ספֿרי מצוות אויף דברים 4:6

Not to take in pledge utensils used in preparing food, as it is said, “No man shall take the nether or upper millstone as a pledge” (Deut. 24:6).

That we not take as surety vessels in which life-sustaining food (ochel nefesh) is made: That we have been prevented from taking as surety vessels that are the means for the preparation of food for people — for example (see Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 242), a vessel for grinding and a vessel for kneading and a vessel for cooking and a vessel for slaughtering animals and the others of what are grouped as that with which we make life-sustaining food. And about this is stated (Deuteronomy 24:6), “A handmill or an upper millstone shall not be taken in pawn, for that would be taking someone’s life in pawn.” And the language of the Mishnah (Mishnah Bava Metzia 9:13) is “And they did not refer only to a mill and an upper millstone, but anything that is used to make life-sustaining food, as it states, ‘For that would be taking someone’s life as a pledge.’”

And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 242), “And it remains for us that we explain to you their saying (Mishnah Bava Metzia 9:13), ‘and he is liable for two vessels, as it states, “A handmill or an upper millstone shall not be taken in pawn, for that would be taking someone’s life in pawn”’ — as this brings us to thinking that they are two commandments; and all the more so in their saying (Bava Metzia 115a) that we make liable for the handmill on its own and for the upper millstone on it own. And this matter is that anyone who takes a vessel in which we make life-sustaining food as surety transgresses a negative commandment, as we shall explain; and one who takes many vessels — all of with which we make life-sustaining food — as surety is liable for each and every vessel; for example, if he takes as surety a vessel for grinding and a vessel for bread and a vessel for kneading. And this is like one who takes in pawn the garment of Reuven’s widow and the garment of Shimon’s widow and the garment of Levi’s widow — that he transgresses for each and every garment. However the law in question is about one who takes in pawn two vessels — and he makes life-sustaining food with all of them — but he cannot suffice with (use) one without the other, and [so maybe] he should [only] be liable for one vessel; or perhaps we should say that since they are two vessels, he should be liable for each and every one by itself. And they elucidated for us that he is liable for two vessels, and even though the work is done through the gathering of both of them — for example, a handmill and an upper millstone, with which one cannot grind without the other. Such that if he takes in pawn a handmill and an upper millstone, it will be like he takes in pawn a vessel for the dough and a slaughtering knife — and they are two vessels, each of which has its [own] work. And this is the matter of that which they said, ‘and he is liable for two vessels’ — not that they are two commandments. And this is the language of Sifrei about this matter that I have elucidated to you — they said, ‘Just like a handmill and an upper millstone are two distinct vessels but serve for one work and we make liable for this on its own and for this on it own; so too all two vessels that serve for one work, one is liable for this on its own and for this on it own.’ The elucidation of the thing and its matter is [that] even though we use it for one work, he is liable for this on its own and for this on it own. And if he takes it in pawn, we take it from him and return it to the craftsman.”