previous master.בוּמַה הִיא הַחֲזָקָה בְּקִנְיַן עֲבָדִים? שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בָּעֲבָדִים, בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ.
What is implied? If the servant unties his new master’s shoe, puts on his shoe, carries his articles to the bathhouse, undresses him, anoints him, combs his skin, dresses him or lifts him up, the master acquires the servant. Similarly, if the master lifts up the servant, he acquires him.כֵּיצַד? הִתִּיר לוֹ מִנְעָלוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהִנְעִיל לוֹ מִנְעָלוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהוֹלִיךְ כֵּלָיו לְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ, אוֹ שֶׁהִפְשִׁיטוֹ, אוֹ סָכוֹ, אוֹ גֵּרְדוֹ, אוֹ הִלְבִּישׁוֹ, אוֹ הִגְבִּיהַּ אֶת רַבּוֹ - קָנָה; וְכֵן אִם הִגְבִּיהַּ הָרַב אֶת הָעֶבֶד, קָנָה.
3If the new owner pushes the servant and brings him close to him, he acquires him, for a Canaanite servant can be acquired through meshichah2 in this manner.גתְּקָפוֹ וֶהֱבִיאוֹ אֶצְלוֹ - קָנָה, שֶׁהָעֲבָדִים נִקְנִין בִּמְשִׁיכָה כָּזוֹ.
If, however, he called the servant and he came to him, or the servant’s previous owner told him to go to the purchaser, and he followed those instructions, the new owner does not acquire him until he pushes him or until he makes use of him in the manner described above.אֲבָל אִם קָרָא לָעֶבֶד, וּבָא אֶצְלוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ רַבּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן 'לֵךְ אֵצֶל הַלּוֹקֵחַ', וְהָלַךְ אֶצְלוֹ - לֹא קָנָה, עַד שֶׁיִּמְשְׁכֶנּוּ בִּתְקִיפָה אוֹ יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
If the new owner manifests his ownership over the servant outside the presence of the previous owner, the previous owner must tell him: “Go, manifest your ownership and acquire him” for the kinyan to be effective.וְאִם הֶחֱזִיק בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי הָרַב, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ 'לֵךְ חֲזֵק וּקְנֵה'.
4A servant below the age of majority is considered like an animal and can be acquired through both the processes by which an animal is acquired and those by which servants are acquired.דעֶבֶד קָטָן - הֲרֵי הוּא כִּבְהֵמָה, וְקוֹנִין אוֹתוֹ בִּדְּבָרִים שֶׁקּוֹנִין בָּהֶן הַבְּהֵמָה וּבִדְּבָרִים שֶׁקּוֹנִין בָּהֶן הָעֲבָדִים.
Therefore, he can be acquired by meshichah even though the new owner did not push him.3לְפִיכָּךְ נִקְנֶה בִּמְשִׁיכָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא תְקָפוֹ.
5Livestock, whether light4 or heavy,5 can be acquired through meshichah.ההַבְּהֵמָה, בֵּין דַּקָּה בֵּין גַּסָּה - נִקְנֵית בִּמְשִׁיכָה.
Even when lifting an animal is possible,6 it need not be lifted, because it may receive a blow when placed back on the earth. If a person lifts it up, he acquires it.אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהַגְבִּיהַּ אוֹתָהּ, לֹא הִצְרִיכוּהוּ לְהַגְבִּיהַּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּתְחַבֶּטֶת בָּאָרֶץ. וְאִם הִגְבִּיהַּ, קָנָה.
Lifting up an object serves as a kinyan in all places, while meshichah is effective as a kinyan only in a comer off the public domain, or in a courtyard whose ownership the buyer and the seller both share. Meshichah is not effective as a kinyan in the public domain or in a courtyard whose ownership is not shared by both the seller and the purchaser.וְהַהַגְבָּהָה, קוֹנָהּ בְּכָל מָקוֹם. אֲבָל הַמְּשִׁיכָה, אֵין קוֹנִין בָּהּ אֶלָא בְּסִמְטָא, אוֹ בְּחָצֵר שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם; וְאֵין קוֹנִין בָּהּ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וְלֹא בְּחָצֵר שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל שְׁנֵיהֶם.
