Watchmen – שומרים

There are 4 types of watchmen discussed in the Torah (שמות כ''ב):

An Unpaid Watcher – שומר חינם (1ים: )ו( נ� ם ש� ל� ש� ב י� נ� ג� א ה� צ� ם ימ� �יש א �א ית ה� ב� �ב מ נ� ג� מ!ר ו� ש� �ים ל �ל ף או כ� ס% הו כ% ע� ל ר� יש א% �ן א י ית� �ם )ז(כ �א

הו: ע� ת ר� אכ% ל% מ� �דו ב ח י� ל� ם לא ש� �ים א �לה א0 ל ה� ית א% ב� ל ה� ע� ב ב� ר� ק� �נ ב ו� נ� ג� א ה� צ� לא ימ�

If a man gives money or vessels to his fellow to safeguard and it is stolen from his house, if the thief is found he pays double. If the thief is not found, then the “watcher” approaches the court and swears that he did not lay a hand on the property of his fellow.

A Paid Watcher – שומר שכר (2ה: )ט( ין ר!א% ה א� ב� ש� �ר או נ ב� ש� �ת או נ מ!ר ומ� ש� �ה ל מ� ה� ל ב� כ� ה ו� מור או שור או ש!% הו ח3 ע� ל ר� יש א% �ן א י ית� �) י(כ

ם: ל� ש� לא י� יו ו� ל� ע� ח ב� ק� ל� הו ו� ע� ת ר� אכ% ל% מ� �דו ב ח י� ל� ם לא ש� �ם א יה% נ� ין ש� ה ב� י% ה� �ה ת ו� ה! ת י� ע� ב� ם )יא(ש� �א ו�יו: ל� ע� ב� �ם ל ל� ש� מו י� �ע ב מ� נ� ב יג� נ! ג�

If a man gives his fellow a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any animal to safeguard and it died or broke or was looted, without a witness. An oath shall be between them that he did not lay his hand on his friend’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he will not pay. But if it is stolen from him, he should pay the owner

Borrower – שואל (3ם: )יג( ל� ש� ם י� ל� מו ש� �ין ע יו א� ל� ע� ת ב� ר או מ� ב� ש� �נ הו ו� ע� ם ר� �ע יש מ� �אל א י יש� �כ מו לא )יד(ו� �יו ע ל� ע� ם ב� �א

ם ל� ש� …י�

If a man borrows from his friend and it breaks or dies – and the owner was not with him – he shall pay. If the owner was with him, he shall not pay.

Renter – שכיר (4רו:… כ� ש!� �א ב יר הוא ב� �כ ם ש!� �א

If he was a renter, he got the item in return for his rental payment (and is not as חייב as a borrower)

If he gave the sheep over to a shepherd, the shepherd becomes responsible in his place

If he gave the sheep over to a shepherd, the shepherd becomes responsible in his place

He takes the place of the animal’s owner

We already learned this!

If the owner of an animal entrusted it to…an unpaid שומרa borrowera paid שומר a renter…they all take the place of the owner

Rather, the Mishna is discussing a case of a watchman who gave it over to a second watchman. The shepherd takes the place of the other watchman. The second one becomes responsible.

אילימא

תנינא

Whose place does the shepherd take?

Gemara Notes p. 28

דף נו עמוד ב

It turns out that the first watchman is פטור from all responsibility.Isn’t this a question on רבא?

…said רבא.If a שומר gives the object he is guarding to another שומר, the first one is responsible for anything that happens to it

…will say to you רבא.The Mishna is discussing a shepherd who gave the animal over to his apprentice. Since that is normal practice, the first shepherd is פטור.

Version 1

The Mishna says specifically that if he “gave it to a SHEPHERD, he is פטור”. He is פטור because he gave it to his apprentice, but if he gave it to anyone else, he’d be חייב. This is a proof to …

…said רבא.If a שומר gives the object he is watching over to another שומר, the first one is responsible for anything that happens to it

איכא דאמרי

Maybe the first שומר is פטור no matter who he gave it to. The Mishna picked shepherd only because that is a common case

Version 2