ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Mechirah - Chapter 8
Mechirah - Chapter 8
1The following rules apply when a person sold his field to a colleague for 1000 zuz, the purchaser paid a portion of the funds, and the seller was repeatedly demanding payment of the remainder. Even if there was only one zuz remaining unpaid, the purchaser does not acquire the entire field.1 This applies even if the seller had a deed of sale composed or the purchaser manifested ownership.2אהַמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ בְּאֶלֶף זוּז, וְנָתַן לוֹ מִקְצַת הַדָּמִים, וְהָיָה יוֹצֵא וְנִכְנָס וְתוֹבֵעַ שְׁאָר הַדָּמִים, אַפִלּוּ לֹא נִשְׁאַר לוֹ אֶלָא זוּז אֶחָד - לֹא קָנָה הַלּוֹקֵחַ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּתַב הַשְּׁטָר אוֹ שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק.
2In the above situation, if the purchaser retracts, the seller is given the upper hand. If he desires, he can tell the purchaser: “Here is your money,” or he can tell him: “Acquire a portion3 of the land equivalent to the money that you paid me.” In this instance, he gives the purchaser the land of least value.4בחָזַר בּוֹ הַלּוֹקֵחַ, יַד מוֹכֵר עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנָה: רָצָה - אוֹמֵר לוֹ 'הֵילָךְ מָעוֹתֶיךָ', אוֹ 'קְנֵה מִן הַקַרְקַע כְּנֶגֶד הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לִי'. וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מִן הַזִּבּוֹרִית שֶׁבָּהּ.
If the seller retracts, the purchaser is given the upper hand. If he desires, he can tell the seller: “Give me my money,” or he can tell him: “Give me a portion of the land equivalent to the money that I paid.” In this instance, he takes the choicest portion of the land.וְאִם חָזַר הַמּוֹכֵר, יַד הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנָה: רָצָה - אוֹמֵר לוֹ 'תֵּן לִי מָעוֹתַי', אוֹ 'תֵּן לִי קַרְקַע כְּנֶגֶד מָעוֹתַי'. וְנוֹטֵל מִן הַיָּפֶה שֶׁבָּהּ.
If the seller was not repeatedly demanding payment of the remainder, the purchaser acquires the entire property. Neither can retract. The remainder of the money unpaid at the time of sale is considered as any other debt.וְאִם לֹא הָיָה יוֹצֵא וְנִכְנָס וְתוֹבֵעַ - קָנָה לוֹקֵחַ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ, וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר בּוֹ; וּשְׁאָר הַדָּמִים עָלָיו כִּשְׁאָר הַחוֹבוֹת.
3If a person sold his field because it was of inferior quality, even when the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the purchaser acquires the entire property, and he is not entitled to retract.5גמָכַר שָׂדֵהוּ מִפְּנֵי רָעָתָהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא נִכְנָס וְיוֹצֵא וְתוֹבֵעַ שְׁאָר הַדָּמִים, קָנָה הַכֹּל.
For the reason the seller is pursuing the purchaser and demanding payment is not that he has not agreed to transfer ownership, but to prevent the purchaser from retracting.6וְאֵין הַלּוֹקֵחַ יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר בּוֹ, שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁתּוֹבֵעַ וְרוֹדֵף, לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא גָמַר וְהִקְנָה, אֶלָא כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲזֹר בּוֹ הַלּוֹקֵחַ.
4The same law applies with regard to the sale of movable property. Although the purchaser draws produce after him and brings it into his domain, if the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the purchaser does not acquire the goods. The person who retracts has the lower hand, as has been explained above,7 unless the seller sold the goods because of their inferior quality. In such an instance, the purchaser acquires all the goods.דוְכֵן הַדִּין בְּמּוֹכֵר מִטַּלְטְלִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ הַלּוֹקֵחַ הַפֵּרוֹת וְהוֹצִיאָן לִרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְהַמּוֹכֵר נִכְנָס וְיוֹצֵא עַל שְׁאָר הַדָּמִים - לֹא קָנָה, וְיַד הַחוֹזֵר בּוֹ עַל הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ; אֶלָא אִם כֵּן מָכַר מִפְּנֵי רָעַת מִמְכָּרוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה קָנָה הַכֹּל.
