האשה נקנית – since a woman is not betrothed other than with her knowledge, it [the Mishnah] teaches, “a woman is acquired” and it does not teach, “the man purchases. And since the first part [of the Mishnah] teaches, “a woman is acquired,” the end [of the Mishnah] teaches, the widow of a brother who died without issue (i.e, “yevamah”), and even though the widow of a brother who died without issue is acquired by the brother of her deceased husband whether of her own knowledge or without her knowledge.

נקנית בכסף – We learn/derive [through an analogy – Gezarah Shavah – of the words] קיחה קיחה from the field of Ephron. It is written here (Deuteronomy 24:1): “A man takes a wife [and possesses her],” and it is written there (Genesis 23:13): “Let me pay the price of the land; accept it from me, [that I may bury my dead there].”

בשטר – such if he wrote it [his betrothal] on blank paper/parchment or on earthenware, and even though it does not have the value of a Perutah/penny [the words]: “your daughter is betrothed/[literally: sanctified] to me; [or] your daughter is betrothed to me; or your daughter is my wife in matrimony” and he gave it to her before witnesses, as we derive it as it is written (Deuteronomy 24:2): “she leaves [his household] and becomes [the wife of another man].” Just as leaving is with a document, as it is written (Deuteronomy 24:1): “he writes her a bill of divorcement,” so her become the wife [of another man] is with a document.

ובביאה – He comes upon her [sexually] in front of witnesses for the purposes of betrothal/sanctification, as it is written (Deuteronomy 24:1): “A man takes a wife and possesses her,” and even though one does not have explicit “betrothal/sanctification” in the Torah greater than sanctification through coition (sexual connection), the Sages state that he who sanctifies [i.e., acquires his wife] through coition, we flog him as a punishment for disobedience (which is left to the discretion of the court) in order that Israelite men would not be promiscuous/lawless.

בפרוטה – which is one-half a barley of silver

היבמה נקנית – to be the wife of her deceased husband’s brother in all matters through coition, but [through] money [or] document are not effective for her from the Torah, but the Rabbis are those who decreed that word-of-mouth by the deceased husband’s brother makes her ineligible [to marry] the rest of the brothers, but not to exempt her from the ceremony of removing the shoe of her dead husband’s brother (Deuteronomy 25:5-11), nor to become defiled to her.

עבד עברי נקנה בכסף – as it is written: (Leviticus 25:51): “the price of his sale [shall be applied to the number of years, as though it were for a term as a hired laborer under the other’s authority],” which teaches that he is acquired through money.

ובשטר – as it says concerning the Hebrew bondwoman (Exodus 21:10): “If he marries another, [he must not withhold from this one her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights],” the Biblical text makes a comparison to “another;” just as “another” [is acquired] by a document, so too the Hebrew bondwoman is acquired] by a document, and the [law concerning the] Hebrew slave is learned from the Hebrew bondwoman as it is written (Deuteronomy 15:12): “If a fellow Hebrew, man or woman [is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall set him free],” the Bible compares the Hebrew man to the Hebrew woman.

בשנים – at the end of six years, he shall go free, even if the year of release is was amidst the six years, he serves, as it written (Exodus 21:2): “he shall serve six years; [in the seventh he shall go free, without payment].” Sometimes he works in the seventh year.

וביובל – If [during the period of servitude] the Jubilee year comes in contact with [this period] he [i.e., the master] frees him [i.e., the slave].

ובגרעון כסף – as it is written with the Hebrew bondwoman (Exodus 21:8): “[…who designated her for himself,] he must let her be redeemed…”; there is a comparison made between the male Israelite slave and the female Israelite bondwoman – if his master purchased him for six Maneh and he is destined to leave [his control] at the end of six [years], it is determined that he purchases every year [of service] for a Maneh, and when he comes to redeem himself, his master deducts from his redemption price the value of the years of service that he performed.

יתירה עליו אמה – that she purchases herself with all of these signs of [feminine] adulthood, as we derive from (Exodus 21:11), “she shall go free,” they use the additional word [of] “going free” for the purpose of widening the scope of the law, that she goes free with [the appearance] of signs [of female adulthood].

ובמיתת האדון – as it is written (Exodus 21:5): “he shall then remain his slave for life.” To him, but not to his son. But if he [i.e., the slave] is sold and the master dies during the six years, he serves the son, as it says, (Exodus 21:2): “he shall serve six years,” whether to him or to his son. And specifically for a son who serves all six [years] if the master dies, but for a daughter or a brother or others who inherit, he does not serve, as it is written (Deuteronomy 15:12): “[If a fellow Hebrew, man or woman, is sold to you,] he shall serve you six years, [and in the seventh year you shall set him free,” to you, but not to those who inherit. And the Hebrew bondwoman acquires herself with the death of the master like the bondsman who has his ear bored through, as it is written concerning the bondsman who has his ear bored through (Deuteronomy 15:17): “Do the same with your female slave.”

עבד כנעני נקנה בכסף ובשטר ובחזקה – As it is written (Leviticus 25:46): “You may keep them as a possession for your children [after you], for them to inherit as property…,” they (i.e., the Rabbis) made an analogy [on a principle common to both between] עבדים /servants to קרקעות/property. Just as property is acquired by money, document and/or claim based upon undisturbed possession [during a legally fixed period], so also, a Canaanite slave is acquired by money, document and undisturbed possession. And the undisturbed possession of the [Canaanite] slave, such as that he unloosed the shoe for his master, or he helped him put on his shoe, or carried his utensils after his master to the bath house, or undressed him, or washed him, or anointed him, dragged [his possessions], or dressed him, or lifted him up or the master lifted up the slave, he has acquired him.

בכסף על ידי אחרים – and they will give it (i.e., the money) to the Master in order that this one (i.e., the Canaanite slave) will be a free person, but he himself cannot receive from them, and even on the condition that the Master does not have control over him, since he holds that there is no acquisition for the slave in any side without his Master [being involved].

ובשטר ע"י עצמו – For he holds that is obligatory for the slave that he leave from under the hands of his master to freedom, for if the slave is of a Kohen, this disqualifies him from eating the Priest’s due, and if the slave is of an Israelite, it prohibits him from [marrying] a slave/handmaid; and because of this it is said that he does not go out to freedom with a document from/by others, but only by himself, and because it is an liability for him, we do not act on behalf of a person to the latter’s disadvantage other than in his presence (see Mishnah, Tractate Eruvin, Chapter 7, Mishnah 11). And [through] money, which is via others, is different, for the acceptance by the master causes him to be liberated on his own, and these others cannot act on behalf of a person to the latter’s disadvantage, other than through the acceptance of the master, for the master is not made into his agent, but rather, for the needs of himself, and who transfers [possession] on his own.

וחכ"א בכסף ע"י עצמו – for they hold that there is acquisition for the slave without his master; therefore, he acquires himself through money, even through himself, and all the more so, through others.

ובשטר ע"י אחרים – as they hold that it is a benefit to the slave that he would go out from under the hand of his master to freedom, and we do something for another’s benefit in his absence. And the Halakha is according to the Sages. But the Canaanite slave acquires his [freedom] if his master blinded his eye or caused him to lose a tooth or mutilated from him one of twenty-four heads of limbs, which are [the tops] of the fingers of the hand, and digits of the feet, and the tops of the ears, the head of the nose, and head of the male genitals, and the tops of a woman’s breasts, and that which is not considered in our Mishnah to be included in those things that the slave acquires himself, because one who goes free through the tops of his limbs requires a document of manumission from his master, that is, that he acquires himself through a document.

ובלבד שיהא הכסף משל אחרים – for a slave has nothing, for even what he finds and/or receives as a gift – everything belongs to his master. And if he came to be redeemed by himself, the monies must come from others who would give it him on the condition that his master has no control over him.

במסירה – the owners transfer it to the purchaser by a bit or by its hair.

בהגבהה – but not by taking possession by drawing towards one’s self the object to be acquired

נקנית במשיכה – and even though that it is possible [to be acquired] by lifting, nevertheless, it is acquired by “pulling” (i.e., drawing towards oneself the object to be acquired), because it clutches [the ground], for she becomes strong with her nails by grasping through the ground. And the Halakhic decision is that whether [we are speaking of] a small animal or a large animal, it is acquired by “pulling” and all the more so by lifting up, for “pulling” acquires in a market-stand/alley adjoining an open place to which merchants retire to transact business, which is the corner of the public domain, or in the courtyard of both of them (i.e., the seller and the purchaser). But “pulling” purchases in the public domain or in a courtyard that does not [belong] to them both. And “lifting” acquires in any place. And all that it is customary [to acquire] through “lifting” is not acquired other than through lifting. And Something that is acquired by transferring is not acquired by pulling. And similarly, a thing that is acquired by “pulling” is not acquired by transferring.

נכסים שיש להם אחריות – that is landed property, that the person who lends his fellow relies upon them that they are enduring and standing. And the explanation of the word אחריות/property which may be resorted to in case of non-payment is “return” – that the lender can return to them and forcibly seize the mortgaged property [that had been sold] if he would not find anything with borrower [upon his non-payment of the loan].

נקנין בכסף – as it is written (Jeremiah 32:44): “Fields shall be purchased [and deeds written and sealed...],” and these words [apply] in a place where it is not customary to write a document, but in a place where it is customary to write a document, he does not acquire it until he writes a document.

בשטר – that he writes on paper/parchment or on earthenware, that it is enough that is given to you or it is enough that is purchased by you, and he transfers it to the purchaser. And specifically, when it is a gift, land is purchased by a document. But in a sale, [it is not transferred] until he gives him the money, unless he sells his field because of its poor [quality], and in this, it is sold by a document alone. And from where do we learn that land is acquired by a document? It is written (Jeremiah 32:44): “[Fields shall be purchased,] and deeds written and sealed, [and witnesses called in the land of Benjamin and in the environs of Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah…].”

ובחזקה – such as that he dug a bit into the ground, or locked or fenced in or made a slight breach in the presence of the seller. But if it was not in his presence, he must say to him: “Go, take possession and acquire.” And from where do we learn that property is acquired by a claim based upon a presumption of undisturbed possession until evidence of a change is produced? As it is written (Deuteronomy 11:31): “…when you have occupied it and are settled in it.” How does one occupy it? Through settling it.

ושאין להם אחריות אין נקנין אלא במשיכה – As it is written (Leviticus 25:14): “[When you sell property to your neighbor,] or buy any from your neighbor, [you shall not wrong one another].” A thing which is possible to give him from hand to hand is not acquired other than by giving [it] from hand to hand.

נקנין עם נכסים כו' – If he sold movables with the land, since the purchaser bought the land in one of these three [forms] of acquisition, the movables are purchased with it, and he (i.e., the seller) should say to him: “acquire these subsidiary to the property, and we derive this from a Biblical verse, as it is written in Chronicles (II Chronicles 21:3): “Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and [other] presents, as well as fortified towns [in Judah…..].”

וזוקקין – these properties which cannot be resorted to (i.e., movable properties), with property from which debts may eventually be collected (i.e., landed property). And even though no oath is imposed on these properties, where they claimed movables and landed property and mandated an oath on the movables, the movables obligate an oath on the landed properties through an oath of implication (i.e., the rule permitting the court to insert in an oath an affirmation to which the person concerned could not have been compelled directly). And we learned the oath of implication from the woman suspected of having committed adultery, as it is written (Numbers 5:22): “And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen,’” “Amen” from this man, “Amen” from another man,” “Amen” that she did not act foolishly while she was betrothed; “Amen” that she did not act foolishly while married, a widow waiting for the יבם/the dead husband’s brother to marry or reject her and the case of a woman conduced to one’s house to consummate the marriage.

כל הנעשה דמים באחר – The Gemara explains (Kiddushin 28a-b): whatever is assessed as an equivalent (i.e., an exchange is meant and not a sale for cash), [for] anything – if one comes to give him money for another thing, must assess its value, that is, all the movables except for coins.

כיון שזכה זה – that is to say, once the first [person] pulls, the second is obligated for an exchange (I.e., a form of possession by handing to the purchaser an object as a symbolical substitute), in every place that they are, and if they died or lost it, and even though he had not pulled, since through the pulling by the seller of the scarf or the object, the object is acquired by the purchaser in whatever place he is in. And even though the object that they are purchasing is not worth at least a penny, and as long as it is not a coin or produce, with these – we do not acquire through them. And all things are acquired by exchange – movables, slaves and property, except for coinage which is not acquired through exchange, since the minds of people are [focused] on the form of the coin and not on its substance. For its form is likely to become nullified. Therefore, if a person purchased a coin without weight or without number, and said: “these are in exchange for a certain field,” or a certain slave, or a certain object, since this one pulled it, the other is liable in its exchange, for he has revealed his thought that he is not strict about its form since he didn’t weigh it or count it. For there is no way that the acquisition of the coin will take effect where it is lacking in his eyes, other than to acquire it along with land.

רשות הגבוה בכסף – the treasurer who gave monies for the animal for the needs of the Temple treasury, even if it is at the end of the world, he has acquired it. But regarding a commoner who cannot acquire other than through claim based upon undisturbed possession, that is until he pulls it. And if the commoner gave money for the object, as long as he didn’t pull the object, he did not acquire it, and the seller can return the monies if he retracts from the sale of the object, and he accepts upon himself [the curse] of “he who punished” ( see Mishnah Bava Metzia, Chapter 4, Mishnah 2) (for not standing by his word). But if the purchaser pulled the object, even though he had not given the monies that he had stipulated, neither party of them can retract. And if he did not give the monies and did not pull the object, but rather, were pardoned on the sale in the presence of witnesses and he (i.e., the purchaser) was reconciled that her would purchase it for such-and-such an amount, and his fellow was reconciled to sell it for such-and-such an amount, even if he said: “you are my witnesses,” there is nothing in those words, and even [the curse] “he who punished” (for not standing by his word) is not here.

אמירתו לגבוה כמסירתו להדיוט – He who says: “This bull is for a burnt-offering” or “this house is devoted to the Temple treasury, even if it is at the end of the world, he has acquired it. And the common person does not acquire until he pulls the animal’ and takes hold of the house.

כל מצות הבן על האב – All commandments of the son which lie upon the father to do for his son. And they are six things: to circumcise him, to redeem him if he is a first-born, to teach him Torah, to teach him a trade/craft, to marry him off to a woman and to have his son taught swimming (Kiddushin 30b).

אנשים חייבים – The father is obligated in these commandments regarding his son, but the mother is exempt.

וכל מצות הבן – that lie upon the son to do for his father, which are fear and honor: fear – he should not sit in his place nor contradict his words, nor tip the scales against him; honor: feeds him and provides him drink, dresses and covers him, brings him in and takes him out.

אחד אנשים ואחד נשים חייבים – [both] daughters and sons are obligated [for this].

וכל מצות עשה שהזמן גרמה – that the time carried with it for the commandment that would come, such as Shofar, Sukkah, Lulav and Tzizit (ritual fringes)

שלא הזמן גרמה – such as Mezuzah, making a railing around the house (Deuteronomy 22:8), a lost object, and sending forth the mother-bird. And these two general principles are not exact/specific: As we hold: we don’t learn from general principles, even in a place where it says regarding them, “except for.” For the [eating of] Matzah on the night of Passover, rejoicing on the festivals and Hakhel (gathering together in Jerusalem – see Deuteronomy 31:12 on the holiday of Sukkot), they are all positive time-bound commandments but women are obligated [in them]. But the [commandments of] Torah study, being fruitful and multiplying, and the redemption of the [first-born] son, which are positive commandments which are not time-bound, and women are exempt [from them]. But the final principle of “all negative commandments, both men and women are obligated, except for [the commandments of] “you shall not round off [the side-growth on your head]” (Leviticus 19:27), nor “destroy the side-growth of your beard” (ibid.,) nor defile yourself to the dead (Leviticus 21:1). This general principle is exact, and we derive it as it is written (Numbers 5:6): “[Speak to the Israelites:] When a man or a woman commits any wrong towards a fellow man…” The Bible compares a woman to a man in all the punishments that are in the Torah.

חוץ מבל תקיף ובל תשחית – As it is written (Leviticus 19:27): “You shall not round off the side-growth on your head or destroy the side-growth of your beard.” That which is [forbidden] in destruction, it is [forbidden] in rounding-off. And these women, since they are not [involved] in destruction [of the side-growths of the beard] are also not [involved] in “rounding off” [the side-growth on your head]. And from where do we learn that they are not [commanded] in “destroying” [the side growth of the beard]? As it is written, “the side-growth of your beard.” And it is not written, “the side-growth of your beards.” What is “your beard?” Your beard, but not the beard of your wife.

ובל תטמא למתים – as it is written (Leviticus 21:1): “The LORD said to Moses:] Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron….” [which means] the sons of Aaron, but not the daughters of Aaron.

הסמיכות והתנופות – And a woman does not wave it or bring the meal offering close in the southwest corner as per the law if she is female Kohen, and she does not take a handful of meal offering, nor does she offer incense nor does she pinch the bird’s neck with her finger nail nor does she receive the blood in the bowl out of which sprinkling is done nor does she sprinkle the blood.

חוץ מסוטה ונזירה שהן מניפות – their meal offerings are by themselves, as their meal-offerings require waving by its owners.

כל מצוה שאינה תלויה בארץ – Every commandment which is for the requirements of the body is called, ‘which is not tied to the land [of Israel],” and that which is for the requirement of the land [of Israel], is called, “which is tied to the land [of Israel].”

חוץ מן הערלה – which applies outside the Land [of Israel], a usage dating from Moses as delivered from Sinai (i.e., a traditional law, or traditional interpretation of a written law). But mixed seats in the vineyard outside of the Land [of Israel] (see Mishnah Kilyaim, Chapter 8, Mishnah 1) are Rabbinic, and it is permitted to sow mixed seeds outside the Land of Israel.

ר' אליעזר אומר: אף החדש – It is prohibited outside the Land of Israel from the Torah, even though it is an obligation of the land, as it states (Leviticus 23:21): “in all your settlements [throughout the ages].” In every place where you dwell. And the Halakah is according to Rabbi Eliezer.ו

כל העושה מצוה אחת – greater than his merits, so that his merits would be greater than his sins.

מטיבין לו ומאריכין את ימיו – for the world to come.

ונוחל את הארץ – the land of the living.

וכל שאינו עושה מצוה אחת – for his sins were greater than his merits and he doesn’t do one Mitzvah so that half [of his deeds] would be meritorious and half for liability, but his sins remained greater.

ולא בדרך ארץ – that his dealings with others would not be joyous.

אינו מן הישוב – that are inappropriate for the public welfare, for their dwelling is like those who dwell with the insolent (see Psalms 1:1) and they are invalid to give testimony.