Bava Metzia 85a: If someone takes items from the manufacturer to send to his fiancee’s house, and said to him, “If they accept the presents, I will pay, but if not, I will pay you for my pride in offering such expensive presents,” and the items got lost in an unavoidable accident (ones) on the way there, he is responsible, but on the way back, he is exempt, because he is a shomer sachar.
Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 186:2: If he took the items to sell, and said to the manufacturer, if I sell it at a certain place or before a certain time I will pay you such and such a price, and if I don’t sell them, I will return them to you, and they got lost in an unavoidable accident (ones), whether on the way there or back, he is responsible. Some say this is only if he is trying to sell them at above market value, but if not, he is exempt from accidents, and he is only responsible if it is stolen or lost, like a salesman.
בבא מציעא פה ע”א: הלוקח כלים מבית האומן לשגרן לבית חמיו, ואמר לו: אם מקבלין אותן ממני ־ אני נותן לך דמיהן, ואם לאו ־ אני נותן לך לפי טובת הנאה שבהן. ונאנסו בהליכה ־ חייב, בחזירה ־ פטור, מפני שהוא כנושא שכר.
שולחן ערוך חושן משפט קפ”ו ס”ב: נטלם על מנת למכרם, וא״ל אם ימכרו במקום פלוני או עד זמן פלוני אתן לך דמים כך וכך, ואם לא ימכרו אחזירם לך ונאנסו, בין בהליכה בין בחזרה חייב לשלם, ויש אומרים דהני מילי בדבר שיש לו קונים הרבה, ויכול למכרו מיד בדמים שקצב אלא שמחזיר למכרו ביותר כדי שישתכר בו, דאם לא כן פטור מאונסים, ואינו חייב אלא בגניבה ואבידה כדין סרסור.
A diamond supplier and a diamond dealer came before Rav Chaim Kreiswirth. The supplier presented a signed receipt in which the dealer confirmed that he had received a package of diamonds on consignment, and claimed that the dealer had never returned or paid for them. The dealer replied, “Yes, I had the package, but it was stolen from my store.” Rav Kreiswirth paskened that the dealer had the status of a shomer sachar, and therefore had to pay for the stolen diamonds.
The dealer left the Din Torah with a heavy heart. He wasn’t a wealthy man – where would he get such an enormous sum? He would likely have to sell his home and all his possessions. He came back to the rav, crying over his lot. “What do I do now? My life is ruined. A crook took advantage of my trust and grabbed the package when my back was turned for a moment.” Rav Kreiswirth sensed that he was telling the truth, and said, “Don’t worry. You still have thirty days to pay, and I promise to do whatever I can to find a solution for you.”
A few days later came Shabbos Shuvah, and Rav Kreiswirth used the opportunity of his drasha to speak about how careful one must be with other people’s possessions. Characteristically, he was able to cite copious Maamarei Chazal condemning those who steal or damage property. “On sins between one man and another, Yom Kippur does not atone unless he appeases him. And in Ne’ilah we say למען נחדל מעושק ידינו ונשוב אליך לעשות חקי רצונך בלבב שלם – You gave us this Yom Kippur so that we can cease from the violence of our hands and return to You, to fulfill the laws of Your will wholeheartedly.
“And Rabbi Yochanan said: See how terrible robbery is, because the generation of the Mabul committed all sorts of sins, yet they were punished only when they committed robbery.” He continued on this subject for a full hour.
On Motzaei Yom Kippur, Rav Kreiswirth found in his mailbox an envelope containing the missing package of diamonds.
Source: Mayim Chaim, p. 166
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