Bava Metzia 145

ברשות מוכר מותר ברשות לוקח אסור

if the vendor retains the title thereto, it is permitted; if the vendee, it is forbidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if the vendor bears the risk of carriage thither, it is not a loan, the vendee really selling it there on his behalf, and hence permitted. But if the vendee assumes responsibility, it immediately passes into his possession, and he is indebted for its value as a loan. Hence, since he repays more than it is worth where he receives it, it is usury. ');">¹</span> If he was transporting provisions from place to place, when his neighbour met him and proposed, 'Let me have them, and I will supply you [later] with provisions that I have there,' if he actually possesses provisions there, it is permitted;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For it is as though they were immediately transferred to the lender, and if they appreciate, it is the lender's which appreciates. ');">²</span>

המוליך פירות ממקום למקום מצאו חבירו ואמר לו תנם לי ואני אעלה לך פירות שיש לי באותו מקום אם יש לו פירות באותו מקום מותר ואם לאו אסור והחמרין מעלים במקום היוקר כבמקום הזול ואינן חוששין

if not, it is forbidden. But carriers<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'ass drivers.' ');">³</span> supply in the dearer place at the prices of the cheaper,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They receive money in the dearer place to supply provisions at a later date at the lower price of elsewhere. ');">⁴</span>

מאי טעמא רב פפא אמר ניחא להו דמגלו להו תרעא רב אחא בריה דרב איקא אמר ניחא להו דמוזלי גבייהו

without fear [of incurring the guilt of usury]. Why? — R. Papa said: They are satisfied by being informed of the market price.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For through the ready money they thus have in hand they are recognised as traders and receive credit, and this is ample repayment for their labour of bringing the provisions at their risk from one place to another (Rashi). Tosaf. in name of R. Han.: They are satisfied by being kept informed, by those who advance them money, of any rise in the market price in the dearer place during their absence, and thus aided in their sales. ');">⁵</span> R. Aha the son of R. Ika said: They are satisfied with the extra discount they receive.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In consideration of the fact that they supply the produce in the dearer place at cheap rates.] ');">⁶</span>

מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו תגרא חדתא

Wherein do they differ? — In respect of a new trader.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if the carrier has only just begun to trade thus. On the first view, that it is permitted because they are satisfied to be known as merchants and receive credit, it is permitted here too, since the same reason operates; (according to Tosaf., being new traders and inexperienced in price fluctuations, they are sufficiently compensated by being informed thereon). But on the second view, being new, they lack the farmer's confidence, who may not believe that they are supplying the produce in the dear place at cheap rates, and hence receive no additional discount. Therefore the transaction is forbidden, for his labour of carriage is merely on account of the money advanced, and thus partakes of the nature of usury. ');">⁷</span> In Sura four [se'ahs] went [to the <i>zuz</i>]; in Kafri,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [South of Sura, Obermeyer, op. cit., p. 316.] ');">⁸</span>

בסורא אזלי ארבעה ארבעה בכפרי אזלן שיתא שיתא יהיב רב זוזי לחמרי וקביל עליה אונסא דאורחא ושקיל מינייהו חמשה ונשקול שיתא אדם חשוב שאני

six. So Rab gave money to the carrier,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To bring the produce from Kafri. ');">⁹</span> accepted himself the risks of carriage, and received five [se'ahs per <i>zuz</i>]. But why not take six?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As above; the more so in that since he accepted the risks of the road, it was an ordinary purchase. ');">¹⁰</span>

בעא מיניה ר' אסי מר' יוחנן מהו לעשות בגרוטאות כן א"ל ביקש ר' ישמעאל ברבי יוסי לעשות כן בכלי פשתן ולא הניחו רבי איכא דאמרי ביקש רבי לעשות בגרוטאות כן ולא הניחו ר' ישמעאל בר' יוסי

— For a man of great repute it is different.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He must be more considerate. ');">¹¹</span> R. Assi propounded of R. Johanan: May this be done with small ware?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Does the above law of carriers hold good for all merchandise, or only for wheat? For it may be argued that the two reasons stated apply only to wheat, in which there are frequent price fluctuations and a constant demand. But in other merchandise the prices are more stable, which disposes of the first reason as explained by Tosaf., and the demand is less constant, and hence he is not likely to receive a greater discount, for the demand having been satisfied, it will not recur for a considerable time; nor is he, for the same reason, likely to receive recognition as a trader. ');">¹²</span>

פרדיסא רב אסר ושמואל שרי רב אסר כיון דלקמיה שויא טפי מיתחזי כי אגר נטר ליה ושמואל שרי כיון דהוי ביה תיוהא לא מיחזי כי אגר נטר ליה

