א"ר נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה הבונה פלטרין גדולים בנכסי הגר ובא אחר והעמיד להן דלתות קנה מאי טעמא קמא לבני בעלמא הוא דאפיך
R. Nahman further said in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha: If a man builds a large villa on the estate of a [deceased] proselyte and another man comes and fixes the doors, the latter becomes owner. Why is this? Because the first one merely deposited bricks there.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., so long as the building is not completed, it is regarded merely as a heap of bricks.
');"><sup>9</sup></span> R. Dimi b. Joseph said in the name of R. Eleazar: If a man finds a villa already erected on the estate of a [deceased] proselyte, and he adds one coat of whitewash or mural decoration, he acquires ownership.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because he has done something to improve the building.
');"><sup>10</sup></span>
Tosefta Kiddushin
Which is "deduction of price" [through which a Hebrew slave can go free according to Mishnah Kiddushin 1:2]? He wanted to redeem himself within those [6] years [that he is a slave], he calculated the coins and the years [remaining] and payed them to his master, and the slave has the upper hand [he can calculate based on how much his price was worth when he sold himself originally or how much that would be worth now, whichever is better for him]. Which is presumption [of ownership] of land? A lock, fence or opening of any size [that belongs to him]—this is a presumption [of ownership]. Which is presumption [of ownership] of [Canaanite] slaves? If [the slave] ties [the owner's] shoe, undoes his shoe, brings vessels after him to the bathhouse—this is a presumption. If he lifted him up [e.g. to help him get on a horse]—Rabbi Shimon said: There is no greater presumption than this.
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