Midrash for Bava Metzia 55:6
מדת ארכו ומדת רחבו תנתן למדת ארכו דמדת רחבו שעורי קא משער לה כד מכסי לה מרה וקאי ומדת ארכו לא משתער לה
[If one states] identification marks and [another produces] witnesses, it [the lost article] must be surrendered to him who has witnesses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if identification marks are Biblically valid, yet witnesses stand higher. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
Sifrei Devarim
"until your brother inquires concerning it": Would it enter your mind to give it to him without his giving identifying signs? Why, then, is it written "until your brother inquires concerning it"? (The meaning must be, then,) "until you make inquiry concerning your brother" (to ascertain) whether or not he is a deceiver, (this being a possible construction of the words in the Hebrew.)
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