5When a person buys a field8 worth 100 zuz for 200, and the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the status of the transaction remains an unresolved question: Is the person considered to be one who sold his field because of its inferior quality, and he is demanding payment only because he sold it for more than its worth? Or he is not considered to be one who sold his field because of its inferior quality, and he is demanding payment because he did not decide to complete its sale until he received all the money?הלָקַח שָׁוֶה מֵאָה בְּמָאתַיִם, וְהָיָה הַמּוֹכֵר יוֹצֵא וְנִכְנָס וְתוֹבֵעַ שְׁאָר הַדָּמִים - הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק אִם הוּא כַּמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ מִפְּנֵי רָעָתָהּ, וְאֵינוֹ תּוֹבֵעַ אֶלָא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמָּכַר בְּיֹקֶר, אוֹ אֵינוֹ כַּמּוֹכֵר שָׂדֵהוּ מִפְּנֵי רָעָתָהּ, וְזֶה שֶׁתּוֹבֵעַ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא גָמַר לְהַקְנוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּקַּח כָּל הַדָּמִים.
Because the matter is unresolved, neither party is allowed to retract. If the seller seizes possession of a portion of the property that was sold equivalent to the worth of the money left unpaid,9 it should not be expropriated from his possession.לְפִיכָּךְ הָרוֹצֶה לַחֲזֹר בּוֹ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר; וְאִם תָּפַס הַמּוֹכֵר מִמִקָּח שֶׁמָּכַר כְּנֶגֶד הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ לוֹ, אֵין מוֹצִיאִין מִיָּדוֹ.
6When a person acquires something from a colleague and pays him money, but errs in the amount of money he gave him the transaction is valid. If afterwards the seller lodges a claim against the purchaser, saying: “You were supposed to pay me 100 zuz, and you paid me only ninety,” the transaction is still viable.10 The purchaser must, however, pay the additional ten zuz.11 The above applies even though several years have passed since the transaction and applies with regard to the sale of both landed property and movable property.והַקּוֹנֶה דָּבָר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, וְנָתַן לוֹ אֶת הַדָּמִים, וְטָעָה בְּמִנְיַן הַמָּעוֹת, וּלְאַחַר זְמָן תְּבָעוֹ הַמּוֹכֵר וְאָמַר לוֹ 'מֵאָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לִי אֵינָם אֶלָא תִּשְׁעִים' - נִקְנֶה הַמִקָּח וּמַחֲזִיר לוֹ הָעֲשָׂרָה, אַפִלּוּ אַחַר כַּמָּה שָׁנִים. בֵּין בְּקַרְקַע בֵּין בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין.
7The following rules apply when a person tells a colleague: “If I sell this field, it will be sold to you retroactively from the present time12 for 100 zuz” and confirms this with a kinyan.13 If the seller later sells it to another person for 100 zuz, it is acquired by the first person.זהָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ 'כְּשֶׁאֶמְכֹּר שָׂדֶה זוֹ, הֲרֵי הִיא מְכוּרָה לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁו בְּמֵאָה זוּז', וְקָנָה מִיָּדוֹ עַל כָּךְ, וּלְאַחַר זְמָן מְכָרָהּ לְאַחֵר בְּמֵאָה - קָנָה הָרִאשׁוֹן.
If he sells it for more than that amount, the second person acquires it.14 The rationale is that by saying: “If I sell,” he meant “If I sell it with the same approach that I have now.” And this person did not want to sell it; he sold it only because of the additional amount that the other person added on. It is as if he were forced to sell.מְכָרָהּ בְּיוֹתֵר עַל מָנֶה - קָנָה הָאַחֲרוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר לוֹ אֶלָא 'כְּשֶׁאֶמְכֹּר', שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוֹכֵר מִדַּעְתּוֹ תְּחִלָּה, וְזֶה לֹא הָיָה רוֹצֶה לִמְכֹּר וְלֹא מָכַר אֶלָא מִפְּנֵי הַתּוֹסֶפֶת שֶׁהוֹסִיף זֶה עַל שָׁוְיוֹ, וְנִמְצָא כְּמִי שֶׁנֶּאֱנַס וּמָכַר.