6How is an animal acquired through meshichah? Needless to say, the transaction is completed if the purchaser pulls the animal and it walks after him, or he rides upon it and causes it to walk. The transaction is effective even if he calls it and it comes, or he swats it with a stick and causes it to run. When the animal lifts both a forefoot and a hind foot, the purchaser acquires it.וכֵּיצַד קוֹנִין הַבְּהֵמָה בִּמְשִׁיכָה? אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם מְשָׁכָהּ וְהָלְכָה אוֹ שֶׁרָכַב עָלֶיהָ וְהָלְכָה בּוֹ, שֶׁקָּנָה; אֶלָא אַפִלּוּ קָרָא לָהּ וּבָאָה, אוֹ שֶׁהִכִּישָׁהּ בְּמַקֵּל וְרָצָה בְפָנָיו - כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָקְרָה יָד וָרֶגֶל, קְנָאָהּ.
The above applies provided the purchaser performs meshichah in the presence of the previous owner. If he performs meshichah outside the presence of the previous owner, that person must tell the purchaser before he performs meshichah, “Go, perform meshichah and acquire it.”וְהוּא, שֶׁיִּמְשֹׁךְ בִּפְנֵי הַבְּעָלִים. אֲבָל אִם מָשַׁךְ שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי הַבְּעָלִים - צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּמְשֹׁךְ, 'לֵךְ מְשֹׁךְ וּקְנֵה'.
7When a person sells a herd to a colleague or gives it to him as a gift, if he gives him the mashkuchit - i.e., the animal that leads the herd, that all the others follow - he does not have to tell him, “Perform meshichah and acquire it.” For giving him this animal is tantamount to saying: “Go, perform meshichah and acquire it.”זהַמּוֹכֵר עֵדֶר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ לוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה - כֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּסַר לוֹ מַשְׁכּוּכִית, וְהִיא הַבְּהֵמָה הַמְּהַלֶּכֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָעֵדֶר וְהַכֹּל נִמְשָׁכִים אַחֲרֶיהָ - אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לוֹ 'מְשֹׁךְ וּקְנֵה'; שֶׁמְּסִירַת בְּהֵמָה זוֹ, כְּמִי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ 'לֵךְ מְשֹׁךְ וּקְנֵה'.
Thus, once the purchaser or the recipient performs meshichah with the herd, he acquires it, even if he performs meshichah outside the presence of the previous owner.וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ לוֹ הָעֵדֶר - קָנָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו.
8When a person tells a purchaser or a recipient of a gift: “Perform meshichah over an animal and then you will acquire it,” or “Perform chazakah over property and then you will acquire it,” he does not acquire it if he performs meshichah or chazakah. For the expression “you will acquire it” is in the future tense and implies that he has not transferred ownership to him yet.חהָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ 'מְשֹׁךְ וְתִקְנֶה', אוֹ 'חֲזֵק וְתִקְנֶה', וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, וְהָלַךְ וּמָשַׁךְ אוֹ הֶחֱזִיק - לֹא קָנָה; שֶׁמַּשְׁמַע תִּקְנֶה לְהַבָּא, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הִקְנָה לוֹ.
Instead, the seller or the giver of the gift must say: “Go, perform chazakah and acquire it,” “Go, perform meshichah and acquire it,” or the like, using an expression that implies that he will acquire it at the time he performs meshichah or chazakah.אֶלָא צָרִיךְ הַמּוֹכֵר אוֹ הַנּוֹתֵן לוֹמַר לוֹ 'לֵךְ חֲזֵק וּקְנֵה', אוֹ 'מְשֹׁךְ וּקְנֵה', וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ שֶׁמַּשְׁמָעָן שֶׁיִּקְנֶה עַתָּה, בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּמְשֹׁךְ אוֹ יַחְזִיק.
9When a person tells a colleague: “Perform meshichah with an animal and you will acquire it after 30 days,” and he performs meshichah, he does not acquire it.7טהָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ 'מְשֹׁךְ פָּרָה זוֹ, וְלֹא תִקְנֶה אֶלָא לְאַחַר שְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם', וּמָשַׁךְ - לֹא קָנָה.
If he told him “... acquire it now and after 30 days,” he acquires it, even if it is standing in a swamp8 on the thirtieth day.וְאִם אָמַר לוֹ 'קְנֵה מֵעַכְשָׁו וּלְאַחַר שְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם' - קָנָה, וְאַפִלּוּ הָיְתָה עוֹמֶדֶת בַּאֲגַם בְּיוֹם שְׁלוֹשִׁים.
