Daily Chumash Tuesday, Mishpatim: Miscellaneous laws

Shelishi

• Property damage caused by animals: If one’s animal ate the food in another person’s yard, the owner must pay.
• Fire damage: If one’s fire spreads and causes property damage to another, the person who lit the fire must pay.
• Caretaker who lost an object: If a caretaker of an item claims the item was lost or stolen from him, he is to take an oath that he did not take the item. [This applies by a Shomer Chinam-one who was guarding for free, however if he was a Shomer Sechar-guarding for payment, then even] if the item was stolen he must pay for it, although if something happened beyond his control, he is exempt.
• Borrower lost object: If a borrowed item became damaged, the borrower must pay, unless the owner was with him.

1. Miscellaneous laws:

• Statutory rape: If one seduces an unmarried virgin, he is to marry her as a wife, and if her father refuses he must pay her father.
• Witches: Do not allow a witch to live.
• Bestiality: One who lies with an animal is to be put to death.
• Idolatry: One who slaughters to other G-ds shall be destroyed.
• Verbal abuse against converts, widows and orphans: Do not oppress a convert, widow or orphan as if you do Hashem will hear their cry and take His wrath out on you, turning your wives to widows and sons to orphans.
• Loans: If you lend money to a Jew you may not collect interest on the loan. You may also not press them to pay. If you collect clothing as collateral of a debt, you shall return it by sundown.