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1) INCOMPLETE COINS

(a) (Mishnah - R. Meir): How much can a Sela lack, (and be given as a Sela) without transgressing Ona'ah? Up to four Isarim, one Isar per Dinar;
(b) R. Yehudah says, up to four Pundeyonim, one Pundeyon per Dinar.
(c) R. Shimon says, up to eight Pundeyonim, two Pundeyonim per Dinar.
(d) (A coin lacking too much -) in a big city (in which there are moneychangers), it may be returned until the time needed to show it to a moneychanger; in a village, until Erev Shabbos (when people buy needs of Shabbos, and would find that it is lacking).

1. If the one who gave the coin recognizes it, he should accept it even after 12 months; he only has complaints (this will be explained).

(e) A lacking coin may be used to redeem Ma'aser Sheni, since a proper person accepts it.
(f) (Gemara) Contradiction (Beraisa): Until how much can a Sela lack, and one who gives it transgresses Ona'ah?...(if it lacks exactly this amount, it is disqualified - our Mishnah accepts it!)
(g) Answer (Rav Papa): The Tana of our Mishnah starts from below (a small lack is acceptable, until an Isar, that would be Ona'ah); the Beraisa starts from above (a big lack is Ona'ah, until an Isar, which is still Ona'ah).
(h) Question: Why do the Tana'im only argue regarding Ona'ah of a coin - by a purchase (the Mishnah 49B), they did not argue!
(i) Answer #1 (Rava): They also argue by a purchase - that Mishnah is R. Shimon, who says that one part in six is Ona'ah.
(j) Answer #2 (Abaye): Regarding a garment, a person pardons up to a sixth - if needed, one overpays for clothing;

1. But if people will not accept a coin, one who received it is not appeased!

(k) (Beraisa): Until how much can a Sela lack, and one who gives (as a Sela) it transgresses Ona'ah? R. Meir says, up to four Isarim, one Isar per Dinar;

1. R. Yehudah says, up to four Pundeyonim, one Pundeyon per Dinar.
2. R. Shimon says, up to eight Pundeyonim, two Pundeyonim per Dinar.

(l) More than this, it is sold as its value.
(m) Until how much can a deficient coin lack, and is permitted to keep it (we are not concerned that it will be used to deceive)? A Sela - until it is a Shekel (half a Sela); a Dinar - until a quarter.

1. An Isar less than this, it is forbidden.
2. He may not sell it to a merchant, extortionist or murderer, for they will deceive others with it.
3. Rather, he should make a hole in it and let his child wear it as a necklace.

(n) Question: Why can a Sela lack until half, but a Dinar can lack until a quarter?
(o) Answer (Abaye): The Beraisa means, a Dinar can lack until a quarter of a Shekel, which is half a Dinar.
(p) Support (Rava): The Beraisa says, a quarter, it does not say 'a fourth' (which would connote, a fourth of its value).
(q) Question: Why does the Tana express the amount with respect to a Shekel - it should say, until half (of its own value)!
(r) Answer: This teaches (without needing to elaborate) that one may keep a deficient Shekel that now weighs a Dinar - this supports R. Ami.

1. (R. Ami): A deficient Shekel that now weighs a Dinar may be kept, a deficient Sela that now weighs a Dinar may not be kept (since it comes from a thick, wide coin, people might believe it is a Shekel.

(a) (Beraisa): An Isar less than this, it is forbidden.
(b) Question: What does this mean?
(c) Answer #1 (Abaye): If it lacks an Isar more than the allowed deficiency, it is forbidden to use it.
(d) Rejection (Rava): If it lacks anything more than the allowed deficiency, it is forbidden to use it!
(e) Answer #2 (Rava): If a Sela lacks an Isar per Dinar, it is forbidden to use it - the Beraisa is R. Meir.
(f) (Mishnah): A Sela that was disqualified and fixed to be used for weighing - it receives Tum'ah (for it has been transformed into a vessel);

1. Until how much can a coin lack, and is permitted to keep it? A Sela - until it is two Dinarim; if it is less than this, he must cut it.

(g) Question: What if more than two Dinarim remain?
(h) Answer #1 (Rav Huna): Whether more or less than two Dinarim remain, he must cut it;
(i) Answer #2 (R. Ami): If less than two Dinarim remain, he must cut it; if more than two Dinarim remain, he may keep it.

(j) Question (against Rav Huna - Beraisa): If more remains, he sells it for its value.

1. Suggestion: The case is, it is lacking more than the amount of Ona'ah (he sells it according to its weight).

(k) Answer: No, it is lacking less than the amount of Ona'ah (he sells it for its minted value, a Sela).
(l) Question (Beraisa): Until how much can a coin lack, and is permitted to keep it? A Sela - until a Shekel.

1. Suggestion: It was gradually decreasing, and it is permitted to keep it until it is less than a Shekel.

(m) Answer: No, it fell into a fire, the decrease came at once. (Beraisa): He should make a hole in it and let his child wear it as a necklace.
(n) Contradiction (Beraisa): One should not use a deficient coin as a weight, nor throw it among his broken silver vessels, nor make a hole in it to be a necklace for his child - rather, he should pulverize it, melt it, cut it or throw it in the Dead Sea.
(o) Answer: It is permitted to make a hole in the middle, but not in the side (for a swindler may even it out to make it look proper).

(a) (Mishnah): In a big city it may be returned until the time needed to show it to a moneychanger; in a village, until Erev Shabbos.
(b) Question: Why does the time to return coins vary between cities and villages, but not for returning a purchase (Mishnah 49B)?
(c) Answer #1 (Abaye): The Mishnah of a purchase gives the law for cities (indeed, the law in villages is different)!
(d) Answer #2 (Rava): Everyone knows the value of a garment - but only moneychangers are proficient regarding coins;

1. In a city, one can show it to a moneychanger; in a village, he will find that it is lacking when he tries spending it Erev Shabbos, when people buy needs of Shabbos.

(e) (Mishnah): If the one who gave the coin recognizes it, he should accept it even after 12 months...
(f) Question: Where does this apply?

1. If in big cities - he only has the time to show a moneychanger!
2. If in a village - he only has until Erev Shabbos!

(g) Answer (Rav Chisda): The Mishnah speaks of one who wants to go beyond the letter of the law.
(h) Question: But the Mishnah continues, 'he only has complaints' - rather than have complaints, he should not accept it!
(i) Answer: Rather, it means that if the one who gave it does not accept it back, the receiver only has complaints (he caused his own loss by delaying).
(j) (Mishnah): He may use it to redeem Ma'aser Sheni, since only a bad person refuses it.
(k) Inference (Rav Papa): One who does not accept deficient coins is a bad person.

1. This is only if the coins are accepted (by most people).

(l) This supports Chizkiyah.

1. (Chizkiyah): If one exchanges a deficient coin (above the amount of Ona'ah) for Perutos, he exchanges according to its value (weight); he redeems onto it as if it was a good coin.
2. Question: What does this mean? (The first law is obvious, from the Mishnah!)
3. Answer #1: Even though if one exchanges a deficient coin for Perutos, he exchanges according to its value, he redeems onto it as if it was a good coin.

i. Objection: Here, Chizkiyah is lenient regarding Ma'aser Sheni;
ii. Contradiction (Chizkiyah): Ma'aser Sheni worth less than a Perutah - he redeems it and the added fifth on prior coins (coins already used to redeem Ma'aser), for surely he was not exact (and the prior coins are worth more than the Ma'aser he redeemed on them, and can also redeem this Ma'aser).

4. Answer #2: Rather, when Chizkiyah says ' he redeems onto it as a good coin', this means no more than it is definitely worth;

i. We only allow one leniency (we do not consider it an Asimon that is invalid for redemption).