Bava Batra

from And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently,  to to serve them,'  and cursed them with twenty-two, from But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken,  to And no man shall buy you. WHERE THE USAGE IS TO MEASURE WITH A … BIG MEASURE, etc. (Mnemonic: Neither exact weight nor heaped up with market officers and with a pound three and ten , weights, a thick strike, you shall not do, he shall not do.) Our Rabbis taught: Whence [may it be inferred] that [the measure] must not be levelled  where the practice is to heap it up, and [that] it must not be heaped up  where the practice is to level it? — For it has been definitely stated, A perfect … measure.  And whence [may it be inferred] that we are not to listen to one who Says, 'I will level where the practice is to heap up, and reduce the price' or 'I will heap up where they level, and raise the price'? — For it has been definitely stated, A perfect and just measure thou shalt have. Our Rabbis taught: Whence [is it to be inferred] that the exact weight must not be given where the practice is to allow overweight, and that overweight must not be allowed where the practice is to give the exact weight? — For it has been definitely stated, A perfect weight.  And whence [may it be inferred] that we are not to listen to one who says, 'I will give the exact weight where the practice is to allow overweight, and reduce the price', or 'I will allow overweight where they give the exact weight, and raise the price'? — For it has been definitely stated, A perfect and just weight. Rab Judah of Sura said:  Thou shalt not have [anything]  in thy house;  why? — Because of [thy] diverse measures.  Thou shalt not have  [anything] in thy bag;  why? — Because of [thy] diverse weights.  But [if thou keep] a perfect and just weight, thou shalt have  [possessions]; [if] a perfect and just measure, thou shalt have [wealth]. Our Rabbis taught: Thou shalt have,  teaches that market officers  are appointed to [superintend] measures, but no such officers are appointed for [superintending] prices.  Those of the Nasi's  House appointed market officers to [superintend] both measures and prices. [Thereupon] said Samuel to Karna: Go forth and teach them [the law that] market officers are appointed to [superintend] measures, but no such officers are appointed to [superintend] prices. [But Karna] went forth [and] gave them the [following] exposition: Market officers are appointed to [superintend] both measures and prices. He said unto him: Is your name Karna? Let a horn  grow out of your eye. A horn,  [consequently] grew out of his eye. But whose opinion did he follow? — That voiced by Rami b. Hama in the name of R. Isaac that market officers are appointed to [superintend] both measures and prices, on account of the impostors. Our Rabbis taught: If one asked him for a pound,  a pound must be weighed. [If] half a pound, half a pound must be weighed. A quarter of a pound, a quarter of a pound must be weighed. What does this teach us? — That weights must be provided in these [three] denominations. Our Rabbis taught: If he ordered from him three quarters of a pound, he shall not tell him, 'Weigh out for me the three quarters of the pound one by one'.  But a pound weight is laid [on the scale] against a quarter of a pound weight with the meat [on the other scale]. Our Rabbis taught: If he ordered from him ten pounds, he shall not say, 'Weigh out for me each [pound] separately and allow overweight [for each].' But all are weighed together and one overweight is allowed for all of them. Our Rabbis taught: The nefesh  of a balance  must be suspended in the air three handbreadths [removed from the roof from which the balance hangs].  And [the scales must be] three handbreadths above the ground.  The beam  and the ropes  [must contain a total length of] twelve  handbreadths.  [The balances] of wool-dealers and glass-ware dealers [must] be suspended in the air two handbreadths [from the ceiling] and two handbreadths above the ground. Their beams and ropes [must contain a total of] nine handbreadths [in length]. [The balance] of a shopkeeper and of a producer  [must] be suspended in the air one handbreadth [from above], and one handbreadth above the ground. The beam and ropes [must be of a total length of] six handbreadths. A gold balance [must] be suspended in the air three fingers from above, and three fingers above the ground. [The length of] its beam and cords I do not know. But what [kind of balance is] that [which has been mentioned] first?  —