Bava Batra 328:1

והלא אינו דומה זמנו של זה לזמנו של זה פשוט מלך שנה מונין לו שנה שתים מונין לו שתים מקושר מלך שנה מונין לו שתים שתים מונין לו ג'

Surely. the date of the one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹</span> [deed] is not like that of the other;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹</span> [for in the case of] a Plain [deed], the first completed year of a king's reign<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he reigned a year'. ');">²</span> is counted as his first,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a year'. ');">³</span>

וזימנין דיזיף מיניה זוזי במקושר ומיתרמי ליה זוזי ביני ביני ופרע ליה וא"ל הב לי שטראי ואמר ליה אירכס לי וכתב ליה תברא

[and] the second completed year<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'two'. ');">⁴</span> as his second;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'two'. ');">⁴</span> [while in the case of] a folded [one], the first year of a king's reign<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he reigned a year'. ');">²</span> is counted as his second,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'two'. ');">⁴</span>

וכי מטי זמניה משוי ליה פשוט וא"ל הני השתא דיזפת מינאי

the second as his third;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deeds were dated according to the year of the reigning sovereign, folded deeds were post-dated by adding one year to the reign of the ruling king. Hence the same date (e.g. 'the fourth year of King X') on a plain and a folded deed would represent a difference of a full year. [The extra year was probably obtained by reckoning the period elapsing between the day of the king's accession to the throne and the end of the civil year as a full year. Cf. R.H. 2b: 'If a king ascends the throne on the 29th Adar, as soon as 1st Nisan comes, it is counted for him as one year.' This practice in vogue among Persians and Babylonians was adopted by the Romans after the days of Trajan, when the years of emperors were counted from 10th December. V. Fischer, L., Jahrb. d. Jud. Lit. Gesel. IX, 67ff; and Bornstein, Sokolow's [H] 184 ff.] ');">⁵</span> and sometimes [it may happen] that [a person] might borrow money from another<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from him'. ');">⁶</span> on a folded [deed] and, in the meantime,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between the date on the folded deed and the corresponding date on a plain deed, i.e., during the one year's interval. ');">⁷</span> he might obtain funds and repay him, but [when] requesting the return of his deed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and say to him: give me my deed'. ');">⁸</span>

קא סבר אין כותבין שובר

[the creditor] might reply to him, 'I lost it', and would write out for him [instead], a receipt; and when the time of its payment<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'its time'. ');">⁹</span> arrived, he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The creditor. ');">¹⁰</span> might convert it [into] a plain [deed] and say to him, 'You borrowed from me now'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., after the date of the receipt. By converting the folded, into a plain deed, its date is moved a full year forward, and the receipt is thus made to appear as having been given prior to the loan. The creditor is, consequently, in a position to assert that the receipt was given for a previous loan, and to claim payment for the loan recorded on the deed. How, then, in view of such possible fraud, could R. Hanina allow the conversion of a folded, into a plain deed? ');">¹¹</span> — He holds the view that a receipt is not written.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the creditor cannot produce and return the deed he is not entitled to the re-payment of his debt. ');">¹²</span>

ומי בקי רבי במקושר והא ההוא מקושר דאתא לקמיה דרבי ואמר רבי שטר מאוחר זה וא"ל זונין לרבי כך מנהגה של אומה זו מלך שנה מונין לו שתים שתים מונין לו שלש

Was Rabbi, however, familiar with [the dating of] a folded [deed]? Surely, once a certain folded [deed] was brought<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'that came'. ');">¹³</span> before Rabbi who remarked, 'This is post-dated',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A year later than the current year. ');">¹⁴</span> and Zonin said to him, 'Such is the practice of this nation: [If a king] reigned a [full] year they count it as his second year;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'two'. ');">¹⁵</span> [if] two [years], they count them as his third<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'three'. ');">¹⁶</span>

בתר דשמעה מזונין סברה

[year]'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This shows that Rabbi did not know that folded deeds were dated a year later than ordinary ones. How, then, could he raise the objection against R. Hanina, supra, which shows that he knew that the dating of one kind of deed was different from that of the other? ');">¹⁷</span> — After he heard it from Zonin he knew it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And it was then that he, raised the objection. ');">¹⁸</span> In a certain [plain] deed there occurred the [following] date:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'written'. ');">¹⁹</span> 'In the year<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not specifying which year. ');">²⁰</span>

ההוא שטרא דהוה כתב ביה בשנת פלוני ארכן א"ר חנינא בדק אימתי עמד ארכן בארכנותיה

of the archon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. [G]. ');">²¹</span> X'. Said R. Hanina: Let enquiry be made when [that] archon assumed office.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'when archon stood in his archonship'; and that year is to be regarded as the date of the document. If such a deed relates to a loan, the creditor is entitled to seize any of the creditor's lands that were sold or mortgaged after that date. ');">²²</span> Might he [not on that date] have been in office for some years?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'that his reign was long'. ');">²³</span> — R. Hoshaia replied, 'Such is the practice of this nation: [In the] first year they call him, "archon", [in the] second they call him, digon.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [G] (born a second time), 'second term in office', iterum consul; the deed, since the title of 'archon' was used in it, must have been written in his first year of office. ');">²⁴</span>

ודלמא דאריך מלכותיה אמר רב הושעיא כך מנהגה של אומה זו שנה ראשונה קורין לו ארכן שניה קורין לו דיגון

Is it not possible that he was deposed and re-appointed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And thus assumed the title of 'archon', a second time. Since there may have been a difference of some years between the first and second archonship, and since the deed may have been written in the second, how could R. Hanina decide that the year of the first archonship was to be regarded as the date of the deed? ');">²⁵</span> — R. Jeremiah replied: [In] such [a case] he is designated, 'archon-digon'. Our Rabbis taught: [In the case where a person said.] 'I am to be a nazarite',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If no period has been specified the term is thirty days. ');">²⁶</span> Symmachus said, [if he added], hena<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [G] acc. of [G], 'one'. ');">²⁷</span>

ודלמא עבורי עברוהו והדר אוקמוהו אמר ר' ירמיה ההוא ארכן דיגון קראו ליה

[he must observe] one [term];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of thirty days. Cf. previous note but one. ');">²⁸</span> [if he added], digon [he must observe] two terms;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each of thirty days. ');">²⁹</span> trigon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. [G] 'for the third time'. ');">³⁰</span> three [terms];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each of thirty days. ');">²⁹</span>

ת"ר הריני נזיר (הינא) סומכוס אמר הינא אחת דיגון שתים טריגון ג' טטריגון ארבע פנטיגון חמש

tetragon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. [G] 'for the fourth time'. ');">³¹</span> four [terms]; pentagon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. [G] 'for the fifth time'. ');">³²</span> five [terms].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. Nazir, I, Nazir 8b. ');">³³</span> Our Rabbis taught: A circular, two cornered, three cornered, and five cornered<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. p. 715. n. 12, and the previous three notes but one. ');">³⁴</span>

תנו רבנן בית עגול דיגון טריגון פנטיגון אינו מטמא בנגעים טטריגון מטמא בנגעים

house is not subject to uncleanness from [house] plagues;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. XIV, 34ff. ');">³⁵</span> a four-cornered house is subject to uncleanness from [such] plagues. Whence is this inferred?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'whence these words', that a four-cornered house only is subject to the laws mentioned. ');">³⁶</span> — for our Rabbis taught: Above it is said, [instead of] 'wall', walls,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 37. The plur. is used where the sing. would have been more appropriate. ');">³⁷</span> [signifying] two;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plural, walls, signifies a minimum of two. ');">³⁸</span>

מנא הני מילי דתנו רבנן למעלה אומר (ויקרא יד, לז) קיר קירות שתים למטה אומר קיר קירות שתים הרי כאן ארבע

below<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 39. ');">³⁹</span> [also]. [instead of] 'wall', it is said, walls,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 39. ');">³⁹</span> [which similarly signifies] two, thus making a total of<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'behold here'. ');">⁴⁰</span> four [walls].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., four cornered. Cf. supra, II. 11. ');">⁴¹</span>

ההוא מקושר דאתא לקמיה דרבי ואמר רבי אין זמן בזה א"ל ר' שמעון ב"ר לרבי שמא בין קשריו מובלע פלייה וחזייה הדר חזא ביה רבי בבישות א"ל לאו אנא כתבתיה ר' יהודה חייטא כתביה א"ל כלך מלשון הרע הזה

A folded [deed] was once brought before Rabbi who remarked, 'There is no date on this [deed]'. [Thereupon], R. Simeon son of Rabbi said to Rabbi, 'It might be hidden between its folds'. [On] ripping [the seams] open he saw it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra 160b. ');">⁴²</span> Rabbi turned round [and] looked at him with displeasure.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbi probably believed R. Simeon to have written the deed, well knowing that he opposed the issue of folded deeds which were a constant source of errors. ');">⁴³</span> 'I did not write it', [said the other]. 'R. Judah Hayyata<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The tailor or a surname. ');">⁴⁴</span> wrote it'. Keep away from talebearing',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He should not have given the name of the writer but should have been content with disclaiming his own responsibility for the writing. ');">⁴⁵</span>

זימנין הוה יתיב קמיה וקא פסיק סידרא בספר תהלים אמר רבי כמה מיושר כתב זה אמר ליה לאו אנא כתבתיה יהודה חייטא כתביה א"ל כלך מלשון הרע הזה

[Rabbi] called to him. Once he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Simeon. ');">⁴⁶</span> was sitting in his<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbi's. ');">⁴⁷</span> presence when he finished a section of the Book of Psalms.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Thus R. Gersh. The expression [H] is, however, taken to denote (a) an exposition of a Biblical section (Rappaport, Erek millin s.v. [H]) or, (b) a reading of Biblical verses with due regard to the divisions between then, (Friedmann. Hakedem, I, 120)] ');">⁴⁸</span>

בשלמא התם איכא לשון הרע אלא הכא מאי לשון הרע איכא משום דרב דימי דתני רב דימי אחוה דרב ספרא לעולם אל יספר אדם בטובתו של חבירו שמתוך טובתו בא לידי רעתו

'How correct is this writing'? said Rabbi. 'I did not write it', replied the other, 'Judah Hayyata wrote it'. 'Keep away from tale-bearing'. [Rabbi] called to him. In the first case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'there', in the case of the deed which incurred Rabbi's displeasure. ');">⁴⁹</span> one can well understand [Rabbi's exhortation, since] there was slander; what tale-bearing, however, was there here?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In connection with the Book of Psalms which elicited Rabbi's praise. ');">⁵⁰</span> — Owing to [the teaching] of R. Dimi; for R. Dimi, brother of R. Safra, taught: A man should never speak in praise<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'good'. ');">⁵¹</span> of his friend, because by praise of him he brings about<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he comes'. ');">⁵²</span>

אמר רב עמרם אמר רב שלש עבירות אין אדם ניצול מהן בכל יום הרהור עבירה ועיון תפלה ולשון הרע לשון הרע סלקא דעתך

his blame.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'evil'. By pointing to a person's good actions or qualities attention is inevitably directed to his bad actions and qualities also. ');">⁵³</span> R. Amram said in the name of Rab: [There are] three transgressions which no man escapes for a single<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'every'. ');">⁵⁴</span> day: Sinful thought,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Usually applied to unchaste or immoral thoughts. ');">⁵⁵</span> calculation on [the results of] prayer,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] 'contemplation. Or speculation in prayer'. Hence either (a: as elsewhere), 'devotion in prayer' (cf. Pe'ah, I); Or (b: as here). 'speculation on the result of prayer', 'expectation of the immediate grant of one's request'. The offence lies in the presumption of the claim that God must answer prayer of any kind whatsoever; v. Abrahams, I., Pharisaism and Gospels, II, 78ff. ');">⁵⁶</span> and slander.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Lit., 'evil speech'. ');">⁵⁷</span> 'Slander'? [How] could one imagine [such a thing]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely it is quite possible to avoid slandering one's fellows! ');">⁵⁸</span>