A person verbally agrees to sell an item to the Temple treasury for 10 zuz (it's worth 100). Can he retract?
Amira l'gavoah k'mesirah l'hedyot — a verbal declaration to the Most High is equivalent to physical handover to an ordinary person. The seller cannot retract, even at a severe undervalue.
Question 2
The Temple treasurer pays for produce but does not perform meshichah. The produce's price then rises. What is the ruling?
Because Hekdesh always gets the upper hand, when prices rise, the Torah-law principle applies: money finalizes the acquisition. Hekdesh acquires the appreciated produce.
Question 3
Orphans sell produce, meshichah is performed, but they haven't received payment. The produce's price then rises. Can the orphans retract?
Orphans' property, like Hekdesh, requires money (not just meshichah) to finalize a sale. Since payment wasn't received, the orphans may retract when prices rise.
Question 4
On the eve of Pesach, a butcher takes one dinar as advance payment but hasn't collected full payment for his steer. Can he refuse to slaughter?
On the four festival eves, the Sages suspended their meshichah requirement and applied Torah law: money finalizes the sale. The butcher cannot retract — he is compelled to slaughter. If the animal dies, the loss is the buyer's.
Question 5
Orphans as buyers perform meshichah but haven't yet paid. The price of the produce falls. Can the orphans retract?
Even though orphans' property follows Hekdesh rules, the Sages did not give orphans the right to retract here — for if buyers knew orphans could retract after meshichah, no one would sell to them on credit. The protective rule is reversed to help orphans in the marketplace.