Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/237

Paragraph 1- If one goes after something to purchase or rent it, regardless of whether it was real property or a movable item, and someone else comes and purchases it, he is called wicked. The same applies to someone who wants to get himself hired by another. There are those who say that if someone is coming to acquire ownerless property or receive a gift from another, and someone else gets it before him, he is not considered wicked because it is not something easily accessible in another place. If one is purchasing real property next to another’s border, even if the laws of the neighbor’s right of first refusal is not applicable, he may still acquire the property and he will not be called wicked because it is like a found item. Similarly, if one is purchasing an item and another comes to purchase it for cheap because he cannot find it at this price in another location, it is like a found item and he is able to purchase it so long as the other has not already acquired it. There are those who say there is no distinction between the cases. The first opinion seems to be the primary one. Even according to this opinion it only applies by a poor person but not by a wealthy one unless it is something uncommon in which case even in the case of a wealthy person he would be considered wicked. See earlier 156:5. This is all where they already agreed on a price and only the kinyan is missing. If they still have not agreed on a price because the seller wants this price and the buyer wants a cheaper price, however, another person is permitted to buy it, regardless of whether the seller is a gentile or Jew. There are those who write that there is a cherem from Rabeinu Gershom not to encroach on another’s borders when it comes to renting house from gentiles. The same applies in a place where they have a custom to rent loans from a gentile.

Paragraph 2- A school-teacher is prohibited from hiring himself to a homeowner that already has a teacher in his house unless the homeowner says he does not want to keep his teacher. If a homeowner has hired a teacher, however, another homeowner can hire that same teacher.