Bava Kamma 226

שלא ימשכנו ויצא יכול יגלום עליו ת"ל (ויקרא כה, נ) וחשב עם קונהו ידקדק עם קונהו

which implies that he could not withdraw and leave him [without paying the redemption money]. You might then say that he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The heathen master. ');">¹</span> may demand an exorbitant sum for him? No, since it says: <i>And he shall reckon with him that bought him</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid, 50. ');">²</span>

אמר רב יוסף לא קשיא הא בכנעני הא בגר תושב

to emphasise that he must be very precise in making the valuation with him who had bought him.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Now does this not conclusively prove that the robbery of whomsoever, without any exception, is a crime? ');">³</span> — Said R. Joseph: There is no difficulty, here [where the exception is made it refers] only to a heathen, whereas there [is indeed no exception] in the case of a <i>Ger Toshab</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], Lit., 'a stranger-settler,' a resident alien of a different race and of a different religion, since he respects the covenant of the law made by God with all the children of Noah, i.e., the Seven Commandments forming the elementary principles of civilised humanity, he is a citizen enjoying all the rights and privileges of civil law. ');">⁴</span>

אמר ליה אביי והא תרוייהו גבי הדדי כתיבי לא לך אלא לגר שנאמר (ויקרא כה, מז) לגר ולא לגר צדק אלא לגר תושב שנאמר לגר תושב

But Abaye said to him: Are the two of them<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a Ger Toshab and a Canaanite. ');">⁵</span> not mentioned next to one another [so that neither forms an exception in the law],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Requiring a very accurate reckoning to repay the purchaser whether he was a Ger Toshab or a Canaanite. ');">⁶</span>

משפחת גר זה העובד כוכבים כשהוא אומר או לעקר זה הנמכר לעבודת כוכבים

as it says: <i>'Thy brother&nbsp;… sell himself'</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 47. ');">⁷</span> [implying,] not to you but to a stranger, as it says: <i>'Unto the stranger'</i>; again, not to a <i>Ger zedek</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a stranger (who embraced the faith) of righteousness, 1.e., a proselyte for the sake of true religion. ');">⁸</span>

אלא אמר רבא לא קשיא כאן בגזילו וכאן בהפקעת הלוואתו

but to a mere <i>Ger Toshab</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], Lit., 'a stranger-settler,' a resident alien of a different race and of a different religion, since he respects the covenant of the law made by God with all the children of Noah, i.e., the Seven Commandments forming the elementary principles of civilised humanity, he is a citizen enjoying all the rights and privileges of civil law. ');">⁴</span> as it says <i>'unto a stranger-settler'</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'Unto the stranger or sojourner.' ');">⁹</span>

א"ל אביי עבד עברי הפקעת הלוואתו הוא רבא לטעמיה דאמר רבא עבד עברי גופו קנוי

'the family of a stranger': this denotes one who worships idols, and when it says or to an 'Eker'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'or to the stock of', but taken here literally to denote work of destruction and uprooting; cf. Gen. XLIX, 6; Josh. XI, 6 and 9 and Eccl. III, 2. ');">¹⁰</span> it means that the person in question sold himself for idolatrous practices!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.M. (Sonc. ed.) p. 71a and notes. Now, does this not prove that nobody whatsoever, whether a resident alien or a heathen, is excepted from being protected by the law of robbery? ');">¹¹</span>

אמר רב ביבי בר גידל אמר ר"ש חסידא גזל כנעני אסור אבידתו מותרת גזילו אסור דאמר רב הונא מנין לגזל הכנעני שהוא אסור שנאמר (דברים ז, טז) ואכלת את כל העמים אשר ה' אלהיך נותן לך בזמן שהן מסורים בידך ולא בזמן שאינם מסורין בידך

— Raba therefore said: There is no difficulty, as regarding robbery there is indeed no exception, whereas regarding the cancellation of debts [a heathen might not have been included]. Abaye rejoined to him: Is not the purchase of a Hebrew slave<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Having to pay redemption money, as in Lev. XXV, 50. ');">¹²</span> merely the cancellation of a debt, [and yet no distinction whatsoever is made as to the person of the master]? — &nbsp; &nbsp; Raba adheres to his own view as [elsewhere] stated by Raba, that a Hebrew slave is actually owned in his body by the master.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kid. 16a. [To withdraw therefore the slave without payment of redemption money amounts to actual robbery.] ');">¹³</span>

אבידתו מותרת דאמר רב חמא בר גורי' אמר רב מנין לאבידת הכנעני שהיא מותרת שנאמר (דברים כב, ג) לכל אבדת אחיך לאחיך אתה מחזיר ואי אתה מחזיר לכנעני

R. Bibi b. Giddal said that R. Simeon the pious stated: The robbery of a heathen is prohibited,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.M. 87b and Bk. 13b; v. also Tosef. B.K. X, 8 where it is stated that it is more criminal to rob a Canaanite than to rob an Israelite; cf. P.M. II, 5. ');">¹⁴</span> though an article lost by him is permissible. His robbery is prohibited, for R. Huna said: Whence do we learn that the robbery of a heathen is prohibited? Because it says: <i>'And thou shalt consume all the peoples that the Lord thy God shall deliver unto thee'</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VII, 16. ');">¹⁵</span>

ואימא הני מילי היכא דלא אתי לידיה דלא מחייב לאהדורי בתרה אבל היכא דאתי לידיה אימא ליהדרה אמר רבינא (דברים כב, ג) ומצאתה דאתאי לידיה משמע: תניא ר' פנחס בן יאיר אומר במקום שיש חילול השם אפי' אבידתו אסור

only in the time [of war] when they were delivered in thy hand [as enemies] this is permitted, whereas this is not so in the time [of peace] when they are not delivered in thy hand [as enemies]. <font>His lost article is permissible</font>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it is not subject to the law of lost property; Deut. XXII, 1-3. V.B.M. (Sonc. ed.) p. 149, n. 6. ');">¹⁶</span> for R. Hama b. Guria said that Rab stated: Whence can we learn that <font>the lost article of a heathen is permissible</font>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXII, 1-3. ');">¹⁷</span>

אמר שמואל טעותו מותרת כי הא דשמואל זבן מכותי לקנא דדהבא במר דפרזלא בד' זוזי ואבלע ליה חד זוזא

Because it says: <i>And with all lost thing of thy brother's</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 3. ');">¹⁸</span> <font>it is to your brother that you make restoration</font>, but <font>you need not make restoration to a heathen</font>. But why not say that this applies only where the lost article has not yet come into the possession of the finder, in which case he is under no obligation to look round for it, whereas if it had already entered his possession, why not say that he should return it. — Said Rabina:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.M. 2a. ');">¹⁹</span>

רב כהנא זבן מכותי מאה ועשרים חביתא במאה ואבלע ליה חד זוזא אמר ליה חזי דעלך קא סמיכנא רבינא זבן דיקלא הוא וכותי לצלחא א"ל לשמעיה קדם ואייתי מעיקרו דכותי מניינא ידע

And thou hast found it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 3. ');">¹⁸</span> surely implies that the lost article has already come into his<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the finder's. ');">²⁰</span>

רב אשי הוה קאזיל באורחא חזא שיבשא דגופנא בפרדיסא ותלי בה קיטופי דעינבי אמר ליה לשמעיה זיל חזי אי דכותי נינהו אייתי אי דישראל נינהו לא אייתי לי שמע ההוא כותי דהוה יתיב בפרדיסא אמר ליה דכותי שרי א"ל כותי שקיל דמי ישראל לא שקיל דמי

possession. It was taught: R. phinehas b. Yair said that <font>where there was a danger of causing a profanation of the Name</font>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of Israel and his God; V. The Chief Rabbi's commentary on Lev. XXII, 32. ');">²¹</span>

גופא אמר שמואל דינא דמלכותא דינא אמר רבא תדע דקטלי דיקלי וגשרי גישרי ועברינן עלייהו

even the retaining of a lost article of a heathen is a crime. <font>Samuel said: It is permissible</font>, however, <font>to benefit by his mistake as in the case when Samuel once bought of a heathen a golden bowl under the assumption of it being of copper<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. however n. 9. ');">²²</span></font> for four <i>zuz</i>, and <font>also left him minus one <i>zuz</i>. R. Kahana once bought of a heathen a hundred and twenty barrels which were &nbsp; &nbsp; supposed to be a hundred while he similarly left him minus one <i>zuz</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This clause is altogether missing in Alfasi and Asheri. ');">²³</span></font>

א"ל אביי ודלמא משום דאייאוש להו מינייהו מרייהו אמר ליה אי לא דינא דמלכותא דינא היכי מייאשי

and said to him: 'See that <font>I am relying upon you</font>.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As to the number of the barrels. ');">²⁴</span> Rabina together with a heathen bought a palm-tree to chop up [and divide]. He thereupon said to his attendant: <font>Quick, bring to me the parts near to the roots, for the heathen is interested only in the number</font> [but not in the quality].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the pieces. ');">²⁵</span>

והא לא קא עבדי כדאמר מלכא מלכא אמר זילו וקטלו מכל באגי ואינהו אזלו וקטלו מחד באגא

<font>R. Ashi was once walking on the road when he noticed branches of vines outside<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to the reading of MS.M. ');">²⁶</span></font> a vineyard upon which ripe clusters of grapes were hanging. He said to his attendant: 'Go and see, <font>if they belong to a heathen bring them to me,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Especially since the branches were outside the vineyard and thus probably overhanging a public road; cf. B.B. II, 14. ');">²⁷</span></font>

שלוחא דמלכא כמלכא ולא טרח ואינהו אפסיד אנפשייהו דאיבעי להו דאינקוט מכוליה באגי ומשקל דמי

but if to an Israelite do not bring them to me</font>.' The heathen happened to be then sitting in the vineyard and thus overheard this conversation, so he said to him: <font>'If of a heathen would they be permitted</font>?' — He replied: 'A heathen is usually prepared to [dispose of his grapes and] accept payment, whereas an Israelite is generally not prepared to [do so and] accept payment. The above text [stated], 'Samuel said: The law of the State is law.' Said Raba: You can prove this from the fact that the authorities fell palm-trees [<font>without the consent of the owners</font>] and construct bridges [with them] and we nevertheless make use of them by passing over them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For if the rulings of the State were not binding by religious law, it would have been a sin to make use of the bridges constructed in such a way. ');">²⁸</span>

אמר רבא מאן דמשתכח בבי דרי פרע מנתא דמלכא וה"מ שותפא אבל אריסא אריסותיה הוא דקא מפיק

But Abaye said to him: This is so perhaps because the proprietors have meanwhile abandoned their right in them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 382. ');">²⁹</span> He, however, said to him: If the rulings of the State had not the force of law, why should<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In accordance with the interpretation of Tosaf. a.l.; v. also supra 148; but according to Rashi read 'What effect could there be even if&nbsp;… 'so long as no change in possession followed. ');">³⁰</span>

ואמר רבא בר מתא אבר מתא מיעבט וה"מ דברלא ארעא וכרגא דהאי שתא אבל שתא דחליף הואיל ואפייס מלכא חליף

the proprietors abandon their right? Still, as the officers do not fully carry out the instructions of the ruler,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'King'. ');">³¹</span> since the ruler orders them to go and fell the trees from each valley [in equal proportion], and they come and fell them from one particular valley, [why then do we make use of the bridges which are thus constructed from misappropriated timber?] — The agent of the ruler is like the ruler himself<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Shebu. 47b. ');">³²</span>

ואמר רבא הני דדיירי דרי בתוך התחום אסור ליקח מהן מאי טעמא משום דמערבא חיותא דמתא בהדייהו

and can not be troubled [to arrange the felling in equal proportion], and it is the proprietors who bring this loss on themselves, since it was for them to have obtained contributions from the owners of all the valleys and handed over [the] money [to defray the public expenditure]. Raba said: He who is found in the barn must pay the king's share [for all the grain in the field].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the payment exacted is not robbery but in accordance with law; the payer will again be entitled to compel the owners of the other grain to share proportionately the payment he had to make for all of them. ');">³³</span>

חוץ לתחום מותר ליקח מהם אמר רבינא אם היו בעלים מרדפים אחריהם אפילו חוץ לתחום אסור

This statement applies only to a partner, whereas an <i>aris</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a farmer-tenant; a field labourer who tills the owner's ground for a certain share in the produce. ');">³⁴</span> has to pay no more than for the portion of his tenancy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But not for the portion of the owner. ');">³⁵</span>

מכריז רבא ואיתימא רב הונא דסלקין לעילא ודנחתין לתתא האי בר ישראל דידע סהדותא לכותי ולא תבעו מיניה ואזל ואסהיד ליה בדיני דכותי על ישראל חבריה משמתינן ליה מאי טעמא דאינהו מפקי ממונא

Raba further said: One citizen may be pledged for another citizen [of the same town], provided however the arrears are due for follerar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] = burla, i.e., a certain Roman land tax adopted by the Persians (Jast.). ');">³⁶</span> and karga<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., capitation tax; the reading of Alfasi is gizta, i.e., fleece. ');">³⁷</span> of the current year, whereas if they are due for the year that has already passed [it would not be so], for since the king has already been pacified, the matter will be allowed to slide. Raba further said: In the case of those [heathens] who manure fields [for pay] and reside within the Sabbath limits<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., two thousand cubits. ');">³⁸</span> [round the town], it is prohibited to purchase any animal from them, the reason being that an animal from the town might have been mixed up with theirs:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And it is unlawful to possess or purchase a misappropriated article even if mixed with many others; cf. Bz. 38b. ');">³⁹</span> but if they reside outside the Sabbath limits it is permitted to buy animals from them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For since they are so far away from the town it is not likely that an animal from the town has been mixed up with theirs. ');">⁴⁰</span> Rabina however said: If proprietors were pursuing them [for the restoration of misappropriated animals] it would be prohibited [to purchase an animal from them] even [were they to reside] outside the Sabbath limits. Raba proclaimed or as others say, R. Huna: [Let it be known to those] who go up to the Land of Israel and who come down from Babylonia that if a son of Israel knows some evidence for the benefit of a heathen, and without being called upon [by him] goes into a heathen court of law and bears testimony against a fellow Israelite he deserves to have a Shamta<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Oral anathema; cf. Glos. ');">⁴¹</span> pronounced against him, the reason being that heathens adjudicate the payment of money