Reputable and disreputable market practices TB Baba Batra 90

After describing the different dry and liquid measurements, on today’s daf TB Baba Batra 90 Shmuel teaches how much of a change is permissible. “Shmuel says: If the residents of a certain place want to change the standard of their measures and augment them by a certain fraction, they may not increase the measures by more than one-sixth, and they may not increase the value of a coin by more than one-sixth of its previous value. And one who profits from his sales may not profit by more than one-sixth. ” (Sefaria.org translation)

Concerning profits, Rambam only limits staples to the one-sixth rule. “When does the above apply? With regard to articles on which our lives depend - e.g., wine, oil and fine flour. With regard to herbs - e.g., costus, frankincense, and the like - by contrast, a set limit is not established by the court. The seller may take any measure of profit he desires.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Sales, Chapter 14, Halakha 2, Sefaria.org translation) You may wonder why wine is considered an essential  staple like flour and oil. Back then, much of the drinking water was not safe for drinking. The same water source was used for bathing and cleaning. It was chock-full of germs. On the other hand, wine was safe to drink and served at most meals.

The Gemara condemns some disreputable market practices. “The Sages taught: Hoarders of produce, who drive up prices by causing a shortage of available goods, and usurers, and those sellers who falsely reduce their measures, and those who raise market prices by selling for more than the accepted price, about them the verse states: “You that would swallow the needy and destroy the poor of the land, saying: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell produce? And the Shabbat, that we may set forth grain? Making the measure small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of deceit” (Amos 8:4–5). And it is written: “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their works” (Amos 8:7).” (Sefaria.org translation)

Too bad too many of us don’t live up to the honesty standard God has given us. “It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.”― Noël Coward, Blithe Spirit