## Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property Chapter 2

###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:1
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:1)

הָאוֹמֵר עֵרֶךְ יָדִי אוֹ עֵרֶךְ עֵינִי אוֹ רַגְלִי עָלַי אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר עֵרֶךְ יָד זֶה אוֹ עֵינוֹ עָלַי לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם. עֵרֶךְ לִבִּי אוֹ כְּבֵדִי עָלַי אוֹ עֵרֶךְ לִבּוֹ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי אוֹ כְּבֵדוֹ עָלַי נוֹתֵן עֵרֶךְ כֻּלּוֹ. וְכֵן כָּל אֵיבָר שֶׁאִם יִנָּטֵל מִן הַחַי יָמוּת אִם אָמַר עֶרְכּוֹ עָלַי נוֹתֵן עֵרֶךְ כֻּלּוֹ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person says: "I pledge the *airech* of my hand," "...my eye," or "...my foot," or "...that person's hand" or "...that person's eye," his words are of no consequence.¹ for a person in his or her totality, not for his individual limbs (*Arachin* 4a; 20a). [If he says:] "I pledge the *airech* of my heart" or "...my liver" or "...that person's heart" or "...that person's liver," he must pay the entire *airech*.² of these organs is like pledging his entire *airech*. See *Arachin* 20a. Similarly, with regard to any limb which if removed would cause the person to die, if one says: "I pledge its *airech*," he must pay the *airech* of the entire person.

footnotes:
¹ The rationale is that the Torah prescribed an airech
² Since the person's life is dependent on his heart or his liver, pledging the airech


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:2
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:2)

אָמַר חֲצִי עֶרְכִּי עָלַי נוֹתֵן חֲצִי עֶרְכּוֹ. עֵרֶךְ חֶצְיִי עָלַי נוֹתֵן עֵרֶךְ כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּנָּטֵל חֶצְיוֹ וְיִחְיֶה:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
If a person says: "I pledge half my *airech*," he must pay half his *airech*. If he says: "I pledge the *airech* of half myself," he must pay his entire *airech*, for it is impossible for him to live if half his body is removed.³ of half of his heart (the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah, *Arachin* 5:3).

footnotes:
³ The same law applies if he pledges the airech


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:3
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:3)

הָאוֹמֵר דְּמֵי יָדִי עָלַי אוֹ דְּמֵי יַד פְּלוֹנִי עָלַי שָׁמִין אוֹתוֹ כַּמָּה הוּא שָׁוֶה בְּיָד וְכַמָּה הוּא שָׁוֶה בְּלֹא יָד וְנוֹתֵן לַהֶקְדֵּשׁ. כֵּיצַד. אִם נִמְכַּר הוּא כֻּלּוֹ [יִהְיֶה] שָׁוֶה חֲמִשִּׁים. וְאִם יִמָּכֵר חוּץ מִיָּדוֹ שֶׁתִּשָּׁאֵר יָדוֹ זוֹ לִבְעָלָיו וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לַלּוֹקֵחַ בָּהּ כְּלוּם שָׁוֶה אַרְבָּעִים. נִמְצָא זֶה יִתְחַיֵּב לְשַׁלֵּם לַהֶקְדֵּשׁ עֲשָׂרָה. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person says: "I pledge the worth of my hand" or "...the worth of so-and-so's hand," we evaluate how much he is worth with a hand and how much he would be worth without a hand and he should give [the difference] to the Temple treasury.⁴. He is liable for his pledge, because his words have significance. His hand has value that can be appraised.
What is implied? If he is sold in his entirety, he will be worth fifty [*zuz*], but if he were sold aside from his hand - i.e., his hand would remain the property of its owner and the purchaser would not have any portion of it⁵ 19b emphasizes that we do not evaluate his value as if his hand were amputated, for then his worth would depreciate greatly, because no one wants a person without a hand. - he would be worth forty, he is obligated to pay ten to the Temple treasury. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.

footnotes:
⁴ This reflects one of the differences between pledges of worth and arechim
⁵ Arachin


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:4
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:4)

הָאוֹמֵר דְּמֵי רֹאשִׁי אוֹ כְּבֵדִי עָלַי אוֹ דְּמֵי רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי עָלַי אוֹ לִבּוֹ אוֹ כְּבֵדוֹ עָלַי נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי כֻּלּוֹ. וְכֵן הָאוֹמֵר דְּמֵי חֶצְיִי עָלַי נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי כֻּלּוֹ. אֲבָל הָאוֹמֵר חֲצִי דָּמַי עָלַי נוֹתֵן חֲצִי דָּמָיו:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person says: "I pledge the worth of my head" or "...my liver" or "I pledge the worth of so-and-so's head" or "...so-and-so's liver," he must pay his entire worth.⁶ Similarly, if one says: "I pledge the worth of half myself," he must pay his entire worth. When, however, he says: "I pledge half my worth," he [is obligated] to pay [only] half his worth.

footnotes:
⁶ Again, since the person's life is dependent on that organ, it is as if his entire worth was pledged.


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:5
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:5)

הָאוֹמֵר מִשְׁקָלִי עָלַי אוֹ מִשְׁקַל פְּלוֹנִי עָלַי נוֹתֵן מִשְׁקָלוֹ אִם כֶּסֶף כֶּסֶף אִם זָהָב זָהָב כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ. אָמַר מִשְׁקַל יָדִי אוֹ רַגְלִי עָלַי רוֹאִין כַּמָּה הִיא רְאוּיָה לִשְׁקל וְנוֹתֵן מָמוֹן שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ. עַד הֵיכָן הִיא הַיָּד לְעִנְיָן זֶה עַד הֶאָצִיל וְהָרֶגֶל עַד הָאַרְכֻּבָּה לְפִי שֶׁבִּנְדָרִים הוֹלְכִין אַחַר לְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When one says: "I pledge my weight" or "I pledge the weight of so-and-so," he should pay his weight. [If] he specified "[his weight in] silver," [he should pay in] silver; if [in] gold, [he should pay] in gold.⁷
If he said: "I pledge the weight of my arm" or "...my leg," we see how much it would weigh and he must pay the money that he specified. What is the length of the arm in this context? Until the elbow.⁸ 19a. Rashi and others, however, offer a different interpretation. And the leg is until the knee. [The rationale is that] with regard to vows, we follow [the meaning of] the terms as used by people at large.⁹ can refer to the hand. See *Hilchot Berachot* 6:4; *Hilchot Mikveot* 11:4.

footnotes:
⁷ The laws that apply if he did not specify in what his weight should be measured are stated in Halachah 7.
⁸ The Rambam's opinion is shared by Tosafot
⁹ In a halachic context, by contrast, the term yad


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:6
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:6)

הָאוֹמֵר קוֹמָתִי עָלַי כֶּסֶף אוֹ זָהָב נוֹתֵן שַׁרְבִיט שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִכְפָּף מְלֹא קוֹמָתוֹ מִמִּין שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ. אָמַר מְלֹא קוֹמָתִי עָלַי נוֹתֵן אֲפִלּוּ שַׁרְבִיט שֶׁנִּכְפָּף מִמִּין שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person says: "I pledge my height in silver" or "...in gold," he must give a scepter of his height that will [stand straight] without bending from the type [of metal] he specified. If he said: "I pledge the extent of my height," he may give even a scepter that will bend from the type [of metal] he specified.¹⁰ 19a).

footnotes:
¹⁰ Adding the extra term "extension of" indicates that he is deviating from the ordinary manner in which the term would be explained (Arachin


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:7
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:7)

הָאוֹמֵר מִשְׁקָלִי עָלַי וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מֵאֵי זֶה מִין. אִם הָיָה עָשִׁיר בְּיוֹתֵר וְנִתְכַּוֵּן לְמַתָּנָה מְרֻבָּה נוֹתֵן מִשְׁקָלוֹ זָהָב. וְהוּא הַדִּין בְּאוֹמֵר מִשְׁקַל יָדִי אוֹ רַגְלִי אוֹ קוֹמָתִי וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מֵאֵי זֶה מִין נוֹתֵן זָהָב. וְאִם אֵינוֹ מֻפְלָג בַּעֲשִׁירוּת נוֹתֵן מִשְׁקָלוֹ אוֹ מִשְׁקַל יָדוֹ מִדְּבָרִים שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לְהִשָּׁקֵל בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם אֲפִלּוּ פֵּרוֹת. וְכֵן נוֹתֵן שַׁרְבִיט מְלֹא קוֹמָתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁל עֵץ הַכּל לְפִי מָמוֹנוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
[The following laws apply when a person] says: "I pledge my weight" and does not specify from which substance. If he is very wealthy and [obviously] intended to give a substantial donation, he should give his weight in gold.¹¹, derives this from an instance which occurred in the Talmudic era. A very rich woman pledged her daughter's weight to the Temple. Our Sages obligated her to give her weight in gold. Similarly, if [such a person] says: "I pledge the weight of my arm," "...the weight of my leg," or "...my height" without specifying the substance from which he will give, he should give gold. If, however, [the donor] is not exceedingly wealthy, he should give his weight or the weight of his hand from any substance which is commonly weighed in that locale, even fruits. Similarly, he should give a scepter as tall as he is [from any substance], even from wood. Everything depends on his wealth and [our assessment of] his intent.

footnotes:
¹¹ Arachin, loc. cit.


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:8
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:8)

הָאוֹמֵר עָמְדִי עָלַי יְשִׁיבָתִי עָלַי אוֹ מְקוֹם יְשִׁיבָתִי עָלַי אוֹ רָחְבִּי עָלַי עָבְיִי עָלַי הֶקֵּפִי עָלַי כָּל אֵלּוּ סָפֵק וּמֵבִיא לְפִי מָמוֹנוֹ. עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר לֹא כָּךְ נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי. וְאִם מֵת יִתְּנוּ הַיּוֹרְשִׁים פָּחוּת שֶׁבַּלְּשׁוֹנוֹת:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person uses any [of the following] expressions - "I pledge my standing," "...my sitting," "...the place where I sit," "...my width," "...my thickness," or "...my circumference" - [his intent is a matter of question¹², where the possible interpretations of each of the above terms are explained. and] there is doubt [regarding his obligation. Hence,] he should [be required to] give [generously] according to [what could be expected of a person of] his means until he says: "This was not my intent."¹³). If he died,¹⁴ his heirs are required to give the minimum that the expression could mean.¹⁵).

footnotes:
¹² For example, if he pledged: "My standing," we are unsure whether he meant a scepter that could stand on its own or one that would bend. If he pledged: "My sitting," we are unsure of whether he meant a scepter as tall as he is when he sits or one of his full height that is bent according to his position when he sits. See Rashi and Tosafot, Arachin, loc. cit.
¹³ I.e., we compel him to give generously, because if he gives less than the amount he promised, he will be transgressing the prohibition against desecrating his vow. If, however, he says: "This was not my original intent," we are certain that he fulfilled his vow (Lechem Mishneh
¹⁴ And thus his estate is obligated to fulfill his vow (Chapter 1, Halachah 21).
¹⁵ There is no question of the heirs desecrating a vow, because they did not take the vow. The only question is the lien against the estate. Accordingly, we follow the principle that money is not expropriated from a person unless it is certain that he is liable (Lechem Mishneh


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:9
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:9)

הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי מַטְבֵּעַ כֶּסֶף לֹא יִפְחֹת מִדִּינָר כֶּסֶף. מַטְבֵּעַ נְחשֶׁת לֹא יִפְחֹת מִמָּעָה כֶּסֶף. הֲרֵי עָלַי בַּרְזֶל לֹא יִפְחוֹת מֵאַמָּה עַל אַמָּה לְכָלֶה עוֹרֵב שֶׁהָיָה לְמַעְלָה בְּגַג הַהֵיכָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When a person says: "I pledge a silver coin," he should not give less than a silver *dinar*.¹⁶ When he says: "I pledge a brass coin," he should not give less than [brass coins worth] a silver *me'ah*.¹⁷ "I pledge iron," he should not give less than [a piece of iron] one cubit by one cubit fit for the blade [of iron that protected against] ravens which stood at the top of the roof of the Temple, as explained in its place.¹⁸ 4:3, there was a blade of iron position on top of the Temple building to prevent ravens from resting there and dirtying it with droppings. We assume that this was the intent, for there would be no other purpose to give iron to the Temple treasury.

footnotes:
¹⁶ We assume that this was the intent, for this is the most commonly used silver coin.
¹⁷ We assume that this was the intent, for anything less would not have significant value.
¹⁸ As related in Hilchot Beit HaBechirah


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:10
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:10)

הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי כֶּסֶף אוֹ זָהָב וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר מַטְבֵּעַ יָבִיא לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל כֶּסֶף אוֹ שֶׁל זָהָב יִהְיֶה מִשְׁקָלָהּ עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר לֹא לְכָךְ נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי. וְכֵן אִם פֵּרֵשׁ הַמִּשְׁקָל וְשָׁכַח כַּמָּה פֵּרֵשׁ יָבִיא עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר לֹא לְכָךְ נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When he says: "I pledge silver" or "...gold" without mentioning the word "coin," he should [be required to] give a slab of silver or of gold of [significant] weight until he says: "This was not my intent." Similarly, if he explicitly mentioned a weight [of silver or gold], but forgot how much he specified, he should [be required to] give until he says: "This was not my intent."


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:11
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:11)

אֶחָד הָאוֹמֵר דָּמַי עָלַי אוֹ דְּמֵי פְּלוֹנִי עָלַי. אוֹ הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי מָנֶה אוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים אוֹ כֶּסֶף אוֹ זָהָב. הַכּל הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִים חַיָּבֵי דָּמִים. וְהַדָּמִים וְהָעֲרָכִין לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
Whether a person says: "I pledge my worth" or "I pledge the worth of so-and-so," or whether one says: "I pledge a *manah*,"¹⁹. "...fifty *zuz*," "...silver," or "...gold," they are all called "monetary obligations." [Both] *arechim* and monetary obligations are given toward capital improvements for the Temple, as explained.²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁹ One hundred zuz
²⁰ Chapter 1, Halachah 10.


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:12
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:12)

שְׁתֵּי לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. אַחַת לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים. וְאַחַת לִשְׁכַּת הַכֵּלִים. לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים יִרְאֵי חֵטְא נוֹתְנִין לְתוֹכָן בַּחֲשַׁאי וַעֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי טוֹבִים מִתְפַּרְנְסִים מִמֶּנָּה בַּחֲשַׁאי. לִשְׁכַּת הַכֵּלִים כָּל מִי שֶׁהִתְנַדֵּב כְּלִי זוֹרְקוֹ לְתוֹכָהּ וְאַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם הַגִּזְבָּרִין פּוֹתְחִין אוֹתָהּ. כָּל כְּלִי שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ צֹרֶךְ לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ וְהַשְּׁאָר נִמְכָּרִין וּדְמֵיהֶן נוֹפְלִין לְלִשְׁכַּת בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
There were two chambers in the Temple: one was called "the chamber of secret gifts," and the other "the chamber for vessels." "The chamber of secret gifts" was given that name because sin-fearing men make donations there furtively and poor people of distinguished lineage receive their sustenance from there in secret.²¹ 10:8 which explains that giving charity in this manner - i.e., where neither the donor nor the recipient know of each other's identity - is one of the highest forms of giving.
"The chamber for vessels" was given that name because anyone who donated a vessel [to the Temple] would cast it there. Once in thirty days, the treasurers would open [the chamber]. Any utensil that could be used for the improvement of the Temple was saved [for that purpose]. The remainder would be sold and the proceeds placed in the chamber for [funds] consecrated for physical improvements to the Temple.

footnotes:
²¹ See Hilchot Matanot Aniyim


###### Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:13
[Mishneh Torah, Appraisals and Devoted Property 2:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Appraisals%20and%20Devoted%20Property/r/2:13)

הֻצְרְכוּ לְקָדְשֵׁי מִזְבֵּחַ וְלֹא הִסְפִּיקוּ לָהֶן תְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָרָאוּי לָהֶן מִקָּדְשֵׁי בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת. אֲבָל אִם הֻצְרְכוּ לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת וְלֹא מָצְאוּ בְּלִשְׁכַּת בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת דָּבָר הַמַּסְפִּיק לָהֶן אֵין מוֹצִיאִין הָרָאוּי לָהֶן מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
If [funds] were needed [to purchase] sacrifices for the altar and the funds collected for that purpose were not sufficient, what is necessary can be taken from [the funds] consecrated for physical improvements to the Temple.²² If, however, [funds] were required for physical improvements to the Temple and there were not sufficient resources in the chamber dedicated for that purpose, we do not take what is necessary from [the funds] consecrated for sacrifices for the altar.²³ justify the Rambam's position.

footnotes:
²² We are permitted to use funds designated for one charitable purpose for a charitable purpose that is higher. And the offering of the communal sacrifices is considered the highest possible purpose.
²³ Because doing so would be considering lowering the level of holiness from that for which the funds were designated.The Ra'avad questions the Rambam's ruling based on several sources. The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh