Arakhin 8:2-3
משנה ערכין ח:ב-ג
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Arakhin | Chapter: 8
📖 Mishna
Mishna 8:2
משנה ח:ב
Hebrew:
אָמַר אֶחָד, הֲרֵי הִיא שֶׁלִּי בְעֶשֶׂר סְלָעִים, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר בְּעֶשְׂרִים, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר בִּשְׁלשִׁים, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר בְּאַרְבָּעִים, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר בַּחֲמִשִּׁים. חָזַר בּוֹ שֶׁל חֲמִשִּׁים, מְמַשְׁכְּנִין מִנְּכָסָיו עַד עָשֶׂר. חָזַר בּוֹ שֶׁל אַרְבָּעִים, מְמַשְׁכְּנִין מִנְּכָסָיו עַד עָשֶׂר. חָזַר בּוֹ שֶׁל שְׁלשִׁים, מְמַשְׁכְּנִין מִנְּכָסָיו עַד עָשֶׂר. חָזַר בּוֹ שֶׁל עֶשְׂרִים, מְמַשְׁכְּנִין מִנְּכָסָיו עַד עָשֶׂר. חָזַר בּוֹ שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר, מוֹכְרִים אוֹתָהּ בְּשָׁוְיָהּ וְנִפְרָעִים מִשֶּׁל עֶשֶׂר אֶת הַמּוֹתָר. הַבְּעָלִים אוֹמְרִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים, וְכָל אָדָם אוֹמְרִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים, הַבְּעָלִים קוֹדְמִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מוֹסִיפִין חֹמֶשׁ:
English:
If one said: The field is hereby mine for ten sela, and one other person said: It is mine for twenty, and one said for thirty, and one said for forty, and one said for fifty; and then the one who bid fifty reneged on his offer, the treasurer repossesses from his property up to ten sela and the field is redeemed by the one who bid forty. If the one who bid forty subsequently reneged, the treasurer repossesses from his property up to ten sela. If the one who bid thirty subsequently reneged, the treasurer repossesses from his property up to ten sela. If the one who bid twenty reneged, the treasurer repossesses from his property up to ten sela. If the one who bid ten reneged, the treasurer sells the field at its value and collects the remainder from the property of the one who bid ten. If the owner says he will pay twenty and any other person says he will pay twenty, the owner takes precedence, due to the fact that he adds one-fifth.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna establishes the ancient equivalent of auction rules with penalties for backing out—a sophisticated system protecting the Temple from bidder’s remorse.
The Penalty Structure: When a bidder reneges, they pay the difference between their bid and the next lower bid (capped at ten sela). The logic: your bid raised expectations; your withdrawal costs the Temple that expected gain. The field then goes to the next bidder.
Cascading Defaults: If multiple bidders renege in sequence:
- 50 bidder reneges → pays 10 (50-40), field goes to 40 bidder
- 40 bidder reneges → pays 10 (40-30), field goes to 30 bidder
- And so on down the chain
Each person is responsible only for the increment they added to the bidding.
The Original Bidder’s Full Liability: If the original 10-sela bidder reneges, there’s no lower bid to fall back on. The field is sold at market value, and if it sells for less than 10, the original bidder pays the shortfall. They opened the bidding and bear responsibility for the base.
Owner’s Priority: When the owner and a stranger bid the same amount, the owner wins because the Temple ultimately receives more—the owner’s bid plus 25%. A 20-sela bid from the owner equals 25 sela for the Temple.
Key Terms:
- חזר בו (Chazar Bo) = Reneged; withdrew from the bid
- ממשכנין (Memashkenin) = They repossess; seize property as penalty
- שויה (Shavyah) = Its value; market price
- המותר (HaMotar) = The remainder; the difference
- קודמים (Kodmim) = Take precedence; have priority
Mishna 8:3
משנה ח:ג
Hebrew:
אָמַר אֶחָד, הֲרֵי הִיא שֶׁלִּי בְעֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת, הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִים עֶשְׂרִים וְשֵׁשׁ. בְּעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם, הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִים עֶשְׂרִים וְשֶׁבַע. בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלשׁ, הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִים עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה. בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִים תִּשְׁעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים. בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים, הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִים שְׁלֹשִׁים, שֶׁאֵין מוֹסִיפִין חֹמֶשׁ עַל עִלּוּיוֹ שֶׁל זֶה. אָמַר אֶחָד, הֲרֵי הִיא שֶׁלִּי בְּעֶשְׂרִים וָשֵׁשׁ, אִם רָצוּ הַבְּעָלִים לִתֵּן שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד וְדִינָר, הַבְּעָלִים קוֹדְמִים. וְאִם לָאו, אוֹמְרִים, הִגִּיעָתְךָ:
English:
If the owner says he will pay twenty sela and one other person said: The field is hereby mine for a payment of twenty-one sela, the owner gives twenty-six sela. If another person said for twenty-two, the owner gives twenty-seven. If another said for twenty-three, the owner gives twenty-eight. If another said for twenty-four, the owner gives twenty-nine. If another said for twenty-five, the owner gives thirty, as the owner adds one-fifth only to the amount that he bid, and does not add one-fifth to the addition of that other person. If the owner said he will pay twenty and one other person said: The field is hereby mine for twenty-six, if the owner wished to pay thirty-one and a dinar the owner takes precedence; and if not, the treasurer says to the other person: The field has come into your possession.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna works through the arithmetic of competitive bidding when the owner’s one-fifth bonus interacts with stranger bids—a detailed calculation showing how far the owner’s advantage extends.
The Basic Math: Owner bids 20, adds one-fifth (5), total = 25 to Temple. If a stranger bids 21, the owner must beat 21. Owner pays 20 (original) + 5 (fifth) + 1 (to match stranger) = 26.
The Pattern:
- Stranger bids 21 → Owner pays 26 (20 + 5 + 1)
- Stranger bids 22 → Owner pays 27 (20 + 5 + 2)
- Stranger bids 23 → Owner pays 28 (20 + 5 + 3)
- Stranger bids 24 → Owner pays 29 (20 + 5 + 4)
- Stranger bids 25 → Owner pays 30 (20 + 5 + 5)
The Fifth Only Applies to the Owner’s Bid: Crucially, the owner doesn’t add 25% to the difference. If stranger bids 25, the owner pays 30 (their 20 + their fifth of 5 + the 5-sela difference). Not 30 + 25% of 5.
The Breakpoint: When a stranger bids 26 or more, the owner would need to pay 31+ a dinar to win. At this point, the owner’s advantage evaporates—the stranger’s bid exceeds what the owner can reasonably match even with the fifth.
The Owner’s Choice: If the stranger bids 26, the owner can pay 31 and a dinar to win, or concede. The Temple doesn’t compel the owner beyond their reasonable advantage.
This detailed calculation shows the Sages’ sophistication in balancing owner preference against Temple interests while maintaining mathematical precision.
Key Terms:
- עילויו של זה (Illuyo Shel Zeh) = This one’s addition; the stranger’s extra bid
- אין מוסיפין חומש (Ein Mosifin Chomesh) = One does not add a fifth; the fifth applies only to owner’s base
- דינר (Dinar) = A coin; smallest increment to break ties