Mishnayos Bava Metzia Perek 9 Mishnah 13

With regard to one who lends money to another and the debtor fails to repay it at the end of the term of the loan, the creditor may take collateral from him to ensure payment only by means of an agent of the court, not of his own accord. And he may not enter the debtor’s house to take his collateral, as it is stated: “When you lend your neighbor any manner of loan, you shall not go into his house to take his collateral. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring forth the collateral to you outside” (Deuteronomy 24:10–11). If the debtor had two utensils of the same kind, the creditor takes one and leaves the other one in the debtor’s possession. And in addition, the creditor must return a pillow at night, as the debtor requires it for sleeping, and a plow, which is needed for his daytime work, by day. If the debtor died, he is not required to return it to the debtor’s heirs. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Even to the debtor himself he needs to return the collateral each day only until thirty days have passed, and from thirty days onward, the creditor can sell them in court, with the proceeds going toward payment of the debt. One who takes a millstone as collateral violates a prohibition, and he is liable for taking two vessels, i.e., both millstones in the pair, as it is stated: “He shall not take the lower or upper millstone as collateral” (Deuteronomy 24:6). The tanna adds: Not only did the Sages say that it is prohibited to take the lower or upper millstone as collateral, but they also said that one may not take anything that people use in the preparation of food [okhel nefesh], as it is stated: “For he takes a man’s life [nefesh] as collateral” (Deuteronomy 24:6).

הַמַּלְוֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, לֹא יְמַשְׁכְּנֶנּוּ אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין, וְלֹא יִכָּנֵס לְבֵיתוֹ לִטֹּל מַשְׁכּוֹנוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד) בַּחוּץ תַּעֲמֹד. הָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי כֵלִים, נוֹטֵל אֶחָד וּמַנִּיחַ אֶחָד, וּמַחֲזִיר אֶת הַכַּר בַּלַּיְלָה וְאֶת הַמַּחֲרֵשָׁה בַיּוֹם. וְאִם מֵת, אֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיר לְיוֹרְשָׁיו. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אַף לְעַצְמוֹ אֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיר אֶלָּא עַד שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם, וּמִשְּׁלשִׁים יוֹם וּלְהַלָּן מוֹכְרָן בְּבֵית דִּין. אַלְמָנָה, בֵּין שֶׁהִיא עֲנִיָּה בֵּין שֶׁהִיא עֲשִׁירָה, אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד) וְלֹא תַחֲבֹל בֶּגֶד אַלְמָנָה. הַחוֹבֵל אֶת הָרֵחַיִם, עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וְחַיָּב מִשּׁוּם שְׁנֵי כֵלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) לֹא יַחֲבֹל רֵחַיִם וָרָכֶב. וְלֹא רֵחַיִם וָרֶכֶב בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ, אֶלָּא כָל דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בּוֹ אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד) כִּי נֶפֶשׁ הוּא חֹבֵל: