Siman 517

A person is permitted to say to a shepherd who is accustomed to him, whom he trusts and who gives to him without a fixed price: "Give me a kid or a lamb." And to a butcher: "Give me a shoulder or a thigh." And to a baker: "Give me a loaf." And to a shopkeeper: "Give me five eggs and five pomegranates." And so too anything similar to this, since he does not mention to him a sum of money, or a sum of measure or count. Therefore, he must be careful not to mention to him the name of a measure, such as: "Give me a kav or two kavim." Nor a sum of money, saying "I will take such and such, and I will pay you such and such money." Nor a sum of count, saying: "You have such and such in my possession, give me such and such, and you will have such and such in my possession." See above, siman 323.

In what case are these words said? Regarding a Jewish shopkeeper. But from a non-Jewish shopkeeper—it is forbidden to take from him an item whose species is attached to the ground, or which requires trapping, unless it is evident regarding them that they were not gathered and were not trapped today. And likewise, one may not take eggs from him, lest they were laid today. But an item that does not involve the concern of being attached to the ground, nor the concern of trapping, nor the concern of nolad—it is permitted to take from him even if it was brought today from outside the techum, as long as it is known that they did not come for the sake of a Jew, such as in a city where the majority are non-Jews and the like. And likewise, flour that was ground today in a city where the majority are non-Jews—it is permitted to take from it, for they were ground with the non-Jews in mind. And there is no concern of muktzeh, for wheat is fit for parched corn. Nevertheless, to send them on Yom Tov is forbidden, as I wrote in the previous siman, because they are not designated for this (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And it appears to me that in our country it is muktzeh, for among us we do not make parched corn, and our wheat is not fit for eating while raw. And likewise, it is permitted to take from him bread that was baked on that day in a place where they eat the bread of a palter, and one must know that it was not ground for the sake of a Jew. And likewise, bread that was baked on a Shabbat that precedes Yom Tov in this manner.

And it is forbidden to call the non-Jew to his house, and to show him the coins, and to say to him: "Take for the bread and the flour and the fruits." And even through a non-Jew it is forbidden to buy with a fixed price or weight. He should only say to him: "Give me a loaf of bread." But weight, or a sum of money—it is forbidden to mention to him even in a place where the price is known (and that which the Magen Avraham wrote at the end of subsection 4 requires further study). And if the Israelite bought flour or fish from him on the eve of Yom Tov, and left them in his shop, and came on Yom Tov to take them—we are not concerned that perhaps he swapped them if he understands that he will gain nothing by this, for he is not suspected of causing one to stumble.

An Israelite who said to a non-Jew on the eve of a Yom Tov, "Buy me pigeons tomorrow" – he has not acted properly. However, if he already did so – it is permitted to eat from them on Yom Tov, if there is no concern of them being from outside the techum, or in a city where the majority are non-Jews. And specifically when they are not large enough to be able to fly outside the techum, for if they are able to fly – we are concerned lest they were trapped today. And so it is with everything: it is forbidden to say to a non-Jew from the eve of Yom Tov, "Buy me such and such tomorrow." And if he bought it – it is permitted post facto, provided that he is not accustomed to doing so. For if he is accustomed to this – even post facto it is forbidden.

A person may say to his fellow on Yom Tov: "Fill this vessel for me, but not with a measure." And it was explained above in siman 323 regarding the matter of Shabbat, and the same law applies on Yom Tov. Likewise, the laws of casting lots were explained there, and the same law applies on Yom Tov. Likewise, members of a group who are particular with one another, see there. And a person may not measure barley to place before his animal on Yom Tov, but rather he gives to it by estimation.