'You shall give him his wages on the same day' when purchasing an item
Question
Does the law of “You shall give him his wages on the same day” apply only to payment of workers, or also to payment when purchasing items?
Answer
Shalom u’vrachah
The prohibition of “You shall give him his wages on the same day” applies only to hiring workers, and not to purchasing an item.
Source
Gemara (Bava Metzia 112a): "אי אמרת אומן קונה בשבח כלי אמאי עובר" — “If you say that a craftsman acquires ownership of the enhancement of the utensil, why does he transgress?”,
Rashi explains: "אומן קונה וזוכה במה שהשביחו ומשום קבלנותו יוצא לו, וכשמחזירו לו הרי הוא כמוכר לו שבח שהיה לו בתוכו" — “The craftsman acquires and takes possession of what he enhanced, and it comes to him on account of his contracted work; and when he returns it to him, it is as though he is selling him the enhancement that he had within it.”
