Bava Batra 64

Chapter 64

א אמר ליה שטרא זייפא הוא גחין לחיש ליה לרבה אין שטרא זייפא הוא מיהו שטרא מעליא הוה לי ואירכס ואמינא אינקיט האי בידאי כל דהו
1 'It is a forged document,' said the first. On this the other leaned over to Rabbah and whispered to him, 'It is true that this is a forged document;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Possibly one not actually forged but referring to a fictitious sale. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב אמר רבה מה לו לשקר אי בעי אמר ליה שטרא מעליא הוא אמר ליה רב יוסף אמאי סמכת אהאי שטרא האי שטרא חספא בעלמא הוא
2 I had a proper deed but I lost it, so I thought it best to come into court with some sort of document.' Said Rabbah: What motive has he for telling a falsehood? If he had liked he could have said [without fear of contradiction] that the document was genuine. Said R. Joseph to him: On what do you base your decision? On this document? But this document is only a piece of clay!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since he has admitted as much, how can you say that 'if he had liked he could have said it was genuine'? ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג ההוא דאמר לחבריה הב לי מאה זוזי דמסיקנא בך והא שטרא א"ל שטרא זייפא הוא גחין לחיש ליה לרבה אין שטרא זייפא מיהו שטרא מעליא הוה לי ואירכס ואמינא אינקיט האי בידאי כל דהו
3 A certain man said to another, 'Pay me the hundred <i>zuz</i> that I am claiming from you; here is the bond.' Said the other: 'It is a forged bond.' The first thereupon leaned over and whispered to Rabbah, 'It is true the bond is forged, but I had a genuine bond and lost it, so I thought it best to come into court with some sort of document.' Rabbah thereupon said: What motive has he for telling a falsehood? If he had liked, he could have said that it is a genuine bond. Said R. Joseph to him: On what do you base your decision? On this document? But this document is only a piece of clay. R. Idi b. Abin said: The accepted ruling follows the view of Rabbah in the case of the land<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the defendant produces the forged document. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד אמר רבה מה לו לשקר אי בעי אמר ליה שטרא מעליא הוא א"ל רב יוסף אמאי קא סמכת אהאי שטרא האי שטרא חספא בעלמא הוא
4 and that of R. Joseph in the case of the money.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the claimant produces the forged document. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה אמר רב אידי בר אבין הלכתא כוותיה דרבה בארעא והלכתא כוותיה דרב יוסף בזוזי הלכתא כרבה בארעא דהיכא דקיימא ארעא תיקום והלכתא כוותיה דרב יוסף בזוזי דהיכא דקיימי זוזי לוקמי:
5 It follows the view of Rabbah in the case of the land, because [we say,] Let the land remain in its present owner ship;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'where it stands'. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו ההוא ערבא דאמר ליה ללוה הב לי מאה זוזי דפרעתי למלוה עילוך והא שטרא אמר ליה לאו פרעתיך אמר לאו הדרת שקלתינהו מינאי
6 and that of R. Joseph in the case of the money, because we again say, Let the money remain in its present ownership.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since there is a doubt to whom it belongs. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז שלחה רב אידי בר אבין לקמיה דאביי כי האי גוונא מאי שלח ליה אביי מאי תיבעי ליה הא איהו דאמר הלכתא כוותיה דרבה בארעא והלכתא כוותיה דרב יוסף בזוזי דהיכא דאוקמו זוזי לוקמו
7 A certain [man who had gone] surety for a borrower said to him, 'Give me the hundred <i>zuz</i> which I paid the lender on your behalf; here is your bond.' Said the other, 'Did I not pay you?' He rejoined, 'Did you not borrow the money from me again?' R. Idi b. Abin [before whom the case came] sent a message to Abaye [enquiring] as to the ruling for such a case.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., which he should believe. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ח והני מילי דא"ל הדרת אוזפתינהו מינאי אבל א"ל הדרתינהו ניהלך מחמת דהוו שייפי וסומקי אכתי איתיה לשעבודא דשטרא
8 Abaye sent him back answer: What do you want to know?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Following reading of Rashb. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ט רבא בר שרשום נפק עליה קלא דקא אכיל ארעא דיתמי א"ל אביי אימא לי איזי גופא דעובדא היכי הוה אמר ליה ארעא במשכונתא הוה נקיטנא מאבוהון דיתמי והוה לי
9 Did you not yourself say that the accepted ruling is that of Rabbah in the case of the land and of R. Joseph in the case of the money, namely, that the money should remain In Its present ownership?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The bond after it has been honoured is regarded by Abaye as on the same footing as the 'forged' bond mentioned above. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> This, however, holds good only if the surety said to the other, 'After repaying, you again borrowed the money from me.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the previous transaction was now closed, and the bond no longer had any force. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> If, however, he says, 'I returned it to you because the coins were worn or rusty,' the obligation of the bond still remains. It was rumoured of Raba b. Sharshom that he was using for himself land that belonged to orphans [for whom he was trustee]. So Abaye sent for him and said to him: Tell me now the main facts of the case. He said: I took over this land from the father of the orphans as a mortgage [for money that he owed me], and he owed me