Bava Batra 256:1

תיובתא דכולהו תיובתא

[This, surely, presents an] objection against all of them!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Samuel, R. Shesheth and R. Papa, all of whom admitted the evidence of a witness who lost his eyesight. ');">¹</span> — This is [indeed] an objection.

שלח ר' אבא לרב יוסף בר חמא האומר על תינוק בין הבנים נאמן ורבי יוחנן אמר אינו נאמן

R. Abba sent to R. Joseph b. Hama: If one said [something] concerning a child among [his] sons, he is to be trusted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained infra. ');">²</span> And R. Johanan said: He is not to be trusted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained infra. ');">²</span>

מאי קאמר אמר אביי הכי קאמר האומר על תינוק בין הבנים יירש כל נכסי נאמן כרבי יוחנן בן ברוקה ורבי יוחנן אמר אינו נאמן כרבנן

What does this mean? — Abaye replied: It is this that was meant: If one said concerning a child among [his] sons [that] he shall be heir to all his estate, he is to be trusted in accordance with [the view of] R. Johanan b. Beroka;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who stated that a father has a right to assign all his property to one only among all his legal heirs. ');">³</span> and R. Johanan said [that] he is not to be trusted, in accordance with [the view of] the Rabbis.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna, with whom R. Johanan b. Beroka is in dispute. ');">⁴</span>

מתקיף לה רבא האי נאמן ואינו נאמן יירש ולא יירש מבעיא ליה

Raba pointed out a difficulty. [If] that [is the meaning, why the expressions], 'trusted' and 'not trusted'? 'He shall be heir' and 'he shall not be heir' should have been [the expressions used]! But, said Raba, it is this that was meant: If one said concerning a child among [his] sons [that] he was the firstborn, he is to be trusted,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though another son was the reputed firstborn. ');">⁵</span> in accordance [with the view of] R. Judah;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 127b. ');">⁶</span>

אלא אמר רבא הכי קאמר האומר על תינוק בין הבנים בכור הוא נאמן כר' יהודה ור' יוחנן אמר אינו נאמן כרבנן:

and R. Johanan said that he was not to be trusted, in accordance with [the view of] the Rabbis.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 127b. ');">⁶</span> R. Abba sent to R. Joseph b. Hama: If one said, 'Let my wife receive [a share in my estate] as [any] one of [my] sons,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In addition to her kethubah or marriage settlement; or (with her consent) in lieu of it. ');">⁷</span>

שלח ליה ר' אבא לרב יוסף בר חמא האומר תטול אשתי כאחד מן הבנים נוטלת כאחד מן הבנים אמר רבא ובנכסים של עכשיו ובבנים הבאין לאחר מכאן:

she is to receive [a share] like [any] one of the sons. Raba said: But [only] in the property [which he had in his possession] at that time,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'of now', i.e., at the time he gave his instructions. She receives no share in any property that he acquires afterwards. ');">⁸</span> and among the sons who may appear subsequently.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if the number of sons had increased, she is to receive a smaller share, the estate being divided in accordance with the number of heirs (all the sons and the widow) that are alive at the time of the distribution, not according to the number at the time the will was made. ');">⁹</span>

שלח ליה רבי אבא לרב יוסף בר חמא המוציא שטר חוב על חבירו מלוה אומר לא נפרעתי כלום ולוה אומר פרעתי מחצה והעדים מעידין שפרע כולו הרי זה נשבע וגובה מחצה מנכסים בני חורין אבל ממשועבדין לא דאמרי אנן אעדים סמכינן

R. Abba sent to R. Joseph b. Hama: [In the case when] one produces a bond of indebtedness against another, and the lender states, 'I received no payment at all', and the borrower pleads, 'I have paid a half', while witnesses testify that all [the debt] was paid, that [borrower] must take an oath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he repaid half the debt, in accordance with the law that the admission of part of a money claim, carries an oath on the remaining sum; v. B.M. 4a. ');">¹⁰</span> and the [lender] collects the [other] half from [the borrower's] free property but not from [that] which has been disposed of,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., either sold or mortgaged. ');">¹¹</span>

ואפי' לר' עקיבא דאמר משיב אבדה הוי הני מילי היכא דליכא עדים אבל היכא דאיכא עדים אירתותי אירתת

for [the buyers or the creditors] can say, 'We rely upon the witness.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who testified that all the debt was paid. The admission of the borrower, they may claim, is due to collusion with the creditor to deprive them of their land. ');">¹²</span> And even [according] to R. Akiba, who said [that he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who admits part of the claim but more than can be proved against him. ');">¹³</span>

מתקיף לה מר בר רב אשי אדרבה אפי' לר' שמעון בן אלעזר דאמר מודה מקצת הטענה הוי הני מילי היכא דליכא עדים דקא מסייעי ליה אבל היכא דאיכא עדים דקא מסייעי ליה ודאי משיב אבדה הוי

is to be treated in the same way as] one who returns a lost object,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And need not, therefore, take an oath. ');">¹⁴</span> these words [apply only to the case] where there are no witnesses, but where there are witnesses [his admission may be due to the fact that] he is simply afraid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That they might testify against him. Hence, in such a case, even R. Akiba agrees that the borrower must take an oath. ');">¹⁵</span>

דרש מר זוטרא משמיה דרב שימי בר אשי הלכתא בכל הני שמעתתא כדשלח ליה רבי אבא לרב יוסף בר חמא אמר ליה רבינא לרב אשי דר"נ מאי א"ל אין גובין מתנינן לה וכן אר"נ

Mar son of R, Ashi pointed out a difficulty: On the contrary, even [according] to R. Simeon b. Eleazar who said,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In his dispute with R. Akiba. ');">¹⁶</span> [in the case mentioned, that] he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 535, n. 9. ');">¹⁷</span>

ואלא הלכתא לאפוקי מאי

is [to he treated as] one who admits part of the claim, these words, [it may be argued, are applicable only to the case] where there are no witnesses who support him, but where there are witnesses who support him, he [should] certainly [be treated as] one who returns a lost object!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How, then, could R. Abba subject the borrower in our case to an oath. ');">¹⁸</span> Mar Zutra taught in the name of R. Shimi b. Ashi: The law in [the case of] all these reported statements [is] in accordance with [the messages] which R. Abba sent to R. Joseph b. Hama. Rabina said to R. Ashi: What [about the law] of R. Nahman?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Regarding the seizure of slaves, supra. In civil matters the law is always in accordance with R. Nahman's views, while here it has been stated that the law is in accordance with R. Abba's message. How, then, is one to reconcile the laws of R. Nahman and R. Abba, which are mutually contradictory? ');">¹⁹</span> He replied to him: We learnt that [message of R. Abba as], 'they may not be seized', and so said R. Nahman.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The two views are not contradictory, but identical. ');">²⁰</span> What, then, does [the declaration of] the law exclude?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The declaration cannot have for its object the mere statement of the law regarding the seizure of slaves. Since that is obvious from the fact that R. Nahman and R. Abba hold the same opinion, there was no need to state it. ');">²¹</span>