Our Gemara on Amud Beis quotes a verse that serves as the source that payment for damages can come from assessing the value of any movable object that has worth.

תָּנָא: ״שָׁוֶה כֶּסֶף״ – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין בֵּית דִּין נִזְקָקִין אֶלָּא לִנְכָסִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶן אַחְרָיוּת. וְהָתַנְיָא: ״יָשִׁיב״ – לְרַבּוֹת שָׁוֶה כֶּסֶף, וַאֲפִילּוּ סוּבִּין!

The verse states the superfluous phrase: “He shall recompense” (Exodus 21:34), to include items worth money, and even bran, a relatively inferior commodity, is accepted as a valid form of payment.

The full verse comes from Shemos (21:33-34)

וְכִֽי־יִפְתַּ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ בּ֗וֹר א֠וֹ כִּֽי־יִכְרֶ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ בֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וְנָֽפַל־שָׁ֥מָּה שּׁ֖וֹר א֥וֹ חֲמֽוֹר׃ 

When any party opens a pit, or when any party digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an donkey falls into it, 

בַּ֤עַל הַבּוֹר֙ יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם כֶּ֖סֶף יָשִׁ֣יב לִבְעָלָ֑יו וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ׃  

the one responsible for the pit must make restitution—paying the price to the owner, but keeping the dead animal.

The idea of a pit is rife with symbolic content for sin, as it is something one falls into, gets stuck in, and is dark and deep. Noam Elimelech (Toldos 6:1) expands on this theme. The verse (Bereishis 26:15) tells us:

וְכָל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר׃

All the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father, Avraham—the Philistines plugged them, and filled them with earth.

יָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃

Yitzchok returned and excavated the wells of water which were dug in the days of his father, Avraham, and were plugged by the Philistines after Avraham’s death. He gave them the same names that his father had given them.

וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃

Yitzchok’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water.

Noam Elimelech says the Tzaddik’s job is to “go down into the pit” and inspire lost souls and bring them back up.  The verse uses a language of “uncovering the pit” and “digging a pit”, representative of an initial inspiration (opening), but then also a much deeper digging. These lost souls are the ox and donkey, humans who behave as beasts. But when they are brought back up, the Tzaddik not only gains a restoration for them but also for himself, hinted in the verses statement that restitution will be fully made. (The word “kesef” aside from money also means longing, in this case a spiritual longing. Think of the haunting Shabbos Zemer, “Kah Echsof”.)

Why did the Philistines stop up the wells dug by Avraham so that Yitschok had to reopen them?  Noam Elimelech says a fascinating psychological idea, along the lines of the adage that a little knowledge is dangerous.  Avraham positively influenced the Philistines, but it did not last. In fact, they became spiritually haughty and saw themselves as superior to Yitschok (thus stopping up his father’s wells.) It took extra effort and a second time for Yitschok to finally prevail and bring full spiritual restoration to reopen the wells.  

Noam Elimelech concludes with a chassidish re-reading of the idiom דברים היוצאין מן הלב נכנסים ללב that which comes from the heart enters the heart. The typical understanding of that phrase is that what you say sincerely is heard by people and deeply taken into their hearts. But he says, it can also mean, “That which comes from your heart, will also go back into your heart, with greater intensity and benefit.” Thus, the Tzaddik’s effort to bring about restoration for others and redeem them from the pit brings him redemption as well.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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