Bava Metzia

Precisely so: He is indeed thrown upon him, because it is written, and thine shall be the righteousness. The scholars propounded: Is an assessment made for a debtor? Do we adduce [the law of] 'poverty' [written here] from that of 'valuations'  or not? — Come and hear: For Rabin sent word in his letter:  I asked this thing of all my teachers, and they gave me no answer thereon. But in truth, the following problem was raised:  If one Says. 'I vow a maneh for Temple purposes.'  is he assessed?  R. Jacob, on the authority of Bar Pada, and R. Jeremiah, on the authority of Ilfa, said: [It follows] a minori from an ordinary debtor: if no assessment is made even for a debtor, to whom [the p]edge] is returned;  then in regard to hekdesh,  where it [the pledge] is not returned, Surely, there is no assessment! But R. Johanan ruled: It is written, [When a person shall make] a vow by thy valuation [shall the persons be for the Lord]:  just as a means test is applied for 'valuations', so also for a vow to hekdesh. And the other?  — That is to teach the judgment [of a limb] according to its importance: just as in 'valuations' [a limb] is judged according to its importance, so in a vow to hekdesh too. But let there be an assessment for a debtor, a minori from 'valuations': If an assessment is made in the case of 'valuations', where [the pledge] is not returned: then surely there should be an assessment for a debtor, where [the pledge] is returned: — Scripture writes, But if he be poorer than thy estimation: 'he', but not a debtor. And the other?  — This teaches that he must remain in his poverty from beginning to end. Now, in the case of [a vow to] hekdesh, let it [the pledge] be returned,  a minori from a debtor: If it [the pledge] is returned to a debtor, for whom there is no means test, surely it is returned in the case of [a vow to] hekdesh, seeing that an assessment is made there! — The Writ saith, That he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee.  thus excluding hekdesh, which needs no blessing. Does it not? But it is written, When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God!  But Scripture saith, And it shall be accounted as righteousness [i.e., a charitable act] unto thee:  hence it [the law of returning] holds good only for him [the creditor] for whom the act of righteousness is necessary.  thus excluding hekdesh [as a creditor], which does not require [the merit of] righteousness. Rabbah b. Abbuha met Elijah  standing in a non-Jewish cemetery. Said he to him: Is a means test to be applied in favour of a debtor? — He replied: We deduce [the law of] poverty [written here] from that of 'valuations'. In respect of 'valuations' it is written, But if he be poorer than thy valuation […according to the means of him that vowed shall the priest value him]. Whilst of a debtor it is written, And if thy brother be waxen poor [… then thou shalt relieve him].