There is to [the law of] the ancestral land an [element of] leniency, as well as an [element of] stringency. How so? Whether one consecrates [a field] in the environs of a town, or whether one consecrates [a field] in the orchards of Sebaste — he gives for the [area of land in which a] chomer of barley may be sown,[1] fifty silver shekels; and for an acquired field, he gives its worth. R’ Eliezer says: It is the same for the ancestral field and for the acquired field. What [then] is the difference between the ancestral field and the acquired field? Only that for the ancestral field he gives a fifth, but for an acquired field he does not give a fifth.

[There is] to the [law of the] muad bull that killed a slave an [element of] leniency, as well as an [element of] stringency. How so? Whether it killed thehandsomest slave or the ugliest slave, he gives thirty selaim. [If] it killed a freeman, he gives his worth. [If] it wounded either this one or that one, he pays a full damage.

[There are] to [the laws of] the violator and the seducer [elements of] leniency, as well as [elements of] stringency. How so? Whether he violated or seduced [the daughter of] the most prominent [family] of Kohanim or [of] the humblest [family] of Israel, he gives fifty selaim. But as for [the payments for] disgrace and debasement, all depends upon [the status of] the one who disgraced and the one who was disgraced.

[There is] to [the law of] the defamer an [element of] leniency, as well as an [element of] stringency. How so? Whether he defamed [the daughter of] the most prominent [family] of Kohanim or [of] the humblest [family] in Israel, he gives one hundred selaim. It emerges that the one who speaks with his mouth is [treated] more [severely] than one who commits a deed. For so we find that the decree was sealed against our forefathers in the desert only because of evil speech; as it is stated: ‘And they tested Me these ten times and did not hearken to My voice’ (Numbers 14:22).