Mesorat%20hashas for Bava Metzia 154:20
אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף לרב אשי והא אמרינן משמיה דרבא קני אמר ליה תתרגם שמעתיך במוכר שדהו
the latter, where he did not repeatedly demand his money. For Raba said: If one sold an article to his neighbour, and repeatedly demanded payment, it does not become his [the purchaser's];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Even if there was meshikah (v. Glos.); so according to the majority of authorities. Cf. Tosaf. and H.M., CXC. 11.] ');"><sup>18</sup></span> but if not, he [the buyer] acquires it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the purchase money is regarded as an ordinary debt. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> Raba also said: If one lent a hundred <i>zuz</i> to his neighbour, who repaid him a <i>zuz</i> at a time, it is [valid] repayment, but he may bear resentment against him, for he can complain, 'You have destroyed it for me.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A hundred zuz in a lump sum can be put to business use; one zuz at a time is spent as received, with no visible or tangible advantage. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> A man once sold an ass<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text is [H], which may mean 'ass' or 'wine', and Rashi translates 'ass'. The reason is that in Rashi's opinion, this assumption, viz. that the vendor's repeated demand for money proves that he sold the article only because he was hard pressed, applies only to land or such articles which are not normally sold, such as an ass which is kept for work on the land; but in the case of wine, which is a normal article of sale, it proves nothing, and hence the consequences drawn from it do not hold good (Maharam). [Alternatively: In the case of wine there would be no reason for cancelling the whole sale for the sake of the single zuz, the buyer surely being entitled to retain wine for the amount he had paid up; Maharsha, [H].] ');"><sup>21</sup></span> to his neighbour, and one <i>zuz</i> [of the purchase price] being left [unpaid], he [the vendor] made repeated calls for it. Now, R. Ashi sat and cogitated thereon: What [is the law] in such a case? Does he [the purchaser] acquire it or not?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the balance is so small. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> Said R. Mordecai to R. Ashi: Thus did Abimi of Hagronia say in Rab's name: One <i>zuz</i> is as [many] <i>zuz</i>, and he does not acquire it. R. Aha, the son of R. Joseph, protested to R. Ashi: But we have stated in Raba's name that he does acquire it! — He replied: You must interpret your teaching [as referring] to one who sells his field
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