## Rashbam on Exodus Chapter 21

###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:1:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:1:1)

ואלה המשפטים - ידעו ויבינו יודעי שכל כי לא באתי לפרש הלכות אף על פי שהם עיקר כמו שפירשתי בבראשית, כי מיתור המקראות נשמעים ההגדות והלכות ומקצתן ימצאו בפירושי רבינו שלמה אבי אמי זצ"ל. ואני לפרש פשוטן של מקראות באתי ואפרש הדינים וההלכות לפי דרך ארץ. ואעפ"כ ההלכות עיקר, כמו שאמרו רבותינו: הלכה עוקרת משנה. לשש שנים יצא ביובל. ויש שנותן חילוק ביניהם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
Everyone endowed with intelligence should know that it is not my purpose to explain halachic rulings as part of my commentary, something I have mentioned already in my commentary at the beginning of Parshat Vayeshev. I explained there that many such rulings are hinted at by variant spellings in the text, missing words or extraneous words. Many of these have been covered in the commentary on the Torah by my grandfather Rashi of blessed memory. I have set myself the task of only explaining the plain meaning of the text as it is before us. When I explain legislation I do so within the context of its contribution to civilised behaviour, דרך ארץ. My explanations notwithstanding, when they conflict with the halachic rulings, the latter are supreme.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:2:1)

כי תקנה עבד עברי - במכרוהו בית דין הכתוב מדבר, כדכתיב: ואם אין לו ונמכר בגניבתו, אבל מוכר עצמו בעניותו כתיב בפרשת בהר סיני: כי ימוך אחיך ונמכר לך וגו' וכתיב בו:עד שנת היובל יעבד עמך, ובכאן הוא אומר: שש שנים יעבד, במכרוהו בית דין. יש מרבותינו, שמשווה דינם בגזרה שווה, ואם יוכל קודם לשש שנים יצא ביובל. ויש שנותן חילוק ביניהם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי תקנה עבד עברי, the Torah speaks about a Jewish thief who did not have enough money to make restitution (compare Exodus 22,2, “if he is unable to make restitution he will be sold in settlement of what he stole.”) שש שנים יעבוד, this applies to the thief who was sold by the court. The case of someone who had to sell himself (his labour) is discussed by the Torah in Leviticus 25,39 under the heading of כי ימוך אחיך ומכר לך, “when your brother has fallen on economically hard times so that he had to sell himself to cover his debts, etc.” Concerning that situation the Torah adds that he goes free in the Jubilee year (verse 40 there) In our situation, the term he is sold for is 6 years. Some of our sages (Kidushin 14) hold that both situations are halachically similar based on a gezeyrah shavah, identical wording being used by the Torah in both examples, i.e. the word in question being the unnecessary word יעבוד in Leviticus 25,40.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:2:2)

ובשביעית - שביעית למכירתו ולא שביעית לשמטה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ובשביעית, the seventh year after he was sold, not the seventh year of the Shmittah cycle.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:2:3)

יצא לחפשי - פעולה שאילו היה ל' אדם שהוא חפשי. היה לו לינקד בחטף (בשוא) לְחָפָשִׁי.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
יצא לחפשי, the word lachofshi, a participle of a verb, means “without having to pay compensation;” had the word described the state of liberty of the “servant” now released, the word should have been vocalised lechofshi with the semi vowel sheva under the letter ל.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:3:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:3:1)

אם בגפו יבא בגפו יצא - כולל ואח"כ מפרש. אם בגפו - לבדו נכנס בבית אדוניו שאין לו אשה עדיין שתכנס עמו. או אפילו - אדוניו יתן לו אשה - מ"מ יצא בגפו שהאשה שנתן לו אדוניו תהיה לאדוניה. ועתה אפרש כיצד: שאם בעל אשה הוא - או לא יצא בגפו אלא תצא אשתו עמו. אבל - אם אדוניו יתן לו אשה וגו' - כמו שנכנס בגפו כן יצא בגפו. ובשפחה כנענית שמסר לו אדוניו מדבר.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אם בגפו יבא בגפו יצא. The Torah first mentions the subject in general terms, then proceeding to details. For instance, if the servant was unmarried at the time the court sold him, or even if his master has given him a wife while he was in his employ, he leaves without his wife seeing that the woman given to him as a wife remains in the house of the master, her employer. Having said this, the Torah continues to explain how this works אם בעל אשה הוא, if he was already married, his wife (who will also be a charge on his master) will leave with him when he is released from this involuntary contract after 6 years. However, if his master had provided him with a wife during the period of his forced employ, the wife in question remains with her master. The “wife” the master had assigned to his Jewish servant was a gentile servant maid whose body belongs to her master.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:6:1)

אל האלהים - דיינים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אל האלוהים, before a judge or judges


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:6:2)

הדלת או אל המזוזה - לעין כל רוצע אזנו לסימן עבדות. ומזוזה אפילו בבית אבנים של עץ הם, ויכול לרצוע באזנו ובדלת.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אל הדלת או אל המזוזה, in public view, as a sign of servitude. The door and doorpost described are made of wood even if the house in question is of stone so that the procedure of piercing the ear against such a background poses no problem.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:6:3)

לעולם - לפי הפשט: כל ימי חייו, כמו שנאמר בשמואל: וישב שם עד עולם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
לעולם. According to the plain meaning of the text, “for the rest of his life.” This is also the meaning of the word לעולם in Samuel I 1,22 when Chanah announced her intention of handing over her son Samuel to the High Priest Eli.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:7:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:7:1)

לא תצא כצאת העבדים - בשש שנים, אלא יקחנה לו לאשה כמו שמפרש והולך.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
לא תצא כצאת העבדים, after the expiry of six years. Her employer is supposed to marry her, as will be explained later.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:8:1)

אם רעה בעיני אדוניה, שאינו רוצה לקיים לא תצא כצאת העבדים דמשמע שיקחנה לאשה. אם רעה מכוערת היא בעיני אדוניה, אשר אינו רוצה ליעדה לו לאשה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אם רעה בעיני אדוניה, and as a result he does not want to keep the implied agreement to marry her, she will not leave his employ in the manner her male counterparts would leave, but, seeing that he committed a breach of trust by not finalising the deal and marrying her (violating what the prophet Maleachi 2,14 called “the Lord is a witness between you and the wife of your youth with whom you have broken faith, although she is your partner and covenanted spouse,”) והפדה, the master has to assist her by releasing her prematurely, by allowing her to compensate the employer for unexpired years of service.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:8:2)

בבגדו בה - מאחר שהוא בוגד בה שאינו מייעדה, כדכתיב במלאכי באשת נעורים: אשר בגדת בה והיא חברתך ואשת בריתך.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
IN HIS BREAKING FAITH WITH HER - Since he is breaking faith with her in that he does not designate her, as it is written in Malachi (2:14) regarding the wife of one's youth, "you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner and covenanted spouse."


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:8:3)

והפדה - מגרע בפדיונה ויוצאה בפדיון, לפי מותר שנים הנותרות.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
HE SHALL LET HER BE REDEEMED. He reduces her redemption price and she goes out through redemption, according to the number of remaining years.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:10:1)

שארה - מזונות, כמו: ואשר אכלו שאר עמי.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
שארה, her provisions (food) as in Micah 3,3ואשר אכלו שאר עמי, “the ones who devoured the flesh of my people.”


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:10:2)

כסותה - מלבושים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כסותה, her clothing


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:10:3)

ועונתה - בית דירה. לפי הפשט ל' מעון, כי המ"ם של מעון כמו מ"ם של מקום ושל מלון, שאינו עיקר. הרי מזון וכסות ומעון.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ועונתה, her accommodation, housing, the word is a derivative of מעון, a residence. The letter מ in the word מעון is similar to the letter מ in the word מקום, “place, site,” or in the word מלון, “inn.” It is not an integral part of the noun. In other words, the rejected bride must be provided food, living quarters and adequate clothing. [all of the above would have been hers automatically if her master had honoured his original undertaking. Ed.]


