A paid watchman claims the entrusted ox was stolen and swears to it, but he actually took it himself. How much does he owe?
Halacha 1: A paid watchman or borrower who falsely swears the entrusted item was stolen while actually misappropriating it is treated as a thief and pays double.
Question 2
What if the watchman first misappropriated the item, then swore it was stolen — in what order did events occur?
Halacha 1-2: If the misappropriation occurred before the oath, the oath does not create theft status; he pays only the principal.
Question 3
After a watchman swears falsely that the ox was stolen, a real thief steals it from him. What happens?
Halacha 4-5: The watchman must pay the owner double; the actual thief then owes double to the watchman, who has taken on owner-like status through his liability.
Question 4
A watchman steals an entrusted lamb from his own flock where he stored it. Is he liable for double payment?
Halacha 9: A watchman who steals an entrusted article from his own domain — even his own home — is liable for double payment.
Question 5
An owner counts his wallet after a claimed theft and finds the full amount. What is the thief's liability?
Halacha 10: When the owner discovers the full amount intact, the theft is treated as never having been completed, and the thief is no longer liable.