Tanach
Shemot 22:6-8 שמות כ״ב:ו׳-ח׳
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
כִּֽי־יִתֵּן אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ כֶּסֶף אֽוֹ־כֵלִים לִשְׁמֹר וְגֻנַּב מִבֵּית הָאִישׁ אִם־יִמָּצֵא הַגַּנָּב יְשַׁלֵּם שְׁנָֽיִם׃
If a man gives his neighbor money or articles to safeguard and they are stolen from the house of the [watch]man, if the thief is found, he must pay double.
If a man gives his neighbor money or articles to safeguard and they are stolen from the house of the [watch]man, if the thief is found, he must pay double.
Rashi
אם ימצא הגנב. ישלם הגנב שנים לבעלים:
If the thief is found he must pay — the thief shall pay two-fold to the owners.
אִם־לֹא יִמָּצֵא הַגַּנָּב וְנִקְרַב בַּֽעַל־הַבַּיִת אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים אִם־לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ בִּמְלֶאכֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
If the thief is not found, the owner of the house [the watchman] must come before the judges [Beis Din], [to swear] that he did not lay a hand on his neighbor’s possessions [for his personal use].
If the thief is not found, the owner of the house [the watchman] must come before the judges [Beis Din], [to swear] that he did not lay a hand on his neighbor’s possessions [for his personal use].
Rashi
אם לא ימצא הגנב. ובא השומר הזה שהוא בעל הבית:
If the thief is not found — then this watchman, who is the owner of the house —
ונקרב. אל הדיינין, לדון עם זה, ולישבע לו שלא שלח ידו בשלו:
must come — to the judges, so as to adjudicate the case between him (the watchman) and the other (the original owner of the object), and he must swear to him that he did not in any way misappropriate his property.
עַֽל־כׇּל־דְּבַר־פֶּשַׁע עַל־שׁוֹר עַל־חֲמוֹר עַל־שֶׂה עַל־שַׂלְמָה עַל־כׇּל־אֲבֵדָה אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר כִּי־הוּא זֶה עַד הָֽאֱלֹהִים יָבֹא דְּבַר־שְׁנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר יַרְשִׁיעֻן אֱלֹהִים יְשַׁלֵּם שְׁנַיִם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ {ס}
In every question of dishonesty whether it involves an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything that was [allegedly] lost of which [a witness] says, “This is it!” the claims of both parties must be brought to the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty, must pay double restitution to his neighbor.
In every question of dishonesty whether it involves an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything that was [allegedly] lost of which [a witness] says, “This is it!” the claims of both parties must be brought to the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty, must pay double restitution to his neighbor.
Rashi
על כל דבר פשע. שימצא שקרן בשבועתו, שיעידו עדים שהוא עצמו גנבו, וירשיעוהו אלהים על פי העדים:
In every question of dishonesty. Where he is found to have lied under oath — where witnesses testify that he (the watchman) stole it himself and the court finds him guilty [of perjury], based on the testimony of the witnesses, [then —]
ישלם שנים לרעהו. למדך הכתוב, שהטוען בפקדון לומר נגנב הימני, ונמצא שהוא עצמו גנבו, משלם תשלומי כפל, ואימתי, בזמן שנשבע ואחר כך באו עדים. שכך דרשו רבותינו, ונקרב בעל הבית אל האלהים, קריבה זו שבועה היא, אתה אומר לשבועה או אינו אלא לדין, שכיון שבא לדין וכפר לומר נגנבה, מיד יתחייב בכפל אם באו עדים שהוא בידו, נאמר כאן שליחות יד, ונאמר למטה שליחות יד שְׁבֻעַת ה' תִּהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם אִם לֹא שָׁלַח יָדֹו, מה להלן שבועה אף כאן שבועה:
He must pay double restitution to his neighbor. The Torah teaches you that if one makes a claim, regarding an object left for safekeeping, saying that it was stolen from him, and then it is discovered that he himself stole it, he must pay double restitution. However, when does this apply? In a case where he swears and afterwards witnesses come [and contradict him] for our Sages expounded [this verse] thus: The owner of the house shall approach the Beis Din this “approaching” refers to taking an oath. You claim that it refers to taking an oath, or perhaps it refers only to presenting the case, and when he presents his case and denies any obligation by claiming it was stolen he is immediately liable to pay twofold once witnesses come [and testify] that it is in his possession? [That this is not the case here is indicated by a גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה:] The term שְׁלִחוּת יָד is stated here and further on the term שְׁלִיחוּת יָד is also used: “An oath to God shall be between them that he did not lay his hand (לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ).” Just as in the latter case it (שְׁלִיחוּת יַד) refers to taking an oath, here, too, it refers to taking an oath.
אשר יאמר כי הוא זה. לפי פשוטו, אשר יאמר העד כי הוא זה שנשבעת עליו הרי הוא אצלך, עד הדיינין יבא דבר שניהם ויחקרו את העדות, ואם כשרים הם וירשיעוהו לשומר זה, ישלם שנים, ואם ירשיעו את העדים שנמצאו זוממין, ישלמו הם שנים לשומר. ורבותינו ז"ל דרשו, כי הוא זה, ללמד שאין מחייבין אותו שבועה אלא אם כן הודה במקצת, לומר כך וכך אני חייב לך, והמותר נגנב ממני (שם קו:):
Of which [a witness] says, “This is it!” According to its plain meaning [it means]: of which a witness says, “this object, about which you swore [that it was stolen]; is [really] in your possession.” Then their dispute shall come before the judges, and they will examine the testimony. If they [turn out to] be honest and they [Beis Din] find the watchman guilty, he must pay twofold. But if the witnesses perjure themselves for they are found to be conspiring witnesses (זוֹמְמִין), they must then pay twofold to the watchman. However, our Sages of blessed memory expounded it [that the watchman claims:] “This is it!” [i.e., “this is what remains of the object, the rest was stolen], which teaches us that we do not obligate him to take an oath unless he made a partial admission by saying: So much and so much I owe you but the rest was stolen from me.”
וגנב מבית האיש. לפי דבריו (שם סג:):
And they are stolen from the house of the [watch]man — according to his own testimony.