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:11:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:11:1)

ואם שלש אלה - שלא יקחנה, ולא לבנו ייעדנה, ולא יניח לפדותה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ואם שלש אלה, that he neither wants to marry her himself, nor have her marry his son, nor allow her to buy herself out of her contract,


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:11:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:11:2)

ויצאה חנם - ע"י ב"ד. וחכמים פירשו: בסימני נערות, אף על פי שלא הגיע לא שש ולא יובל.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ויצאה חנם אין כסף, the court will declare her free from her contract without her owing the master-employer any compensation for unexpired years of service. Our sages, (Kidushin 4) understood the verse halachically as meaning that she is entitled to leave that employ upon the signs of puberty without reference to the Jubilee year or the expiry of the six years for which her father had contracted her to the employer.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:13:1)

ואשר לא צדה - כמו: ואתה צודה את נפשי לקחתה. שלא הערים להרגו.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ואשר לא צדה, the word צדה is used here in the same sense as in Numbers 35,20 בצדיה, or in Samuel I 24,12 ואתה צודה את נפשי, “yet you are bent on taking my life.” The word describes lying in ambush in order to kill one’s victim, not necessarily running after him.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:13:2)

אנה לידו - כי חייב מיתה בידי שמים היה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אנה לידו, the Torah describes someone who had already been guilty of death but who could not be legally executed, now being killed inadvertently by someone else whom he did not even know. This is what we call מיתה בידי שמים, “death at the instigation of heaven.”


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:13:3)

ושמתי לך מקום - כשיהיו ערים לשבת. לפי שאמר להם כבר: לא תרצח וגם: כבד את אביך. לפיכך פירש כאן עונשן. גם - וגונב איש ומכרו - לפי שאמר: לא תגנוב - ופירשוהו חכמים, בגונב נפש דבר הלמד מעניינו, שמדבר בחייבי מיתות ב"ד.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ושמתי לך מקום, once you will have cities wherein to dwell. The reason the Torah spoke about this already at this time is because it had already legislated the prohibition of murder in the Ten Commandments as well as the need to honour one’s parents. This is why also penalties for violation of these commandments have to be legislated in this portion. The penalty for kidnapping is also spelled out here, seeing the Torah had prohibited stealing as part of the Ten Commandments. Our sages said that the “do not steal” in the Ten Commandments refers to kidnapping and is punishable by legal execution (Sanhedrin 86). We note that at this juncture the Torah discusses a number of crimes or sins punishable by death.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:15:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:15:1)

ומכה אביו - בעושה חבורה פירשו רבותינו.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ומכה אביו, our sages say that the penalty prescribed applies only if an injury results from hitting one’s parents (Sanhedrin 84).


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:18:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:18:1)

או באגרוף - לפי הפשט: כתרגומו, מין אבן או לבנה שהרי בהשלכת אבן מדבר הכתוב. וכן מצאתי בתורת כהנים בנגעי בתים אצל וחלצו האבנים. בלבנים או [בטורמסין]. וכן: להכות באגרוף רשע. באבן גדולה אשר ימות ויחבל בה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
או באגרוף, according to the plain meaning, as Onkelos translates, i.e. with a stone or brick. This is also the opinion of Torat Kohanim in its commentary on Leviticus 14,40. The departure from understanding the word אגרוף as “fist,” is justified with the question: “is someone to be executed for hitting merely with a fist, not a lethal tool?” Isaiah 58,4 להכות באגרוף רשע, “to strike wickedness with a fist” would hardly be a deterrent. It is therefore understood to refer to a large stone. Moreover, when the Torah reports that the victim did not die, surely one does not normally die by being struck with a fist; it stands to reason that the Torah refers to a lethal weapon which failed to kill, i.e. a brick or something similar held in one’s fist causing serious injury.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:19:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:19:1)

אם יקום והתהלך וגו' - ואם ימות אפילו לזמן מרובה, מות יומת מכהו. אבל בעבדו אינו חייב אלא אם מת תחת ידו, אבל אם יום או יומים יעמוד פטור.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
'אם יקום והתהלך וגו, if he dies, even after a lengthy interval, the attacker will be executed. If the victim was one’s servant the owner is guilty of the death penalty only if the victim died immediately as the result of the blow, not if he survived for a day or two.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:19:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:19:2)

שבתו - בטול מלאכתו.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
שבתו, loss of income from the victim’s normal occupation by being bedridden.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:20:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:20:1)

בשבט - בדבר שאדם רגיל להכות את עבדו להוכיחו, אבל בחרב לפי הפשט אחר יום או יומים חייב מיתה, שאין זה דרך תוכחה אלא דרך רציחה ובעבד כנעני מדבר, אבל עבד עברי ישראל אינו כספו אלא כשכיר כתושב יהיה עמך, ודינו כישראל לכל דבריו, אלא שמוסר לו רבו שפחה כנענית.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
בשבט, an example of an instrument used to administer physical punishment to one’s slave in order to discipline him. If the slave had been struck with a sword, for instance, even if he had not died within the first twenty four hours, the master would be guilty of manslaughter as the tool used to inflict the injury points at criminal rather than disciplinary intention. The subject of our verse is a gentile slave. A Jewish servant, by contrast, not being the personal property of his master, is treated legally in all respects as if he were a hired hand, with the exception of his master (employer’s ) right to give him a gentile slave as his wife.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:21:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:21:1)

כי כספו הוא - ודינו להכותו דרך תוכחה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי כספו הוא, and it is in order to administer a bodily blow in order to discipline him.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:22:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:22:1)

ולא יהיה אסון - באשה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ולא יהיה אסון, and no harm will befall her.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:22:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:22:2)

**בפלילים.** בשומת הדיינים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
בפלילים, in accordance with the assessment by the judges trying the case.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:23:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:23:1)

ונתתה נפש תחת נפש - ופטור מדמי וולדות.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ונתתה נפש תחת נפש. There will not be additional financial damages payable.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:24:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:24:1)

עין תחת עין - דמי עין דכוותה. וכל אלו הדברים דרשו מה צורך עין תחת עין וגו'. פסוק זה כולו בחסרון אברים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
עין תחת עין, the monetary value of the eye destroyed. Our sages (Baba Kamma 84) have explained why the Torah needed to write so many examples for what appears to be the same legislation. Our verse discusses loss of an entire limb or organ.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:25:1)

כויה תחת כויה - אף על פי שאין בכלל אלו חסרון אבר, חייב דמי צער ובשת ורפוי.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כויה תחת כויה; even though the examples mentioned here do not involve loss of an entire organ or limb, the principles applying to compensating the victim are based on the same considerations


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:25:2)

פצע - מכת חרב.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
פצע, an injury caused by a lethal weapon such as a sword.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:25:3)

וחבורה - בציפורניו דבר מועט.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וחבורה, a minor injury, such as damage to one of his fingernails.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:26:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:26:1)

תחת עינו - בעבד כנעני.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
תחת עינו, if the victim was a gentile slave.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:28:1)

סקול יסקל השור - לפי הפשט:

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
סקול יסקל השור, according to the plain meaning the offending ox will be stoned to death.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:28:2)

