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Perek 8

Mishnayos Shevuos Perek 8 Mishnah 3

שבועות פרק ח׳ משנה ג׳

3
If the owner says to an unpaid bailee: Where is my ox? And the unpaid bailee said to him: I do not know what you are talking about, but the truth was that it died or was injured or captured or stolen or lost, and the owner said: I administer an oath to you concerning your claim, and the unpaid bailee said: Amen, he is exempt from bringing a guilt-offering, since he would not have been liable to pay in any of these cases. But if the owner said to the unpaid bailee: Where is my ox? And the unpaid bailee said to him: It is lost, and the owner said: I administer an oath to you concerning your claim, and the unpaid bailee said: Amen, and then witnesses testify that the bailee consumed it, he pays the owner the principal, since he took the ox for himself. But if there were no witnesses, but after he took the oath he admitted of his own accord that he stole the ox and took a false oath, then he pays the owner the principal and the additional one-fifth payment, and he brings a guilt-offering to achieve atonement, as in any other case where one takes a false oath with regard to a deposit. Similarly, if the owner said to the unpaid bailee: Where is my ox? And the unpaid bailee said to him: It was stolen, and the owner said: I administer an oath to you concerning your claim, and the unpaid bailee said: Amen, and then witnesses testify that the bailee stole it, he pays double the principal. If he admitted of his own accord that he stole it, then he is exempt from double payment for theft, but pays the principal and the additional one-fifth payment, and brings a guilt-offering to achieve atonement.

הֵיכָן שׁוֹרִי, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מָה אַתָּה סָח, וְהוּא שֶׁמֵּת אוֹ נִשְׁבַּר אוֹ נִשְׁבָּה אוֹ נִגְנַב אוֹ אָבַד. מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ אָנִי, וְאָמַר אָמֵן, פָּטוּר. הֵיכָן שׁוֹרִי, אָמַר לוֹ אָבַד. מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ אָנִי, וְאָמַר אָמֵן, וְהָעֵדִים מְעִידִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁאֲכָלוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם אֶת הַקֶּרֶן. הוֹדָה מֵעַצְמוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ וְאָשָׁם. הֵיכָן שׁוֹרִי, אָמַר לוֹ נִגְנָב. מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ אָנִי, וְאָמַר אָמֵן, וְהָעֵדִים מְעִידִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁגְּנָבוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי כֶפֶל. הוֹדָה מֵעַצְמוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ וְאָשָׁם:

ג׳

היכן שורי – He (i.e., the owner) said to the unpaid bailee, “where is my ox?” He said to him: “It was lost.”

משביעך אני ואמר אמן והעדים מעידים אותו שאכלו משלם את הקרן – [he pays the principle] but not the double-payment, but if he admitted it on his own prior to the witnesses coming, he would pay the principle plus one-fifth and a make a guilt-offering, like the law of the oath of a deposit, which does not come until he admits and repents from his wickedness and come to be forgiven/expiated.

אמר ליה נגנב משביעך אני וכו' – since an unpaid bailee who exempts himself with the claim of the thief and takes an oath and witnesses came, he pays double, as it is written (Exodus 22:7): “If the thief is not caught, [the owner of the house shall depose before God that he has not laid hands on the other’s property].” “if the thief was not caught” – like as he said, but that he himself had stolen it, he should pay double. But if he came to exempt himself with the claim that it was lost, he does not pay double.

הודה מעצמו משלם קרן וחומש ואשם – but not the double payment, for a person who admits to a fine is exempt.

היכן שורי אמר לו אבד. אמר לשומר חנם היכן שורי אמר ליה אבד.

משביעך אני ואמר אמן והעדים מעידים אותו שאכלו משלם את הקרן. ולא כפל. ואם הודה לו מעצמו עד שלא באו עדים, משלם קרן וחומש ואשם, כדין שבועת הפקדון, דאינה באה עד שמודה ושב מרשעתו ובא להתכפר:

אמר ליה נגנב משביעך אני וכו׳ דשומר חנם הפוטר עצמו בטענת גנב ונשבע ובאו עדים, משלם כפל, דכתיב (שמות כ״ב:ז׳) אם לא ימצא הגנב, אם לא ימצא כמו שאמר, אלא שהוא עצמו גנבו, ישלם שנים. אבל אם בא לפטור עצמו בטענת אבד, אינו משלם כפל:

הודה מעצמו משלם קרן וחומש ואשם. אבל כפל לא, דמודה בקנס פטור: