Bava Batra 207
פחות כל שהוא ינכה יתר כל שהוא יחזיר הא סתמא כהן חסר הן יתר דמי
AND HE GAVE [HIM] LESS, [EVEN IF ONLY BY] A FRACTION, [AN EQUAL SUM] IS TO BE DEDUCTED [FROM THE PRICE]. [IF] HE GAVE MORE, [EVEN IF ONLY BY] A FRACTION, IT IS TO BE RETURNED [TO HIM]. Thus [it is to be inferred that] had not [the expression 'measured by the rope'] been explicitly used [it would have been] just the same as if [the expression] 'more or less' [had been actually used]. Explain. [however], the concluding clause [which reads]: IF, HOWEVER, HE SAID, 'MORE OR LESS', THE SALE IS VALID EVEN IF HE GAVE [AT THE RATE OF] A QUARTER OF A <i>KAB</i> PER <i>SE'AH</i> LESS OR MORE. Thus [it is to be inferred that] had not [the expression, more or less'] been explicitly used [it would have been] just the same as if [the expression], 'measured by the rope' [had actually been used]! But, [one must conclude, that] nothing may be deduced from this [Mishnah].
אימא סיפא ואם אמר לו הן חסר הן יתר אפילו פיחת רובע לסאה או הותיר רובע לסאה הגיעו הא סתמא כמדה בחבל דמי אלא מהא ליכא למשמע מינה
Come and hear! [It has been taught: If a man says to another:] 'I sell you a beth <i>kor</i> of arable land', [or] 'I sell you about a beth <i>kor</i> of arable land' [or] 'I sell you [etc] more or less', the sale is valid even if he gave [at the rate of] a quarter [of a Rab] per <i>se'ah</i> less or more. This clearly proves that even when nothing<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., neither 'measured by the rope' nor 'more or less'. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ת"ש בית כור עפר אני מוכר לך כבית כור עפר אני מוכר לך הן חסר הן יתר אני מוכר לך אפילו פיחת רובע לסאה או הותיר רובע לסאה הגיעו אלמא סתמא נמי כהן חסר הן יתר דמי התם פרושי קא מפרש איזהו בית כור שהיא כבית כור כגון דא"ל הן חסר הן יתר
had been specified it is the same as [if the expression]. 'more or less' [had been used]! That [supplies no proof; for it] is an explanatory statement [implying] the following: In which case is [the expression] a beth kor' regarded as [the expression] 'about a beth kor'? When one said to the other, 'more or less'.
מתקיף לה רב אשי א"כ אני מוכר לך אני מוכר לך למה לי אלא לאו שמע מינה סתמא נמי כהן חסר הן יתר דמי שמע מינה:
R. Ashi demurred to this: If so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That, in the statement quoted, one part is explanatory to the other. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
מהו מחזיר לו מעות וכו': ליפות כחו של מוכר אמרי' ליפות כחו של לוקח לא אמרינן
for what purpose is the expression. 'I sell you.' [thrice] repeated? Consequently, the deduction may be made that even when nothing<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., neither 'measured by the rope' nor 'more or less'. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
התם כגון דהוה יקירא מעיקרא וזל השתא דאמרינן ליה אי ארעא יהבת לי הב לי כזולא דהשתא
WHAT IS [THE BUYER] TO RETURN TO HIM? — THE MONEY etc. Does this [Mishnah] imply that we are to look after the interests of the seller and not after those of the buyer? Surely it has been taught: [If the land purchased was by] seven <i>kab</i> and a half per <i>kor</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 1/24, v. Mishnah, n. 4. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
שאם שייר בשדה בית ט' קבין וכו': אמר רב הונא ט' קבין שאמרו ואפי' בבקעה גדולה
more [than the area agreed upon], the sale is valid. [If the surplus is] greater than this, the seller is compelled to sell and the buyer to buy!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This shows that the seller has no advantage over the buyer. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ורב נחמן אמר נותן שבעת קבין ומחצה לכל כור וכור
— There<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the seller is compelled to sell. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> we deal with the case where land was first<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the sale was arranged. ');"><sup>6</sup></span> dear and is now<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the argument about the surplus is taking place. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> cheap. [In such a case] the seller is told, 'If you [wish to] give him the land,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The surplus. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> give [it] to him at the present cheaper<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the seller may re-claim, or compel the buyer to purchase the surplus land, the seller, once he had decided to sell, may be compelled by the buyer to take the lower price prevailing at the time. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> rate'. But has it not been taught: When he gives it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the deficiency of land. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> to him, it must be at the rate at which he had bought of him? — That refers to the case where it was first cheap and is now dear.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case the buyer cannot be charged for the deficiency of land a higher price than the one prevailing at the time of the purchase. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> IF, THEREFORE. THERE WAS A SURPLUS IN THE FIELD OF AN AREA OF NINE <i>KAB</i>, etc. R. Huna said: The [law of] nine <i>kab</i> spoken of<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In our Mishnah, according to which such an area must be returned to the seller. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> [applies] even in [the case of] a large valley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Provided there was a surplus of nine kab, the area of the sold field does not matter. However large it may be, the surplus of nine kab or more must be returned, since such a surplus may be regarded as an independent field. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> But R. Nahman said: Seven <i>kab</i> and a half must be allowed for every <i>Kor</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whether the surplus is returnable or not depends on its proportion to the area of the field sold. If the surplus is no more than seven and a half kab per kor = 1/4 kab per se'ah = 1/24 of the area of the field, it need not be returned, however large that surplus may be. The larger the field the larger the surplus allowed. ');"><sup>14</sup></span>