— He replied: R. Ishmael son of R. Jose wished to do so with linen garments, but was not allowed by Rabbi. Others say, Rabbi wished to do so with small ware, but R. Ishmael son of R. Jose did not allow him. An orchard:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: 'vineyard'. I.e., to advance money at a fixed price for the fruits of the orchard before they are ripe, to be delivered when ripe. The fixed price is naturally less than that of ripe fruit. ');">¹³</span>

אמר רב שימי בר חייא ומודי רב בתורי דנפיש פסידייהו

Rab forbade it; Samuel permitted it. Rab forbade it: Since it is worth more later on, it looks like payment for waiting.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 63b. ');">¹⁴</span> Samuel permitted it: Since there may be cause for regret,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the orchard is smitten with hail, or the plants with disease, the risks of which are borne by the purchaser. [Others: 'a mishap may befall it.] ');">¹⁵</span>

אמר להו שמואל להנהו דשבשי שבשא הפוכו בארעא כי היכי דקני לכו גופא דארעא ואי לא הויא לכו כהלואה ואסור

it does not look like payment for waiting.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But as a speculation. He may (and probably will) receive more than his money's worth, but on the other hand he may lose it. ');">¹⁶</span> R. Shimi b. Hiyya said: But Rab agrees [where the ploughing is done] with [the aid of] oxen, since great loss is caused.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 30a top. Hence there is a greater element of risk which converts it into a speculation. [Tosaf.: Cattle breeders (who buy the offspring before it is born) since the risks are great.] ');">¹⁷</span>

אמר להו רבא להנהו דמנטרי באגי פוקו הפוכו בבי דרי כי היכי דלא תשתלם שכירות דידכו עד ההיא שעתא דשכירות אינה משתלמת אלא בסוף וההיא שעתא אוזולי דקא מוזלי גבייכו

Samuel said to those who advance seed grain to be returned in new grain:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi and Jast. Tosaf.: who advance money for loads of faggots, to be delivered at vintage time. Lit., 'who cut grapes or branches.' ');">¹⁸</span> Busy yourselves<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'turn over.' ');">¹⁹</span>

אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא קא אכיל מר רבית דכולי עלמא שקלי ארבעה ומסלקי לאריסא בניסן מר נטר להו עד אייר ושקיל שיתא

in the field, that ye may have a title to the soil itself;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On which the grain grows; hence the grain, or, as Tosaf. interprets, the growing faggots are already yours. To do some work in a field was a method of obtaining a title thereto. ');">²⁰</span> for if not, it will be accounted as a loan to you, and forbidden.

אמר להו אתון קא עבדיתון שלא כדין ארעא לאריס משתעבד אי אתון מסלקיתו להו בניסן מפסידתו להו בכמה אנא נטרנא להו עד אייר ומרווחנא להו בכמה

Raba advised those who keep watch over the cornfields: Go out and find some occupation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'turn over.' ');">²¹</span> in the barn, that your wages may not be payable until then;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., until you have finished those self-imposed tasks. ');">²²</span> since wages are not payable until the end [of one's task], and it is only then that they make you the gift.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'remit in your favour' (what they pay you over and above the stipulated wage). These watchers were not paid until the corn was winnowed, though wages were due to them immediately after harvesting; but in consideration thereof they were given something above their due. Now this has the appearance of interest, therefore Raba advised them to find some small tasks in the barn, so that their wages should not be legally payable until they actually received them, in which case the 'tip' would be a gift, not interest. [So according to some texts; cur. edd.: 'They reduce the price in your favour. According to this reading the watchers received payment in kind at a cheaper rate in compensation for waiting for their wages; hence Raba's advice.] ');">²³</span> The Rabbis protested to Raba: You enjoy usury. For everyone [who leases a farm] accepts four [<i>kor</i> as annual rent] and dismisses the tenant in Nisan;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first month of the Jewish Year. They insist that he shall reap then and quit the field. [This haste in harvesting the corn before it was quite ripe was due to the unsettled state of the country during the Persian — Roman wars. Funk, S., Die Juden in Babylonian, II, p. 85.] ');">²⁴</span> whilst you wait until Iyar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second month. ');">²⁵</span> and receive six.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The protest was based on the assumption that the additional two was payment for waiting the extra month. ');">²⁶</span> He retorted: It is you who act contrary to the law; the land is in bond to the tenant;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he has a title thereto until the crops are fully ripe. ');">²⁷</span> if you make him quit in Nisan [before the crops are ripened], you cause him much loss. Whereas I wait until Iyar, thus greatly enhancing his profits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence I am entitled to a greater rental in return for the greater value they receive [Raba's prominence assured his property of government protections and he could safely 'allow his crops to remain in the field until they ripened fully. Funk, loc. cit.] ');">²⁸</span>