Bava Metzia

EIGHT PUNDIONS, WHICH IS TWO PUNDIONS PER DENAR.  UNTIL WHAT TIME IS HE [THE DEFRAUDED PARTY] PERMITTED  TO RETRACT? IN TOWNS, UNTIL HE CAN SHEW [THE COINS] TO A MONEY-CHANGER; IN VILLAGES,  UNTIL [THE FOLLOWING] SABBATH EVE.  IF HE RECOGNISED IT, HE MUST ACCEPT IT BACK FROM HIM EVEN AFTER A TWELVE MONTH; AND HE HAS NOTHING BUT RESENTMENT AGAINST HIM.  AND ONE MAY REDEEM  THE SECOND TITHE THEREWITH AND HAVE NO FEAR,  BECAUSE IT IS MERE CHURLISHNESS. GEMARA. Now, the following is opposed [to the Mishnah]: To what extent is the sela' to be deficient to involve overreaching?  — Said R. Papa. There is no difficulty: Our Tanna reckons in an ascending fashion,  whilst the Tanna of the Baraitha reckons in a descending fashion.  Wherein do a sela' and a garment differ, that there is a dispute on the former but not the latter?  — Said Raba: Which Tanna is the authority for [one-sixth in the case of] a garment? R. Simeon.  Abaye said: In the case of a garment, one forgives [overreaching] up to a sixth, because people say, 'overpay for your back, but [give] only the exact worth for your stomach.'  But as for a sela', since it does not [readily] circulate,  one does not forgive [a deficiency]. [To turn] to the main text: To what extent is the sela' to be deficient to involve overreaching? R. Meir said, Four issars, which is one issur per denar; R. Judah said: Four pundions, which is one pundion per denar; R. Simeon said: Eight pundions, which is two pundions per denar. Above that, it may be sold at its [intrinsic] worth — By how much may it depreciate that it shall still be permissible to keep it? In the case of a sela', [it can depreciate] as far as a shekel;  in the case of a denar, as far as a quarter.  If it is an issar less, it is forbidden.  One may not sell it to a merchant, highwayman, or murderer,  because they cheat others with it, but should pierce and suspend it around the neck of his son or daughter. The Master said: 'In the case of a sela', as far as a shekel; in the case of a denar, as far as a quarter.' Wherein does a sela' differ from a denar, that [the permitted deficiency of] a sela' is [only] as far as a shekel [i.e., half its value], whereas [that of] a denar is 'as far as a quarter? — Said Abaye: What is meant by 'a quarter?' A quarter shekel.  Said Raba: This may be proved too, since he [the Tanna] teaches. 'as far as a quarter',  and not a fourth part;  this proves it. But why should the denar be correlated to the shekel?  — He [the Tanna] thereby incidentally informs us that there is a kind of denar which is derived from a shekel.  This supports R. Ammi. For R. Ammi said: A denar which is derived from a shekel may be kept; from a sela', it may not be kept. 'If it is an issar less, it is forbidden.' What does this mean? — Abaye said, It means this: if the sela' depreciated by an issar more than the standard for overreaching,  it may not be [expended].  Raba demurred: If so, even [if the depreciation exceeds it but] slightly, it is likewise so!  But, said Raba, if the sela' depreciated an issar to the denar, it is forbidden [to offer it as a sela'], this anonymous ruling agreeing with R. Meir. We learnt elsewhere: If a sela' became unfit,  and it was prepared  for use as a weight, it is [liable to become] unclean.  How much may it depreciate that it shall still be permissible to keep it? In the case of a sela', up to two denarii.  [When it is worth] less than this, it must be cut up.  What if [it is worth] more than this? R. Huna said: if worth less, it must be cut up, and if worth more than this, it must [also] be cut up.  R. Ammi said: If worth less, it must be cut up; but if worth more than this, it may be kept [as it is]. An objection is raised: