Responsa for Bava Batra 81:10
רב כהנא שקל בידקא בארעיה אזל הדר גודא בארעא דלא דידיה
(Mnemonic 'ANaB.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The meaning of this mnemonic is obscure. V. Brull, J. Die Mnemotechnik des Talmuds, 40, and D.S. a.l. for attempted interpretations.] ');"><sup>9</sup></span> ) R.'Anan's<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. 'Hanan'. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> field was flooded through the bursting of a dam.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the boundary marks were obliterated. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> He afterwards went and restored the fence, [which, however, he built] on land belonging to his neighbour. The latter [on discovering this] sued him before R. Nahman. He said to him: 'You must restore the land.' 'But,' he rejoined, 'I have become the owner of it by occupation?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the owner has allowed me to remain in possession of it a certain time without protest. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> — Said R. Nahman to him: 'On whose authority [do you rely]? On that of R. Ishmael and R. Judah, who both lay down that [if the occupation takes place] in presence of the owner [without protest], it constitutes a title at once. The law however, is not in accordance with their ruling.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But that of the Rabbis, who say that three years occupation is required to confer a title. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> R. 'Anan thereupon said: 'But this man has tacitly waived his right because he came and helped me to build the fence?' R. Nahman replied: 'This was a waiver given in error. You yourself, had you known that the land was his, would not have built the fence on it. Just as you did not know, so he also did not know.' R. Kahana's land was flooded through the bursting of a dam. He afterwards went and built a new fence on land which did not belong to him.
Teshuvot Maharam
A. No, B may collect his money immediately.
SOURCES: Cr. 280; Pr. 523; L. 128; Hag. Maim. to Sanhedrin, 6, 8.
Teshuvot Maharam
A. If one lends money on condition that he share in the profits but not in the losses, the terms of this transaction, being unlawful, are void. We must, therefore, substitute other terms in their place. We must choose one of the following alternatives: a) the transaction is a pure loan bearing no profit; b) the lender is liable for his share of the losses and is entitled to his share of the profits. Since a person lends money with the intention of earning a profit, and such profit constitutes the main purpose of the transaction, we prefer the second alternative. Therefore, we must calculate what percentage of the entire profit (earned by A through the use of the ten pounds) the three pounds per year was expected to form, and, then, charge the charity-chest with the responsibility for the same percentage of the losses. If, during the ten year period, the thirty pounds paid by A exceeded the percentage of the total profit, A is entitled to deduct such excess from the principal; otherwise, he must repay the entire principal.
R. Hayyim b. Machir raised objections to R. Meir's decision. He brought proof to the effect that the transaction ought to be changed into a pure loan bearing no profit, and that A be entitled to retain the ten pounds of the principal against the illegal profit he has paid. He even cited (by number) another Responsum of R. Meir wherein the latter decided that a transaction such as the above be considered a pure loan bearing no profit. (Cf. Cr. 62, Pr. 151; Am. II, 169.) He assured Rabbi Meir, however, that he would follow his decision.
R. Meir replied: I was always of the opinion that the aforesaid transaction ought to be considered a pure loan bearing no profit. But, when your query reached me I had just received the book (Code) of Maimomides, and I decided to "ask the Oracle" (see what Maimonides says on the subject). When I discovered that Maimonides requires the lender to share in the losses as well as in the profits, I adopted his view. For all his words are based on tradition. Even if this decision be based on reason, I have to bow to his opinion since my inferior reasoning ability could never compare with that of Maimonides who is a profound master in that art. Moreover, I see the wisdom of his view. For a person who lends money to another does so because he hopes to profit thereby. Were he mainly interested in the safety of the principal (as you seem to infer) he would keep the money in a safe place and never lend it to anybody. Were we to ask a lender who had stipulated that he do not share in the losses, whether he would prefer to change his voided agreement into a pure loan transaction bearing no profit, or choose to share in the profits and the losses, he would certainly prefer the latter. Furthermore, when the active partner lends the money against adequate security, the chances of earning a profit are much greater than the chances of losing part of the principal.
SOURCES: L. 426; P. 477.
Teshuvot Maharam
A. If one lends money on condition that he share in the profits but not in the losses, the terms of this transaction, being unlawful, are void. We must, therefore, substitute other terms in their place. We must choose one of the following alternatives: a) the transaction is a pure loan bearing no profit; b) the lender is liable for his share of the losses and is entitled to his share of the profits. Since a person lends money with the intention of earning a profit, and such profit constitutes the main purpose of the transaction, we prefer the second alternative. Therefore, we must calculate what percentage of the entire profit (earned by A through the use of the ten pounds) the three pounds per year was expected to form, and, then, charge the charity-chest with the responsibility for the same percentage of the losses. If, during the ten year period, the thirty pounds paid by A exceeded the percentage of the total profit, A is entitled to deduct such excess from the principal; otherwise, he must repay the entire principal.
R. Hayyim b. Machir raised objections to R. Meir's decision. He brought proof to the effect that the transaction ought to be changed into a pure loan bearing no profit, and that A be entitled to retain the ten pounds of the principal against the illegal profit he has paid. He even cited (by number) another Responsum of R. Meir wherein the latter decided that a transaction such as the above be considered a pure loan bearing no profit. (Cf. Cr. 62, Pr. 151; Am. II, 169.) He assured Rabbi Meir, however, that he would follow his decision.
R. Meir replied: I was always of the opinion that the aforesaid transaction ought to be considered a pure loan bearing no profit. But, when your query reached me I had just received the book (Code) of Maimomides, and I decided to "ask the Oracle" (see what Maimonides says on the subject). When I discovered that Maimonides requires the lender to share in the losses as well as in the profits, I adopted his view. For all his words are based on tradition. Even if this decision be based on reason, I have to bow to his opinion since my inferior reasoning ability could never compare with that of Maimonides who is a profound master in that art. Moreover, I see the wisdom of his view. For a person who lends money to another does so because he hopes to profit thereby. Were he mainly interested in the safety of the principal (as you seem to infer) he would keep the money in a safe place and never lend it to anybody. Were we to ask a lender who had stipulated that he do not share in the losses, whether he would prefer to change his voided agreement into a pure loan transaction bearing no profit, or choose to share in the profits and the losses, he would certainly prefer the latter. Furthermore, when the active partner lends the money against adequate security, the chances of earning a profit are much greater than the chances of losing part of the principal.
SOURCES: L. 426; P. 477.