The commandment on the court to judge the case of an unpaid guardian: To judge the case of an unpaid guardian, as it is stated (Exodus 22:6), “If a man gives his neighbor silver or vessels to keep, etc.” And the explanation that comes for it (Bava Metzia 94b) is that this section is stated about an unpaid guardian. And therefore it exempted him from [liability for] theft. And the understanding of “unpaid” is that the [guardian] did not receive any wage for his guardianship from the [owner].
The root is well-known. Its laws — for example, what is the law of one who makes the claim of theft about the deposited item and swears [that it is so] and afterwards witnesses come [and testify] that it is on his property, and he goes back and [again] makes the claim of theft and swears and afterwards witnesses come that it is on his property (Bava Metzia 108a); the law of one who makes the claim of [it being] lost; what is the law of one who makes a claim of it being deposited; the law of one who makes a claim and goes back and makes a claim of theft and afterwards witnesses come that it is on his property; the law of one who makes the claim of theft about the deposited item of a minor; and the rest of its details — are elucidated in the ninth chapter of [Bava] Kamma and the third of [Bava] Metzia and the eighth of Shevuot. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 291.)
מִצְוַת בֵּית דִּין לָדוּן בְּדִין שׁוֹמֵר חִנָּם – לָדוּן בְּדִין שׁוֹמֵר חִנָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב ו) כִּי יִתֵּן אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ כֶּסֶף אוֹ כֵלִים לִשְׁמֹר וְגוֹ', וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ (ב"מ צד, ב) שֶׁפָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה בְּשׁוֹמֵר חִנָּם, וּלְפִיכָךְ פָּטַר בּוֹ אֶת הַגְּנֵבָה. וּפֵרוּשׁ חִנָּם הוּא שֶׁלֹּא קִבֵּל הַנִּפְקָד שׁוּם שָׂכָר עַל שְׁמִירַת הַפִּקָּדוֹן.
The commandment on the court to judge the case of an unpaid guardian: To judge the case of an unpaid guardian, as it is stated (Exodus 22:6), “If a man gives his neighbor silver or vessels to keep, etc.” And the explanation that comes for it (Bava Metzia 94b) is that this section is stated about an unpaid guardian. And therefore it exempted him from [liability for] theft. And the understanding of “unpaid” is that the [guardian] did not receive any wage for his guardianship from the [owner].
הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ יָדוּעַ. דִּינֶיהָ, כְּגוֹן (שם קח, א) הַטּוֹעֵן טַעֲנַת גַּנָּב בְּפִקָּדוֹן וְנִשְׁבַּע וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ עֵדִים שֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְחָזַר וְטָעַן טַעֲנַת גַּנָּב וְנִשְׁבַּע וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ עֵדִים שֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ מַה דִּינוֹ, וְדִין (שבועות מט א) טוֹעֵן טַעֲנַת אֲבֵדָה, וְדִין טוֹעֵן טַעֲנַת פִּקָּדוֹן מַה דִּינוֹ, וְדִין טוֹעֵן וְחָזַר וְטָעַן טַעֲנַת גַּנָּב וְנִשְׁבַּע וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ עֵדִים שֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְדִין (ב"ק קו, ב) טוֹעֵן טַעֲנַת גַּנָּב בְּפִקָּדוֹן שֶׁל קָטָן, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ מְבֹאָרִים בְּפֶרֶק תְּשִׁיעִי מִן קַמָּא וּשְׁלִישִׁי מִמְּצִיעָא, וּשְׁמִינִי מִשְּׁבוּעוֹת [ח"ה רצא]
The root is well-known. Its laws — for example, what is the law of one who makes the claim of theft about the deposited item and swears [that it is so] and afterwards witnesses come [and testify] that it is on his property, and he goes back and [again] makes the claim of theft and swears and afterwards witnesses come that it is on his property (Bava Metzia 108a); the law of one who makes the claim of [it being] lost; what is the law of one who makes a claim of it being deposited; the law of one who makes a claim and goes back and makes a claim of theft and afterwards witnesses come that it is on his property; the law of one who makes the claim of theft about the deposited item of a minor; and the rest of its details — are elucidated in the ninth chapter of [Bava] Kamma and the third of [Bava] Metzia and the eighth of Shevuot. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 291.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, וּבֵית דִּין הָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times. And a court that transgresses it has violated a positive commandment.