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Bava Metzia 42a

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Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Bava Metzia 42a

Bava Metzia 42a. The full printed text of this folio side — 13 numbered segments, about 452 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

מַתְנִי׳ הַמַּפְקִיד מָעוֹת אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ, צְרָרָן וְהִפְשִׁילָן לַאֲחוֹרָיו, אוֹ שֶׁמְּסָרָם לִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים, וְנָעַל בִּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא כָּרָאוּי – חַיָּיב, שֶׁלֹּא שִׁימֵּר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים. וְאִם שִׁימֵּר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים – פָּטוּר.

MISHNA: In the case of one who deposited coins with another, and that bailee bound it in a cloth and slung it behind him, or conveyed them to his minor son or daughter for safeguarding, or locked the door before them in an inappropriate, i.e., insufficient, manner to secure them, the bailee is liable to pay for the coins, as he did not safeguard the coins in the manner typical of bailees. But if he safeguarded the money in the manner that bailees safeguard items and it was nevertheless stolen, he is exempt.

Segment 2

גְּמָ׳ בִּשְׁלָמָא כּוּלְּהוּ שֶׁלֹּא שִׁימֵּר כְּדֶרֶךְ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים. אֶלָּא צְרָרָן וְהִפְשִׁילָן לַאֲחוֹרָיו, מַאי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִיעְבַּד? אָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר קְרָא: ״וְצַרְתָּ הַכֶּסֶף בְּיָדְךָ״, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁצְּרוּרִין – יִהְיוּ בְּיָדְךָ.

GEMARA: Granted, for all the other cases, the bailee is liable to pay, as he did not safeguard the money in the manner that bailees safeguard items. But if the bailee bound it in a cloth and slung it behind him, what more was he to do? Rava says that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The verse states: “And you shall bind up the money in your hand” (Deuteronomy 14:25), from which it is derived: Although it is bound, in order to safeguard the money, it must be in your hand.

Segment 3

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא כַּסְפּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מָצוּי בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְצַרְתָּ הַכֶּסֶף בְּיָדְךָ״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: לְעוֹלָם יַשְׁלִישׁ אָדָם אֶת מְעוֹתָיו, שְׁלִישׁ בְּקַרְקַע, וּשְׁלִישׁ בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא, וּשְׁלִישׁ תַּחַת יָדוֹ.

And apropos that verse, Rabbi Yitzḥak says: A person’s money should always be found in his possession. He should not invest all of his money, leaving him with no money available for expenditures, as it is stated: “And you shall bind up the money in your hand.” And Rabbi Yitzḥak says: A person should always divide his money into three; he should bury one-third in the ground, and invest one-third in business [ bifrakmatya ], and keep one-third in his possession.

Segment 4

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: אֵין הַבְּרָכָה מְצוּיָה אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר הַסָּמוּי מִן הָעַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְצַו ה׳ אִתְּךָ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה בַּאֲסָמֶיךָ״. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: אֵין הַבְּרָכָה מְצוּיָה אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין הָעַיִן שׁוֹלֶטֶת בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְצַו ה׳ אִתְּךָ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה בַּאֲסָמֶיךָ״.

And Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Blessing is found only in a matter concealed from the eye, as it is stated: “The Lord will command blessing with you in your storehouses” (Deuteronomy 28:8), where the grain is concealed. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Blessing is found only in a matter over which the eye has no dominion, as it is stated: “The Lord will command blessing with you in your storehouses.”

Segment 5

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הַהוֹלֵךְ לָמוֹד אֶת גּוֹרְנוֹ, אוֹמֵר: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁתִּשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ״. הִתְחִיל לָמוֹד, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ בְּרָכָה בַּכְּרִי הַזֶּה״. מָדַד וְאַחַר כָּךְ בֵּירַךְ – הֲרֵי זֶה תְּפִילַּת שָׁוְא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הַבְּרָכָה מְצוּיָה לֹא בְּדָבָר הַשָּׁקוּל וְלֹא בְּדָבָר הַמָּדוּד וְלֹא בְּדָבָר הַמָּנוּי, אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר הַסָּמוּי מִן הָעַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְצַו ה׳ אִתְּךָ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה בַּאֲסָמֶיךָ״.

The Sages taught: One who goes to measure the grain on his threshing floor recites: May it be Your will, O Lord, our God, that You send blessing upon the product of our hands. If one began to measure the grain he says: Blessed is He Who sends blessing upon this pile of grain. If one measured and afterward recited this blessing, this is a prayer made in vain, because blessing is found neither in a matter that is weighed, nor in a matter that is measured, nor in a matter that is counted. Rather, it is found in a matter concealed from the eye, as it is stated: “The Lord will command blessing with you in your storehouses.”

Segment 6

אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כְּסָפִים אֵין לָהֶם שְׁמִירָה אֶלָּא בַּקַּרְקַע. אָמַר רָבָא: וּמוֹדֵי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, דְּלָא אַטְרְחוּהּ רַבָּנַן. וְאִי שְׁהָא לְמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת שִׁעוּר לְמִקְבְּרִינְהוּ וְלָא קַבְרִינְהוּ – מְחַיַּיב. וְאִי צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן הוּא סָבַר: דִּלְמָא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ זוּזֵי לְאַבְדַּלְתָּא.

§ Shmuel says: There is safeguarding for money only in the ground. Rava said: And Shmuel concedes if one received a deposit on Shabbat eve at twilight, that the Rabbis did not impose upon him to bury it in the ground immediately. And if, at the conclusion of Shabbat, he delayed and did not bury the money within the period of time needed to bury it, he is liable to pay the owner if it is stolen. And if the one who deposited the money is a Torah scholar and the bailee thought: Perhaps he requires money for havdala , and that is the reason that he did not bury the money immediately, then he may delay burying the money a bit longer.

Segment 7

וְהָאִידָּנָא דִּשְׁכִיחִי גָּשׁוֹשָׁאֵי – אֵין לָהֶן שְׁמִירָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁמֵי קוֹרָה. וְהָאִידָּנָא דִּשְׁכִיחִי פָּרוֹמָאֵי – אֵין לָהֶם שְׁמִירָה אֶלָּא בֵּינֵי אוּרְבֵי. אָמַר רָבָא: וּמוֹדֶה שְׁמוּאֵל בְּכוֹתֶל, אִי נָמֵי בֵּין הַקְּרָנוֹת. וְהָאִידָּנָא דִּשְׁכִיחִי טָפוֹחָאֵי – אֵין לָהֶן שְׁמִירָה אֶלָּא בְּטֶפַח הַסָּמוּךְ לַקַּרְקַע, אוֹ בְּטֶפַח הַסָּמוּךְ לִשְׁמֵי קוֹרָה.

The Gemara comments: And now that rummagers, who dig to find and steal buried property, are commonplace, there is safeguarding for money only in the beams of the roof of a house. The Gemara comments: And now that dismantlers, who attempt to find and steal property hidden in beams, are commonplace, there is safeguarding for money only between the bricks of a wall. Rava said: And Shmuel concedes that money can be safeguarded in the wall or, alternatively, between the corners of the house. And now that tappers, who tap on walls to find and steal property hidden there, are commonplace, there is safeguarding for money only in the handbreadth of the wall adjacent to the ground or in the handbreadth of the wall adjacent to the ceiling, as tapping on the wall will not reveal their existence.

Segment 8

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יוֹסֵף לְרַב אָשֵׁי: הָתָם תְּנַן: חָמֵץ שֶׁנָּפְלָה עָלָיו מַפּוֹלֶת – הֲרֵי הוּא כִּמְבוֹעָר. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: כֹּל שֶׁאֵין הַכֶּלֶב יָכוֹל לְחַפֵּשׂ אַחֲרָיו. וְתָנָא: כַּמָּה חֲפִישַׂת הַכֶּלֶב – שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים. הָכָא מַאי? מִי בָּעֵינַן שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים אוֹ לָא?

Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Yosef, said to Rav Ashi: We learned in a mishna there ( Pesaḥim 31b): The legal status of leavened bread upon which a rockslide fell is like that of leavened bread that was eliminated, as it will remain there forever. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: This ruling applies in any case where the leavened bread is covered to the extent that a dog is unable to detect it. And it is taught: How much is the measure of detection of a dog? It is three handbreadths. The question is: Here, what is the halakha ? Do we require the money to be buried at a depth of three handbreadths or not?

Segment 9

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָתָם מִשּׁוּם רֵיחָא – בָּעֵינַן שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים. הָכָא מִשּׁוּם אִיכַּסּוֹיֵי מֵעֵינָא – לָא בָּעֵינַן שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַפְרָם מִסִּיכְרָא: טֶפַח.

Rav Ashi said to Rav Aḥa: There, with regard to bread, it is due to the scent that we require three handbreadths to obscure it from the dog. Here, with regard to money, it is because it must be obscured from the eye that we bury it. Scent is not relevant, and therefore we do not need three handbreadths. The Gemara asks: And how deep must the money be buried? Rafram from Sikhera said: One handbreadth.

Segment 10

הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאַפְקֵיד זוּזֵי גַּבֵּי חַבְרֵיהּ, אוֹתְבִינְהוּ בִּצְרִיפָא דְאוּרְבָּנֵי, אִיגְּנוּב. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אַף עַל גַּב דִּלְעִנְיַן גַּנָּבֵי – נְטִירוּתָא הִיא, לְעִנְיַן נוּרָא – פְּשִׁיעוּתָא הִיא, הָוֵה תְּחִילָּתוֹ בִּפְשִׁיעָה וְסוֹפוֹ בְּאוֹנֶס – חַיָּיב. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אַף עַל גַּב דִּלְעִנְיַן נוּרָא – פְּשִׁיעוּתָא הִיא, לְעִנְיַן גַּנָּבֵי – נְטִירוּתָא הִיא, וּתְחִלָּתוֹ בִּפְשִׁיעָה וְסוֹפוֹ בְּאוֹנֶס – פָּטוּר. וְהִילְכְתָא: תְּחִילָּתוֹ בִּפְשִׁיעָה וְסוֹפוֹ בְּאוֹנֶס – חַיָּיב.

The Gemara relates: There was a certain man who deposited money with another, and the bailee placed it in a willow hut from which the money was stolen. Rav Yosef said: Although with regard to thieves, placing the money in the hut is effective safeguarding, with regard to fire it is negligence, as it is likely to burn. Therefore, it is a case where the incident was initially through negligence and ultimately by accident, and the bailee is liable to pay. And some say: Although with regard to fire it is negligence, with regard to thieves it is effective safeguarding. Therefore, it is a case where the beginning of the incident was negligence and ultimately the damage was caused by accident, and the bailee is exempt. The Gemara concludes: And the halakha is: In a case where the incident was initially through negligence and ultimately by accident, the bailee is liable to pay.

Segment 11

הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאַפְקֵיד זוּזֵי גַּבֵּי חַבְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזַאי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא יָדַעְנָא הֵיכָא אוֹתְבִינְהוּ. אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כֹּל ״לָא יָדַעְנָא״ פְּשִׁיעוּתָא הִיא, זִיל שַׁלֵּם.

The Gemara relates: There was a certain man who deposited money with another. Eventually, the owner of the money said to the bailee: Give me my money. The bailee said to him: I do not know where I placed it. The matter came before Rava, who said to the bailee: Every circumstance where a bailee claims: I do not know, is in and of itself negligence; go pay.

Segment 12

הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאַפְקֵיד זוּזֵי גַּבֵּי חַבְרֵיהּ, אַשְׁלְמִינְהוּ לְאִימֵּיהּ, וְאוֹתְבִינְהוּ בְּקַרְטְלִיתָא, וְאִיגְּנוּב. אָמַר רָבָא: הֵיכִי נְדַיְינוּ דַּיָּינֵי לְהַאי דִּינָא?

The Gemara relates: There was a certain man who deposited money with another. The bailee gave the money to his mother, and she placed the money in a chest [ bekartalita ], and it was stolen. Rava said: How should judges rule in this case?

Segment 13

נֵימָא לֵיהּ לְדִידֵיהּ: זִיל שַׁלֵּים, אָמַר:

Let us say to the bailee: Go pay. But he can say: There is a principle:

Bava Metzia 42a

Bava Metzia 42a

Rashi

Tosafot

Rabbeinu Chananel

Rashba

Meiri

Maharsha (Chidushei Halachot)

Maharam

Shita Mekubetzet

Penei Yehoshua

Gilyon HaShas

Ben Yehoyada

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