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A shomer (plural "Shomrim") is a Jewish custodian. The law is in the Torah Sefer (book of) Shemos (Exodus) It is discussed in the Gemara in Nezikin, Maseches Bava Kama.
There are four types of shomrim:
- Shomer Chinam (Unpaid Custodian)
- Shomer Sachar (Paid Custodian)
- Shoel (Borrower)
- Socher (Renter)
Shomer Chinam
A shomer Chinam is an unpaid custodian. However, even so he must pay for the object if he was negligent and something happened to it. If he doesn't need to pay for the object when something happened to it,(and this applies to all Shomrim) he must go to beis din (Jewish court) and take an oath that he wasn't negligent. If a shomer chinam uses the object, he becomes a shoel.
Shomer Sachar
A shomer sachar is a paid custodian. He has to pay for the object if he was negligent and something happened to the object, or if the object was lost or stolen-even if he wasn't negligent. However, armed robbery is counted as ones which means that the owner couldn't control it. Another example of ones is if an animal gets a piece of wood caught on it and then walks past another piece and starts a fire. No one could predict that (except maybe me, because I made it up.)
Shoel
A shoel is a borrower. He needs to pay for the object NO MATTER WHAT if something happened to it even if it was ones. The only exception is if something happened to it as a direct result of the work done.
Socher
A socher is a renter. The laws for him are the same as the laws for a shomer chinam.
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