For this resembles a situation in which an acquisition was made in the present, conditional on a stipulation, in which instance, when the stipulation is met, the transaction becomes effective.שֶׁזֶּה כְּמִי שֶׁהִקְנָה מֵעַתָּה עַל תְּנַאי; נַעֲשָׂה הַתְּנַאי, נִתְקַיֵּם הַקִּנְיָן.
Whenever a person uses the expression “with the intent that...,” it is as if he said that the transaction would take effect from the present.9וְכָל הָאוֹמֵר 'עַל מְנַת', כְּאוֹמֵר 'מֵעַכְשָׁו'.
10The following rules apply when a person sells an animal to a purchaser or gives it as a gift and tells the purchaser or the recipient: “Acquire it in the manner in which people normally acquire it.” If he performs meshichah or hagbahah, he acquires it.יהַמּוֹכֵר בְּהֵמָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אוֹ נְתָנָהּ לוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה, וְאָמַר לוֹ 'קְנֵה אוֹתָהּ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קוֹנִין': אִם מָשַׁךְ אוֹ הִגְבִּיהַּ, קָנָה.
If, however, he rides upon it a distinction is made: If this is done in the field, he acquires it. If it is done in the city, he does not acquire it, for it is not common for people to ride in a city.10אֲבָל אִם רָכַב עָלֶיהָ: אִם בַּשָּׂדֶה, קָנָה; וּבָעִיר, לֹא קָנָה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לִרְכֹּב בָּעִיר.
For this reason, if the purchaser or recipient is an important person- who is accustomed to riding in a city, a very base person - who is not concerned about riding through the city, e.g., a person who raises animals or servants, or a woman,11 or if the animal is in the public domain where many walk,12 it can be acquired by riding, provided the rider causes the animal to proceed.לְפִיכָּךְ אִם הָיָה אָדָם חָשׁוּב שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לִרְכֹּב בָּעִיר, אוֹ אָדָם מְזֻלְזָל בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַקְפִּיד עַל הִלּוּכוֹ בָּעִיר רוֹכֵב, כְּגוֹן הַמְּטַּפְּלִין בְּגִדּוּל הַבְּהֵמוֹת אוֹ הָעֲבָדִים, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה אִשָּׁה, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים שֶׁהָרַבִּים דּוֹרְסִין שָׁם - הֲרֵי זֶה קוֹנֶה בִּרְכִיבָה. וְהוּא, שֶׁתְּהַלַּךְ בּוֹ.
Footnotes
1.
The term Canaanite servant refers to a gentile acquired by a Jewish master. He is forced to undergo a certain portion of the conversion process and is thus considered as having an intermediate status, between that of a gentile and that of a Jew. (See Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 13:11-12.) In contrast to a Hebrew servant, he is not considered as having an independent financial authority and is considered to be the property of his master.
2.
Pulling an animal or other movable property behind one’s self, or causing an animal to move in another way. See halachot 4 and 5 of this chapter, and chapter 3, Halacha 1.
3.
Thus, if he calls to him and the servant comes, he acquires him.
4.
E. g., a sheep or a goat.
5.
E. g., cows, donkeys or horses.
6.
Hagbahah, lifting up an object or animal, is the fundamental kinyan for movable property. See Chapter 3, Halachah 1.
7.
The rationale for the Rambam’s decision is that at the time the kinyan is made, the owner does not desire the transaction to take effect. After 30 days pass and the owner does desire the transaction to take effect, the kinyan is no longer an event of the present and cannot take effect retroactively.
8.
I.e., a domain that does not belong to the purchaser. The same rules apply if it is standing in the public domain (Maggid Mishneh).
9.
I.e., he does not have to make such a statement explicitly.
10.
It was not common for ordinary people to ride in a city, for that was not considered modest conduct. The very wealthy would, however, promenade slowly on their animals as a sign of dignity. At the other extreme, coarse individuals who had no concern for their self-respect would ride in the normal manner, even in cities. (See Rashi, Bava Metzia 9a, b.)
11.
For a woman is not as strong as a man and will have more control over an animal when riding it than when leading it (ibid.).
See Pesachim 3a, from which it is apparent that it is not entirely modest for a woman to ride in public.
12.
Because there are many people walking in the public domain, it is common to ride there, lest others become interposed between oneself and one's animal (Rashi, Bava Metzia, loc. cit.).
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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