ולא יאכל את בשרו - לא לנכרי ולא לכלב לאחר שנסקל ואף על פי שהנבלה וטריפה כתוב בם: או מכור לנכרי לכלב תשליכון אותו, כאן אינו מותר בהנאה לאחר סקילה. וחכמים פירשו: משנגמר דינו אסור, אפילו שחטו לאחר גמר דין.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ולא יאכל את בשרו; not only may its meat not be eaten by a Jew, but not even by a gentile or a dog; it is completely forbidden to be enjoyed by anyone. This is in spite of the fact that normally, when the animal of a Jew has died of natural causes or has been found ritually unfit for consumption, the Torah permitted the meat of the carcass to be either sold to a gentile or given to him as a gift or to be fed to one’s dogs (Deuteronomy 14,21 and Exodus 22,30), such animals are permitted even after they had died through stoning. [seeing that had not killed a human being. Ed.] Our sages derive from this verse that after judgment had been handed down that the animal in question is to be stoned to death, slaughtering it ritually will not make it fit for consumption or other beneficial use to the owner. (Baba Kamma 61).


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:3
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:28:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:28:3)

ובעל השור נקי - כל זמן שלא הועד בו.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ובעל השור נקי, as long as the offending animal had not been classified as a dangerous animal, putting an additional onus to guard it properly on its owner.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:29:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:29:1)

וגם בעליו יומת - בידי שמים ואם יתן כופר, פטור ממיתה בידי שמים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וגם בעליו יומת, by heavenly forces as opposed to by human tribunal. If the owner did make restitution of monetary kind he is not guilty vis a vis heaven either.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:32:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:32:1)

אם עבד - כנעני יגח השור המועד, או שור תם פטור.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אם עבד, a gentile slave יגח השור, the one whose owner had been warned concerning the danger this animal represented (מועד). If the ox did not have any strikes against it but was a תם, its owner is not liable for damages.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:33:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:33:1)

וכי יפתח איש בור - שהוא עמוק ונגמרה מלאכתו כבר ופשע ולא כיסהו, או אפילו כי יכרה איש בור ולא יכסנו בכל יום לעת ערב בצאתו ממלאכתו, לפי שעדיין למחר צריך ליכנס בו ולחפור עוד וטורח הוא לו לכסותו בכל יום, אף על פי כן חייב הוא.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וכי יפתח איש בור, one which was already deep enough to cause fatal harm to animals when not covered; when the owner deepened it further, his sin being that he did not cover it to render it harmless. כי יכרה איש בור, or even if the man in question only digs a hole and fails to cover it at the end of the day, seeing he did not complete it until the following day, and he considered it too much bother to put a temporary cover on it pending his completing his excavation, he is held responsible for any damage thus caused.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:34:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:34:1)

בעל הבור - הפותח או הכורה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
בעל הבור, either the one opening a pit which had been covered, or the one having excavated a pit and not completed it is considered by the Torah as בעל, its owner, in a negative sense, i.e. responsible as if he were the owner for any damage he caused.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:34:2
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:34:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:34:2)

והמת יהיה לו - לפי הפשט: כיון שמשלם כל דמיו בדין הוא שהמת יהיה למזיק .אבל חכמים פירשו: ניזק, כי פחת הנבילה דניזק הוא.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
והמת יהיה לו, but the carcass of the animal for which he pays compensation is his, seeing he had fully compensated its owner. However, our sages interpret the verse to mean that the carcass of the animal remains the property of its owner. (Baba Kamma 10)


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:35:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:35:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:35:1)

וחצו את כספו - חכמים פירשו כל הפסוק: כי עולה הכל לתשלומי חצי נזק, ופירשו שוויו של חי ושל מת לפי ענין חצי נזק.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וחצו את כספו, our sages (Baba Kamma 34) understand the entire verse as applying only to situations in which the owner of the offending animal is only liable for partial compensation, the offending animal having had a track record of being tame. The entire loss is to be borne in equal measure by both owner of the surviving animal and owner of the carcass.


###### Rashbam on Exodus 21:37:1
[Rashbam on Exodus 21:37:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Exodus/r/21:37:1)

חמשה בקר - אמרו חכמים: שור שביטלו ממלאכתו חמשה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
חמשה בקר, our sages (Baba Kamma 79) rule that when the stolen ox had been doing work for the owner prior to its being stolen, compensation is set at 5 times the value of the labour the owner has now been deprived of.