Commentary for Bava Metzia 75:16

שמן והבאיש דבש והדביש

— It is, in fact, sold to priests [only] at the price of <i>terumah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is less than that of ordinary produce: firstly, because only priests may eat it; and secondly, because it may not be eaten at all if it becomes defiled. ');">¹³</span> Then according to R. Nahman b. Isaac too, let it be sold to priests at the price of <i>terumah</i>! — They differ in this: viz., Rabbah b. Bar Hanah holds that [loss] above the normal decrease is altogether rare, and when it does happen, it exceeds the usual rate only after a considerable time.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'at a time ahead.' ');">¹⁴</span> Hence, if the owner declared it <i>terumah</i> and tithe for other produce, he would have done so before its loss exceeded the normal;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the produce is properly tithed. ');">¹⁵</span> therefore, when it does exceed it we can sell it to priests at the price of <i>terumah</i>. R. Nahman b. Isaac, however, maintains that a greater decrease than normal is quite frequent, and when it happens, it may happen immediately.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before the lapse of a considerable time. ');">¹⁶</span> Therefore, should you say that it is sold, it may happen that it is sold early, and when the owner declares it <i>terumah</i> and tithe for other produce he is unaware that it is [already] sold, and so eats <i>tebel</i>. An objection is raised: If one deposits fruit with his neighbour, and it rots; wine, and it sours; oil, and it putrefies, or honey, and it turns rancid, he [the bailee] may not touch it: this is R. Meir's ruling. But the Sages maintain: He effects a remedy for them by selling them on the instructions of the court; and when he sells, he must sell to strangers, not to himself. Similarly, when the charity overseers have no poor to whom to distribute [their funds], they must change [the copper coins] with others, not themselves.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Copper coins were unsuitable for keeping a long time, being liable to tarnish and mould. Therefore they would be exchanged for silver ones. ');">¹⁷</span> The overseers of the soup kitchen,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H]; actual food was collected for this purpose, not money, and it was distributed to those in immediate need of a meal. V. B.B. 8b. ');">¹⁸</span> when they have no poor to whom to make a distribution, must sell to others, not themselves. Now, incidentally he [the Tanna] states, 'fruit&nbsp;… and it rots': surely that means, even more than the normal decrease?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Yet R. Meir rules that it must not be touched, which contradicts R. Johanan. ');">¹⁹</span> — No: [it means] within the normal deterioration. But 'wine, and it sours, oil and it putrefies, or honey, and it turns rancid' are more than normal deterioration! — These are different: having arrived at that stage, they remain so.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And do not deteriorate any further; therefore nothing is gained by selling them. But produce goes on rotting more and more. ');">²⁰</span> Now, when oil putrefies, or honey becomes rancid,

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