Bava Batra 78

Chapter 78

א לית בה משום לישנא בישא מ"ד בפני שנים לית ליה דרבה בר רב הונא ומ"ד בפני ג' אית ליה דרבה בר רב הונא
1 do not constitute slander?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'evil tongue'. For the essence of the 'evil tongue' is that the remarks made should not come to the ears of the person disparaged, but if they are made in the presence of three persons they are pretty sure to come to his knowledge. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב לא דכולי עלמא אית להו דרבה בר רב הונא והכא בהא קא מיפלגי מ"ד בפני שנים קסבר מחאה שלא בפניו לא הויא מחאה ומ"ד בפני ג' קסבר מחאה שלא בפניו הויא מחאה
2 The one who says that a protest can be made in the presence of two persons [R. Hiyya bar Abba], we would say, does not accept the dictum of Rabbah son of R. Huna,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he holds that even if made in the presence of only two persons a statement will come to the ears of the person concerned; hence it is sufficient for the owner to make his protest in the presence of two persons. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג אי בעית אימא דכ"ע מחאה שלא בפניו הויא מחאה והכא בהא קמיפלגי מ"ד בפני ב' סבר סהדותא בעינן ומאן דאמר בפני ג' קסבר גלויי מילתא בעינן
3 while the one who says that three persons must be present [R. Abbahu] does accept it? — No; both accept the dictum of Rabbah son of R. Huna, and the essential difference between them here is this: the one who says that the protest may be made in the presence of two persons is of opinion that a protest made not in the presence of the occupier is no protest,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the question of publicity does not arise, and the two persons are needed only to act as witnesses that the protest has been made by the owner to the occupier. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד גידל בר מניומי הוה ליה מחויאתה למחויי אשכחינהו לרב הונא ולחייא בר רב ולרב חלקיה בר טובי דהוו יתבי ומחה קמייהו לשנה הדר אתא למחויי אמרו ליה לא צריכת הכי אמר רב כיון שמיחה שנה ראשונה שוב אינו צריך למחות ואיכא דאמרי אמר ליה חייא בר רב כיון שמיחה שנה ראשונה שוב אין צריך למחות
4 whereas the one who says that three persons must be present is of opinion that a protest made not in the presence of the occupier is valid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence three persons most be present at such a protest to ensure that sufficient publicity is given to it. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה אר"ל משום בר קפרא וצריך למחות בסוף כל ג' וג' תהי בה רבי יוחנן וכי גזלן יש לו חזקה גזלן ס"ד אלא כגזלן יש לו חזקה
5 Alternatively we may reply that both [R. Hiyya b. Abba and R. Abbahu] agree that a protest made not in the presence of the occupier is valid, and the point on which they join issue here is this, that the one who says the protest may be made in the presence of two persons considers that [what] we require [them for is] to provide evidence,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the protest has been duly made within the specified three years. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו אמר רבא הלכתא צריך למחות בסוף כל ג' וג' תני בר קפרא ערער חזר וערער חזר וערער אם מחמת טענה ראשונה ערער אין לו חזקה ואם לאו יש לו חזקה
6 while the one who holds that three persons must be present considers that [what] we require [them for is to ensure] that the matter should be bruited abroad.
ז אמר רבא א"ר נחמן מחאה בפני שנים
7 Giddal b. Minyumi had occasion to make a protest [against the occupation of some land of his]. He found R. Huna and Hiyya b. Rab and R. Hilkiah b. Tobi sitting together and made his protest in their presence. A year later he again came to make a protest. They said to him: This is not necessary. Rab has laid down distinctly that if the owner makes a protest in the first year he need not repeat it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Within the next three years, v. infra. ');"><sup>6</sup></span> (According to another report, Hiyya b. Rab said to him: Since the owner made a protest in the first year he need not repeat it.) Resh Lakish said in the name of Bar Kappara: It is necessary to repeat the protest every three years. R. Johanan found this dictum very surprising. Can a robber, he said, obtain a title from continued occupation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the rightful owner neglects to protest within a given time. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> A robber, do you say? What you should rather say is 'Can one who is like a robber<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he pleads that he had a deed of purchase and lost it, he can hardly be put on the same footing as a robber. On the other hand, since he cannot produce the deed and continues to occupy the land after the former owner's protest, he is like a robber. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> obtain a title from continued occupation?' Raba said: The law is that the owner must make a protest at the end of every three years. Bar Kappara taught: If an owner protests [against the occupation of his land] and [after an interval] repeats his protest a second and a third time,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'repeats his protest and repeats his protest'. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> if he [always] adheres to his first plea the occupation confers no title, but if he does not then it does confer a title.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if he says on the first occasion 'so-and-so is robbing me of my field,' and on the second occasion 'so-and-so has only taken this field from me on mortgage, not purchased it,' this being a virtual admission that his first plea was false. Hence neither plea is accepted, and the occupier is entitled to the land. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> Raba said in the name of R. Nahman: A protest [against the occupation of property] must be made in the presence of two persons