8If the seller told the first purchaser: “If I sell this field, it will be sold to you retroactively from the present time for the price to be evaluated by a court of three,” the price need be agreed on by only two of the three.267 If he said: “As dictated by three,” all three must agree.חאָמַר לוֹ 'כְּשֶׁאֶמְכְּרֶנָּה, הֲרֵי הִיא קְנוּיָה לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁו כְּמָה שֶׁיָּשׁוּמוּ אוֹתָהּ בֵּית דִּין שְׁלוֹשָׁה' - אַפִלּוּ עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם מִן הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁה. אָמַר לוֹ 'כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה' - עַד שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁה.
If he said: “As evaluated by a court of four,” all four must agree.15 For the sale to the first purchaser to take effect, the judges must agree on the price, and he must sell it to another person as they agreed. Afterwards, the first purchaser acquires the property.וְכֵן אִם אָמַר לוֹ 'כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּשׁוּמוּ בֵּית דִּין אַרְבָּעָה' - עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּמוּ הָאַרְבָּעָה כֻּלָּן וְיַסְכִּימוּ, וְיִמְכֹּר לְאַחֵר כְּמוֹ שֶׁיַסְכִּימוּ; וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִקְנֶה הָרִאשׁוֹן.
If three or four people evaluate it and the seller says: “I will not sell it until three or four others evaluate it,” we do not heed him. For he confirmed his commitment to sell retroactively with a kinyan.16שָׁמוּ אוֹתָהּ שְׁלוֹשָׁה אוֹ אַרְבָּעָה, וְאָמַר הַמּוֹכֵר 'עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ שְׁלוֹשָׁה אֲחֵרִים' אוֹ 'אַרְבָּעָה וְיָשׁוּמוּ' - אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי קָנוּ מִיָּדוֹ תְּחִלָּה שֶׁמָּכַר מֵעַכְשָׁו.
Footnotes
1.
As the Rambam states in the following halachah, ordinarily when a person makes a deposit on a parcel of landed property, he acquires the entire property. The situation described in this halachah is an exception, for the fact that the person repeatedly comes demanding payment of the remainder indicates that the reason he sold his field was that he was in immediate need of money. Since his need was not met, the transaction is not considered to be completed.
2.
Although normally, both of these kinyanim would finalize a purchase of landed property, an exception is made in this instance, for the reasons stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 7.
3.
The Rambam changes the wording of Bava Metzia 77b (the source of this halachah) slightly, to emphasize that the acquisition of the land has not yet been made final.
4.
He is given the least valuable portion of property as a penalty for breaking his commitment.
The Maggid Mishneh and the Ramah (Choshen Mishpat 190:10) quote the Ramban as stating that the property is divided according to its worth at the time, and not according to the price agreed to at the time of the sale.
5.
The seller, also, cannot retract. The Rambam does not mention this point, however, because it is taken for granted that since the seller wished to dispose of the property because of its inferior quality, he would surely not desire to retract.
6.
I.e., although by law the purchaser may not retract, the seller may not be aware of the law and think that the purchaser has that prerogative (Sefer Me’irat Einayim 190:17).
7.
If the object of the sale cannot be divided - e.g., an animal - the only alternative is to cancel the sale entirely (Maggid Mishneh).
8.
This law applies only with regard to landed property, for, as stated in Chapter 13, Halachah 8, the laws of ona’ah (unjust gain) do not apply to such transactions. With regard to movable property, by contrast, such a sale would be nullified.
9.
See Sefer Me’irat Einayim 190:20, which states that the seller can seize a portion of the field appropriate to its true worth. For example, if the purchaser paid him 150 zuz, he can still maintain possession of half the field, for that portion of the field is worth the 50 zuz that are outstanding.
10.
It is considered as if the purchaser paid the entire amount stipulated.
11.
See Chapter 15, Halachot 1 and 2, where this law is also discussed.
12.
If this phrase is not included, the first purchaser has no claim at all. See Ramah (Choshen Mishpat 206:4).
13.
Similarly, a kinyan is necessary. Otherwise, there would be nothing to formalize the commitment.
14.
The commentaries emphasize that this applies even when the first purchaser is also willing to add the extra amount.
15.
Since he stated that the decision must be made by four judges, a number larger than the ordinary makeup of a court, we assume that he desired that all the judges concur (Maggid Mishneh).
16.
Therefore, once that stipulation is met, the transaction takes effect.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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