Bava Batra

AND [A SHOPKEEPER] MUST ALLOW [THE PROVISION SCALE] TO SINK A HANDBREADTH [LOWER THAN THE SCALE OF THE WEIGHTS].  [IF] HE GAVE HIM THE EXACT WEIGHT  HE MUST ALLOW HIM THE [FOLLOWING] ADDITIONS,  A TENTH  IN [THE CASE OF] LIQUIDS AND A TWENTIETH IN [THE CASE OF] DRY [PROVISIONS]. WHERE THE USAGE IS TO MEASURE WITH A SMALL [UNIT], ONE MUST NOT USE A BIG MEASURE; [IF THE USAGE IS TO MEASURE] WITH A BIG [UNIT], ONE MUST NOT USE A SMALL MEASURE. [IF THE USAGE IS] TO STRIKE [THE MEASURE],  [ONE MUST] NOT HEAP [IT UP]. [IF THE USAGE IS] TO HEAP [IT UP], ONE MUST NOT STRIKE IT. GEMARA. Whence [is] this law  [to be inferred]? — Resh Lakish said: Scripture Says: A perfect and just measure [shalt thou have].  [This means], make [your weight] just  by giving of your own. If so,  explain the next clause. [It reads]: [IF] HE GAVE HIM THE EXACT WEIGHT, HE MUST ALLOW HIM THE [FOLLOWING] ADDITIONS. Now, if giving overweight is a Pentateuchal injunction, how is [he allowed] to give him the exact weight [only]? — But, [came the reply], the earlier clause  [is not based on a Pentateuchal injunction, but speaks] of a place where there was the practice [of giving overweight],  and the statement of Resh Lakish has been made with reference to [what has been said, not in the earlier, but in] the latter clause, which reads, [IF] HE GAVE HIM THE EXACT WEIGHT, HE MUST ALLOW HIM THE [FOLLOWING] ADDITIONS [and with reference to this it has been asked], 'Whence [is] this law'? — [And] Resh Lakish said: Scripture says: and just,  [which means], make [your weight] just, by giving him of your own. And how much must be added to the weight? — R. Abba b. Memel said in the name of Rab: In [the case of] liquids, a tenth of a pound  for [every] ten pounds. A TENTH IN [THE CASE OF] LIQUIDS, AND A TWENTIETH IN [THE CASE OF] DRY, etc. The question was raised: Does this mean, a tenth of the [unit of the] liquids for [every] ten [units] of the liquid, and a twentieth of [the unit of] dry [provisions] for [every] twenty [units] of dry; or [does it], perhaps, [mean] a tenth [of the unit] for [every] ten [units] of liquid and [a tenth of the unit] for [every] twenty [units] of dry [provisions]? — The matter stands undecided. R. Levi said:  The punishment for [false] measures is more rigorous than that for [marrying] forbidden relatives;  for in the latter case  it has been said: El,  but in the former  Eleh.  Whence can it be shown that El [implies] rigor[ous punishment]? — For it is written: And the mighty [Elei] of the land he took away.  Is not Eleh written also in the case of forbidden relatives?  — That [Eleh has been written] to exclude  [the sin of false] measures from the punishment of kareth.  [In] what [respect], then are [the punishments for giving false measures] greater  [than those for marrying forbidden relatives]? — There,  repentance is possible, but here,  repentance is impossible. R. Levi further stated: Ordinary  robbery is worse than the robbery of holy things,  for [in] the former  [case] 'sin' is placed before 'trespass'  while in the latter, 'trespass' is mentioned before 'sin'. R. Levi further stated: Come and see [how] divine  disposition differs from that of mortals.  The Holy One, blessed be He, blessed Israel with twenty-two [letters]  and cursed them [only] with eight.  He blessed them with twenty-two, from If [ye walk] in My statutes  to [made you go] upright;  and He cursed them with eight, from And if ye shall reject My statutes  to And their soul abhorred My statutes.  But Moses our teacher blessed them with eight and cursed them with twenty-two. He blessed them with eight,