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אִי מֵיפַּק לָא נָפֵיק בֵּיהּ, לְמַאי יְהָבֵיהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ?
if he does not fulfill
Notes
אִי מֵיפַּק לָא נָפֵיק וכו׳
If he does not fulfill, etc.
Even according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who holds that the first one receives only the right to use the property and not the ownership of the property itself, he fulfills the mitzva by taking the etrog, as fulfillment of the mitzva is the purpose for which the etrog was given to him. The Rashbam adds that the exclusive right to use the etrog is sufficient for it to be considered his with regard to fulfillment of the mitzva. By contrast, the Rosh maintains that it can be considered his only if he has full ownership of it. He explains that since the purpose of the gift was in order to enable the recipient to fulfill the mitzva, it is interpreted as a gift given on the condition that it be returned, which grants the recipient full ownership of the etrog.
אֶלָּא, מֵיפַּק – דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לָא פְּלִיגִי דְּנָפֵיק בֵּיהּ, מְכָרָהּ אוֹ אֲכָלָהּ – בָּאנוּ לְמַחֲלוֹקֶת רַבִּי וְרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.
Rather, with regard to fulfilling his obligation, everyone agrees that he fulfills his obligation with it. It is only in a case where the first recipient sold it or consumed it, that we have arrived at the dispute between Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. According to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, if he sold it, the second recipient can repossess the etrog from the purchaser, and if he consumed it he must pay the second recipient its value, whereas according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, he owes nothing to the second recipient, as the etrog belongs to him.
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