Bava Batra 151

Chapter 151

א ובשטר

1 or by a bill of sale.1 'Letters'! Who mentioned them?2

ב אותיות מאן דכר שמייהו חסורי מחסרא והכי קתני ספינה נקנית במשיכה ואותיות במסירה רבי נתן אומר ספינה ואותיות נקנות במשיכה ובשטר

2 — Something is missing [in the statement of the first Tanna], and the following is the correct reading: A ship is acquired by meshikah, and letters by mesirah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because meshikah is effective only in the case of an object of intrinsic value. The intrinsic value of a bond is only that of the paper which may be acquired by meshikah. The right to the debt, however, cannot be acquired except by 'mesirah. ');">3 R. Nathan said: A ship and letters are acquired by meshikah and by a bill of sale. [But] why should a bill of sale be required in [the case of] a ship? [Surely] it is a movable object!4

ג שטר לספינה למה לי מטלטלי היא אלא לאו הכי קתני ספינה נקנית במשיכה ואותיות במסירה רבי נתן אומר ספינה במשיכה ואותיות בשטר

3 But no,5 the following is the correct reading: A ship is acquired by meshikah and letters by mesirah. R. Nathan said: A ship [is acquired] by meshikah, and letters by a bill of sale.6

ד ספינה במשיכה היינו תנא קמא אלא דרב ושמואל איכא בינייהו לא דכולי עלמא אי כרב אי כשמואל ובספינה כולי עלמא לא פליגי

4 [Is not the statement of R. Nathan], 'a ship [is acquired] by meshikah', identical with that of the first Tanna?7 [May we not then conclude that] they differ on the same principles as Rab and Samuel?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna, like Samuel, requires full meshikah, viz., pulling the entire ship into a new position. R. Nathan, on the other hand, who obviously disputes this requirement, maintains, like Rab, that a slight pull is sufficient. ');">8

ה כי פליגי באותיות והכי קאמר ליה ר' נתן לתנא קמא בספינה ודאי מודינא לך באותיות אי איכא שטר אין אי לא לא

5 — No; [the views of] both9 are either like [those of] Rab or like [those of] Samuel; and in [the case of] a ship there is no dispute whatsoever between them. They differ only in [the case of] letters. And this is what R. Nathan said to the first Tanna: in [the case of] a ship I certainly agree with you;10

ו ובפלוגתא דהני תנאי דתניא אותיות נקנות במסירה דברי רבי וחכמים אומרים בין כתב ולא מסר בין מסר ולא כתב לא קנה עד שיכתוב וימסור

6 but, as regards letters, if there is [also] a bill of sale he does [acquire the right to the debt]; otherwise, [he does] not. And their dispute11

ז במאי אוקימתא כרבי ספינה נמי תיקני במסירה דתניא ספינה נקנית במסירה דברי רבי וחכמים אומרים לא קנה

7 is analogous to that of the following Tannaim.12 For it has been taught: Letters may be acquired by mesirah,13 these are the words of Rabbi. But the Sages say: Whether [the seller] has written [a bill of sale] but has not delivered [the bond],14 or whether he has delivered [the bond] but has not written [a bill of sale], [the buyer] does not acquire possession until [the seller] has written [the bill of sale] and delivered [the bond].15 How has the matter been established? [That the first Tanna is] in agreement with Rabbi! Should not [then] a ship also be acquired by mesirah?16 For it was taught: A ship is acquired by mesirah, these are the words of Rabbi. And the Sages say: It is not acquired

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