70. Acquisition and Gift - Zechiah u-Matanah
Ownerless property can be acquired by anyone. Both
it and gifts must be acquired by a proper form of acquisition.
Rabbinically, however, the gifts of a sick person
or a person whose life is in danger are valid by his word
alone even if he makes them in secret, and if he does
not recover they take effect when he dies. One who
declares his property ownerless cannot himself reacquire it
for three days; rabbinically such a declaration must be
made before three persons. Gifts must not be made in
secret, and they are not valid if it is clear that the
giver did not intend them -- for example, marriage portions
do not become final until the marriage takes place. Pious
men avoid accepting gifts, as it says "He who hates gifts
shall live".1,a
Sources: |
| 1. Proverbs 15:27 |
a. 1:1; 2:1; 3:1; 5:1,4; 6:1,l7ff; 8:2,8,14ff,
24; 9:1; 12:17; see Nedarim 2:14,16-17 |