Éxodo 21:33

33 Y si alguno abriere alguna cisterna, o cavare cisterna, y no la cubriere, y cayere allí buey o asno

Éxodo 21:33 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:33

If a man shall open a pit
That has been dug in time past, and filled up again, or take the covering from it, and leave it uncovered: "or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it": a new one, in the street, as the Targum of Jonathan; or in a public place, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; otherwise a man might dig one for water, in his own fields, in enclosed places, where there was no danger of cattle coming thither, and falling therein:

and an ox or an ass fall therein;
or any other beast, as Jarchi observes; for these are mentioned only as instances, and are put for all others. Maimonides ^F19 says,

``if a man digs a pit in a public place, and an ox or ass fall into it and die, though the pit is full of shorn wool, and the like, the owner of the pit is bound to pay the whole damage; and this pit (he says) must be ten hands deep; if it is less than that, and an ox, or any other beast or fowl fall into it and die, he is free,''

---

FOOTNOTES:

F19 Hilchot Niske Maimon. c. 12. sect, 1, 10. so Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 1.

Éxodo 21:33 In-Context

31 Haya acorneado hijo, o haya acorneado hija, conforme a este juicio se hará con él

32 Si el buey acorneare siervo o sierva, pagará treinta siclos de plata su señor, y el buey será apedreado

33 Y si alguno abriere alguna cisterna, o cavare cisterna, y no la cubriere, y cayere allí buey o asno

34 el dueño de la cisterna pagará el dinero, restituyendo a su dueño, y lo que fue muerto será suyo

35 Y si el buey de alguno hiriere al buey de su prójimo, y éste muriere, entonces venderán el buey vivo, y partirán el dinero de él, y también partirán el muerto