Today’s daf deals with entering the house of a borrower to obtain a security for a loan that is due. The Baraisa says an agent of the Court can enter the home and take all things, short of the bed spread and the bed. The agent must leave two beds, one to eat on and one to sleep on. The Baraisa is questioned: do we protect from taking of security the beds of his kids and the bed wife. The answer in the Baraisa is no. The agent is allowed to take the kids beds and wife’s bed.

What? I thought we are sympathetic society who cares for women for children? We protect the bed of the borrower not his children? Where is the justice?

The Shikkerdovid would like to wax a little philosophical. There are three answers. The practical answer is that it is a balancing of equities where lenders must know that their loans will be secured. The second practical answer is the borrower needs the bed to get a good night’s sleep so he can feed his family and repay the loan.

The last answer is a stretch. As a Jewish parent, we know that life is all one big sacrifice for children. We sacrifice for yeshiva tuition, camp, hockey equipment, the works. We all know that the Jewish father will give the beds to hi wives and kids. The baraisa says he keeps two beds. Implicit is that there will be sacrifice.