Arakhin 44

תנן

[THE PROPERTY] OF ORPHANS WHICH HAS BEEN VALUED [MUST BE PROCLAIMED FOR] THIRTY DAYS, AND [THE PROPERTY OF] THE SANCTUARY WHICH HAS BEEN VALUED [FOR] SIXTY DAYS; THE PROCLAMATION MUST BE MADE IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING.

שום היתומים שלשים יום ושום ההקדש ששים יום ומכריזין בבקר ובערב

Now what case are we dealing with?

במאי עסקינן

Would you say with that of a heathen creditor; would he agree [to wait]?

אילימא בבעל חוב עובד כוכבים מי צאית

Hence it is obvious that it is with that of an Israelite creditor.

אלא פשיטא בבעל חוב ישראל

This then will be in accord with the view of R'Huna the son of R'Joshua, for he will interpret it as referring to the case where he who admitted [the debt].

בשלמא לרב הונא בריה דרב יהושע מוקי לה בשחייב מודה אלא לרב פפא קשיא

But according to R'Papa this will present a difficulty? - R'Papa will tell you: If you like, I can tell you the reference is to a kethubah, the reason being 'for favour's sake'! Or if you like, I can tell you the reference i a heathen creditor who accepted upon himself to have his case dealt with in accord with Israelite law.

אמר לך רב פפא אי בעית אימא

But if he accepted that upon himself, let him agree to wait until they are of age? - He accepted the law in the one respect, but he did not accept it in the other respect.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he agreed to wait till after the proclamation. but not till they would come of age.');">¹</span>

כתובה משום חינא ואי בעית אימא

Come and hear: For the purpose of paying a woman her kethubah or a creditor his debt.

בבעל חוב עובד כוכבים שקיבל עליו לדון בדיני ישראל

Now what case are we dealing with?

אי קיבל עליו לינטר להו עד דגדלי

Would you say that of a heathen creditor, but would he agree?

שקיבל עליו לזו ולא קיבל עליו לזו

Hence it is evident that we deal with that of an Israelite creditor.

ת"ש

That then will be right on the view of R'Huna the son of R'Joshua.

על מנת ליתן לאשה כתובתה ולבעל חוב חובו

for he will interpret it as referring to the case where the debtor admitted [his debt].

במאי עסקינן

But according to R'Papa Granted that in the case of a kethubah, where the reason may be 'for favour's sake', but the case of the creditor would present a difficulty? - [No,] [Indeed] I can maintain it deals with a heathen creditor, but in the case where he accepted upon himself to be judged in accord with the laws of Israel.

אילימא בב"ח עובד כוכבים מי ציית

But if he accepted that, let him accept to wait until they are of age? - He accepted upon himself the one thing, but not the other.

אלא פשיטא בבעל חוב ישראל

Raba said: [We do not distrain upon the orphans' property] because of [a possible] quittance.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The father may have obtained a quittance, of which the orphans do not know, stating that the had paid the debt.');">²</span>

בשלמא לרב הונא בריה דרב יהושע מוקי לה בשחייב מודה אלא לרב פפא בשלמא כתובה משום חינא אלא בעל חוב קשיא

R'Huna the son of R'Joshua said to Raba: But do we consider [the possibility of] a quittance?

לעולם בבעל חוב עובד כוכבים וכגון שקיבל עליו לדון בדיני ישראל

Did we not learn: If a woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To whom the husband had sent a divorce from 'a maritime province'.');">³</span>

אי קיבל עליו לינטר להו עד דגדלי

collects [her kethubah] in his absence, she can do so only by means of an oath.

שקיבל עליו לזו ולא קיבל עליו לזו

And R'Aha, Commander of the Fortress, said: A case came before R'Isaac the Smith in Antiochia, and he decided, We have learnt<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We extend such consideration only to a woman because of the social implications of such benefit, but not in the purely commercial case of a creditor. Therefore the latter must await the debtor's return,');">⁴</span>

רבא אמר

that only in the case of a kethubah 'for favour's sake', but not in the case of a creditor.

משום שובר

Raba, however, in the name of R'Nahman, said: Also in the case of a creditor.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Keth. 88a.');">⁵</span>

א"ל רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע לרבא

Now, if we should consider the [possibility] of a quittance, let us consider it there too? - There the reason is as we have stated it: Lest anyone take his neighbour's possession and depart for maritime provinces.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the rule of Raba.');">⁶</span>

ומי חיישינן לשובר

Raba said: The law is.

והתנן

We do not distrain upon the property of orphans, but if he [the father] said: 'Give', then we distrain upon it.

הנפרעת שלא בפניו לא תפרע אלא בשבועה

If he said, '[Give] this field', or 'this mina', we distrain upon it without appointin guardian.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To see that the interest of the orphans is taken care of, that the collection of debt is made from the worst land they hold at the proper price. etc.');">⁷</span>

ואמר ר' אחא שר הבירה

But if he said, '[Give] a field', or 'a mina', we distrain upon it and appoint a guardian.

מעשה בא לפני ר' יצחק נפחא לאנטוכיא ואמר

The Nehardeans say: In each case we distrain upon it and appoint a guardian, except if it be found that the field does not belong to him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case the field is forthwith taken away from the orphans without appointing first a guardian.');">⁸</span>

לא שנו אלא כתובת אשה משום חינא אבל בעל חוב לא ורבה אמר רב נחמן

for we do not assume that the witnesses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The witnesses who testily that a field believed to be his property in reality had been stolen or acquired by force.');">⁹</span>

אפילו בעל חוב נמי

testified falsely.

ואי חיישת לשובר התם נמי ניחוש

R'Ashi said: Therefore we do not distrain [upon the property of orphans];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wherever there is the possibility of the father having given 'bundles' to the creditor (Tosaf.) .');">¹⁰</span>

א"ל

for Raba said: The law is that we do not distrain upon [the property of orphans].

התם כדאמרינן טעמא שלא יהא כל אחד נוטל מעותיו של חבירו והולך ויושב לו במדינת הים

But where we distrain upon it, we appoint a guardian for the Nehardeans said.

אמר רבא הלכתא

In every case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if he said, 'Give this field', or 'this mina' (Tosaf.) .');">¹¹</span>

אין נזקקין לנכסי יתומין ואם אמר

we distrain upon [the property of orphans] and appoint a guardian.

תנו נזקקין

except in the case where it be found that the field does not belong to him, because we do not assume that the witnesses have testified falsely.

שדה זו ומנה זו נזקקין ואין מעמידין אפוטרופוס שדה סתם ומנה סתם נזקקין ומעמידין אפוטרופוס

אמרי נהרדעי

בכולהו נזקקין ומעמידין אפוטרופוס לבד מנמצאת שדה שאינה שלו דאחזוקי סהדי בשקרי לא מחזקינן

אמר רב אשי

הלכך אזדקוקי לא מזדקקינן דהא אמר רבא

הלכתא אין נזקקין ואי מזדקקינן מוקמינן אפוטרופוס דאמרי נהרדעי

בכולהו נזקקין ומעמידין אפוטרופוס לבד מנמצאת שדה שאינה שלו דאחזוקי סהדי בשקרי לא מחזקינן: