Bava Metzia 126

מה לי הן ומה לי דמיהן אמרינן מה לי דמיהן ומה לי הן נמי אמרינן ופוסקין על שער שבשוק ואע"פ שאין לו

We reason, 'What is the difference between them themselves [sc. the crops] and their value?' we argue [conversely] too, 'What is the difference between their value and them themselves?' and [consequently] one may contract to supply [provisions] at the current market price even if he has none.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For, just as it is certainly permissible if he has the stock, so also when he has the money furnished by the purchaser to buy it, for there is no essential difference between stock and money. — In such passages the reference is to contracting ahead, when the crops are probably dearer. ');">¹</span>

איתיביה רב פפא ורב הונא בריה דרב יהושע לרבא כולם אם יש לו מותר אם אין לו אסור אמר להו התם הלואה הכא זביני

R. papa and R. Huna the son of R. Joshua objected to Raba's [statement]: In all these cases, if he possesses [these commodities], it is permitted; if not, it is forbidden!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Quoted from R. Oshaia's Baraitha. Whereas Raba permits it even if he has none. ');">²</span>

רבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו מאי טעמא אמרו רבנן פוסקין על שער שבשוק ואע"פ שאין לו דאמר ליה שקילא טיבותיך ושדייא אחיזרי מאי אהנית לי אי הוו לי זוזי בידי הוה מזבנינא בהיני ובשילי בזולא

— He answered them: There [the reference is to] a loan, here to a sale.

אמר ליה אביי לרב יוסף אלא מעתה מותר ללות סאה בסאה משום דמצי א"ל שקילא טיבותיך ושדייא אחיזרי דאמר ליה חטי דקדחי באכלבאי א"ל התם הלואה הכא זביני

Rabbah and R. Joseph both said: Why did the Rabbis rule, A man may contract to supply [provisions] at the current market price, even if he has none? Because he [the purchaser] can say to him [the vendor], 'Take your favours and throw them in the bush! How do you benefit me? Had I money, I could have bought cheaply in Hini and Shili.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [On Hini and Shili, v. B.B. (Sonc. ed.) p. 753, n. 6. There was the central corn market, which supplied corn throughout Northern Babylon, and where wheat was procurable at lower prices (v. Obermeyer, op. cit. p. 32). I.e., 'I could buy it there before the rise in prices,' and thus the purchaser derives no benefit by advancing the money to the seller. The question of usury consequently does not arise.] ');">³</span>

אמר ליה אדא בר אבא לרבא והא בעי למיתב זוזי לספסירא א"ל דקא יהיב ליה נמי רב אשי אמר זוזי דאינשי אינהו עבדי ליה ספסירותיה:

Abaye said to R. Joseph: If so, should it not be permitted to lend a <i>se'ah</i> for a <i>se'ah</i>, since he [the borrower] could say, Take your favours and throw them in the bush! For,' he could argue, 'would my wheat have gone to ruin in my granary?' — He replied: There it is a loan, here a purchase. R. Adda b. Abba said to Raba: But he would have to pay money to a broker!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By paying for the wheat beforehand the buyer saves the broker's fee, which he would have had to pay each time he wanted to make a purchase. This saving constitutes interest on his money. ');">⁴</span>

רבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו האי מאן דיהיב זוזי אתרעא חריפא צריך לאתחזויי לבי דרי

— He replied: He [the purchaser] must give that too to him. R. Ashi said: people's money is their broker.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if he can pay cash, he needs no intermediary. ');">⁵</span>

למאי אי למקנא הא לא קני אי לקבולי עליה מי שפרע כי לא מיתחזי נמי מקבל עליה מי שפרע

Rabbah and R. Joseph both said: He who advances money at the early market price<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Soon after the harvest, before trade commences in earnest and a general price is fixed, there is some desultory selling at a low price. Buying ahead at this price is also permitted if the vendor has supplies. ');">⁶</span>

לעולם לקבולי עליה מי שפרע ומאן דיהיב זוזי אתרעא [חריפא] לבי תרי תלתא יהיב אי מיתחזי ליה סמכא דעתיה ואי לא אמר ליה אמינא דאשכחת פירי דשפירי מדידי ושקלת

must [personally] appear at the granary. For what purpose? If to acquire it — but he does not thereby acquire it!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Merely by appearing there, but must draw it into his possession — perform meshika. ');">⁷</span>

אמר רב אשי השתא דאמרת משום מסמך דעתא אפילו אשכחיה בשוקא וא"ל סמכא דעתיה:

If that he [the vendor] may have to submit to [the curse], 'He who punished, etc.,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 44a. So here too: the vendor should be morally bound, though the purchaser has not formally acquired it. ');">⁸</span>

אמר רב נחמן כללא דרביתא כל אגר נטר ליה אסור ואמר רב נחמן האי מאן דיהיב זוזי לקיראה וקא אזלי ד' ד' וא"ל יהיבנא לך ה' ה' איתנהו גביה שרי ליתנהו גביה אסור

— even without his appearing there, he must submit thereto! — In truth, it is that he may submit to the curse; but he who advances money on an early market generally gives it to two or three people:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Presumably because the vendor would not accept a large order. ');">⁹</span>

פשיטא לא צריכא דאית ליה אשראי במתא מהו דתימא כיון דאית ליה אשראי במתא כעד שיבא בני או עד שאמצא מפתח דמי קמ"ל כיון דמחסרי גוביינא כמאן דליתנהו דמי:

hence, if he appears before him, [he shews] that he relies upon him [for supplies]; but if not, he [the vendor] can plead, 'I thought that you found better produce than mine, and bought it [intending that I should return your money].' R. Ashi said: Now that you say it is because of his relying upon him, then even if he met him in the market and said to him, ['I rely upon you',] he relies upon him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And thereby submits himself to the curse. ');">¹⁰</span>

ואמר רב נחמן האי מאן דאוזיף פשיטי מחבריה ואשכח ביה טופיינא אי בכדי שהדעת טועה מיחייב לאהדוריה ליה ואי לאו מתנה בעלמא הוא דיהיב ליה

R. Nahman said: The general principle of usury is: All payment for waiting [for one's money] is forbidden. R. Nahman also said: If one gives money to a wax merchant, when it is priced at four [standard measures per <i>zuz</i>], and he [the vendor] proposes,'I will supply you five [per <i>zuz</i>];'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If you accept it later, though paying the money now. ');">¹¹</span>

היכי דמי בכדי שהדעת טועה אמר רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף

if he possesses it, it is permitted; if not, it is forbidden. But this is obvious!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As various Baraithas have already stated. ');">¹²</span> — It is necessary [to teach this] only when he has [wax] credits in town:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he has already paid for stocks, which are now due to him. ');">¹³</span> I might think that in such a case it is as though [he had said, 'Lend me] until my son comes, or until I find the key:'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v. infra 75a; here too, I might regard it as being already in his possession, though temporarily inaccessible. ');">¹⁴</span> therefore he teaches, since it must yet be collected, it is as non-existent. R. Nahman also said: If one borrows money from his neighbour and found a surplus therein, if it is an amount about which there could be an error, he must return it; otherwise, it is simply a gift. When is it 'an amount about which there could be an error'? — R. Abba, the son of R. Joseph said: