2,962. A Needy Person Who Piggybacks on a Wealthy Person's Commitment

Hilchos Arachin Vacharamin 3:6

Let’s say that a wealthy person commits his own valuation or that of another person. A needy person hears this and says, “I commit what he said.” In such a case, the needy person is obligated to pay the same valuation as the wealthy person, which is the full amount. However, if a needy person commits the valuation of a wealthy person, he is only obligated in a poor person’s valuation, meaning what he can afford.

Hilchos Arachin Vacharamin 3:7

The difference between one who is obligated in a poor person’s valuation and one who is obligated in a rich person’s valuation – which is the full amount – is that once everything he owns is taken from a needy person, even if it’s a single sela, if he becomes wealthy, he is not obligated to pay the higher amount. However, if one is obligated in the valuation of a wealthy person, then the entire amount remains a debt that he must pay when he becomes wealthy.