Pushing the Boundaries of Ethics and Law

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the whole community of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God, am holy.

A man can betroth in person or through his agent. A woman may be betrothed in person or through her agent. A man may give his daughter in betrothal when a young girl in person or through his agent.

If someone says to his fellow, go and betroth such-and-such a women to me, and he went and betrothed her to himself, she is betrothed to the second.

"If someone says to his fellow, go and betroth such-and-such a woman to me . . . ."

A tanna taught, "What he did is done, but he has behaved deceitfully."

And the tanna of our mishnah, when he used the word "went", meant "went deceitfully".

He answered, “Your brother came with guile and took your blessing.”

Ravin Hasida went to betroth a woman to his son, but betrothed her to himself.

But isn’t it taught: What he did is done, but he has behaved deceitfully?

They would not give her to him!

So he should have informed him!

He thought: In the meantime, someone else will come and betroth her.

Rabba bar bar Ḥana gave money to Rav and said: Purchase this land for me. Rav went and purchased it for himself.

But isn’t it taught: What he did is done, but he has behaved deceitfully?

It was in a valley of violent men who treated Rav with respect but who did not treat Rabba bar bar Ḥana with respect.

So he should have informed him!

He thought: In the meantime someone else will come and purchase it.

Rav Giddel was eying up a certain plot of land. Rabbi Abba went and purchased it.

Rav Giddel went and complained about it to Rabbi Zeira. Rabbi Zeira went and complained about it to Rav Yitzḥak Nappaḥa. He said to him: wait until he ascends to visit us for the festival.

When he came, he found him and said to him: If a pauper is eying up loaf of bread, and another came and took it from him, what is the halakha?

He said to him: He is called wicked.

He replied: But if so, what is the reason that the Master acted this way?

He said to him: I did not know.

Now, the Master should return it to him.

He said to him: I will not sell it, as it is my first land and selling one’s first acquisition is not a good omen.

If he wants to accept it as a gift, let him take it.

Rav Giddel did not descend to it, as it is written: “He who hates gifts shall live” (Proverbs 15:27). Rabbi Abba also did not descend to it, because Rav Giddel was already eying it up.

This one did not descend to it, and that one did not descend to it, and it was called the land of the Sages.