Bava Metzia 154

נותן לו שכרו אם קבלן הוא נותן לו קבלנותו

he must pay him his wages;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., pro rata, according to the time worked, but without making any further deduction on account of his breaking the agreement. For since he is unable to continue, he is not penalised and put at a disadvantage, as are others. ');">¹</span>

מני אילימא רבנן מאי איריא שמע שמת לו מת או שאחזתו חמה דאניס כי לא אניס נמי הא אמרו רבנן יד פועל על העליונה אלא לאו ר' דוסא היא וש"מ לא שאני ליה לרבי דוסא בין שכירות לקבלנות

if a contract worker, he must pay him his contract price. Now, with whom does this agree? If with the Rabbis, why particularly if he learns that he has suffered a bereavement or is smitten with fever and so unfortunately compelled [to break the agreement]? Even if he is not compelled, surely the Rabbis maintain that the labourer has the advantage! Hence it must agree with R. Dosa, thus proving that he allows no distinction between time work and contract work! — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: Here the reference is to a thing of irretrievable loss, and therefore it agrees with all.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All agree that the labourer is in this case at a disadvantage, unless he is unavoidably prevented from adhering to his bargain. ');">²</span>

א"ר נחמן בר יצחק בדבר האבוד ודברי הכל

We learnt: HE WHO ALTERS [HIS CONTRACT] IS AT A DISADVANTAGE, AND HE WHO RETRACTS IS AT A DISADVANTAGE. Now, it is well [to state]. HE WHO ALTERS [HIS CONTRACT] IS AT A DISADVANTAGE, as thereby R. Judah's opinion is given as a general view;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'The Tanna of the Mishnah states anonymously the view of R. Judah,' indicating that he agrees with it, teaching it as the general opinion. For the reference v. infra 78b. ');">³</span>

תנן כל המשנה ידו על התחתונה וכל החוזר בו ידו על התחתונה בשלמא כל המשנה ידו על התחתונה דסתם לן תנא כר' יהודה אלא כל החוזר בו ידו על התחתונה לאתויי מאי לאו לאתויי פועל וכר' דוסא

but what is added by, HE WHO RETRACTS IS AT A DISADVANTAGE?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since that is implied in the whole Mishnah. It is axiomatic that if a Mishnah states a general principle after the detailed case in which it is embodied, its purpose is extension. ');">⁴</span>

אלא ר' דוסא תרתי קאמר ורב סבר לה כוותיה בחדא ופליג עליה בחדא

Surely [its purpose is] to extend the law to a [time] worker, and in accordance with R. Dosa?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the first clause of the Mishnah would appear to refer to a contract worker; therefore the general principle is added to shew that the same holds good of a time worker too. And that can agree with none but R. Dosa, since the Rabbis maintain that the advantage is on the side of the labourers. Thus it is proved that R. Dosa draws no distinction between a time worker and a contractor. ');">⁵</span>

איבעית אימא כל החוזר בו ידו על התחתונה לכדתניא כל החוזר בו כיצד הרי שמכר שדה לחבירו באלף זוז ונתן לו מעות מהן מאתים זוז בזמן שהמוכר חוזר בו יד לוקח על העליונה

— But R. Dosa refers to both cases [alike], whereas Rab agrees with him in one and disagrees in the other.

רצה אומר לו תן לי מעותי או תן לי קרקע כנגד מעותי מהיכן מגביהו מן העידית ובזמן שלוקח חוזר בו יד מוכר על העליונה רצה אומר לו הילך מעותיך רצה אומר הילך קרקע כנגד מעותיך מהיכן מגביהו מן הזיבורית

Alternatively, HE WHO RETRACTS IS AT A DISADVANTAGE [is stated] for this purpose. Viz., It has been taught: He who retracts — how is that? If A sold a field to B for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, and B paid a deposit of two hundred <i>zuz</i>, if the vendor retracts, the purchaser has the advantage; if he desires, he can demand, 'Either return me my money or give me land to the value thereof.' And from what part [of the estate] must he satisfy his claim? From the best. But if the purchaser retracts, the vendor has the advantage; if he desires, he can say to him, 'Here is your money.' Alternatively, he can say. 'Here is land for your money.' And what [part of the field] may he offer him? The worst.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reasons are discussed below. ');">⁶</span>

רשב"ג אומר מלמדין אותן שלא יחזרו כיצד כותב לו אני פלוני בן פלוני מכרתי שדה פלונית לפלוני באלף זוז ונתן לי מהם מאתים זוז והריני נושה בו ח' מאות זוז קנה ומחזיר לו את השאר אפי' לאחר כמה שנים

R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: They are instructed [so to act as] to make it impossible [for either] to withdraw. How so? He [the vendor] must draw up a deed, stating. 'I [so-and-so] have sold such and such a field to so-and-so for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, upon which he has paid me two hundred <i>zuz</i>, and now I am his creditor for eight hundred <i>zuz</i>.' Thus he [the vendee] acquires the title thereto, and must repay him the rest, even after many years.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The point is that the other 800 zuz are described on this bond not as the balance due but as an ordinary debt, and therefore does not affect the ownership of the field, which passes to the buyer on payment of money. ');">⁷</span>

אמר מר מהיכן מגביהו מן העידית קא ס"ד מעידית דנכסיו ולא יהא אלא ב"ח ותנן ב"ח דינו בבינונית ועוד הא ארעא דיהיב זוזי

The Master said: 'And from what part [of the estate] must he satisfy his claim? From the best.' Now, this was assumed to mean, 'from the best part of his estate.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., not particularly of the field sold, but the best of any land that the vendor might own. ');">⁸</span>

א"ר נחמן בר יצחק מעידית שבה ומזיבורית שבה

But let him [the buyer] be even as an ordinary creditor! And we learnt: A creditor is entitled to medium quality!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the debtor does not repay, the creditor can exact payment only from his medium quality fields, not from the best. And even that is a special privilege. ');">⁹</span>

רב אחא בריה דרב איקא אמר אפי' תימא מעידית דנכסיו סתם מאן דזבין ארעא באלפא זוזי אוזולי מוזיל ומזבין נכסי' והוה ליה כניזק ותנן הניזקין שמין להן בעידית

Moreover, here is the land for which he paid money! — R. Nahman b. Isaac said: [It means,] From the best therein [sc. the field bought] and<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Referring to the second case where the buyer retracts. ');">¹⁰</span>

רשב"ג אומר מלמדין אותן שלא יחזרו כיצד כותב לו אני פלוני בן פלוני כו' טעמא דכתב ליה הכי הא לא כתב הכי לא קני

the worst therein. R. Aha, the son of R. Ika. said: It may even mean the best part of his estate; yet the average person, when buying a field for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, must sell off his other property cheaply.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Very few people possessed such large sums in actual cash; hence the purchaser would have to sell off much of his own estate to raise it, and, as is natural under the circumstances, below its value. ');">¹¹</span>

והתניא הנותן ערבון לחבירו ואמר לו אם אני חוזר בי ערבוני מחול לך והלה אומר אם אני חוזר בי אכפול לך ערבונך נתקיימו התנאין דברי רבי יוסי

and hence he is as one who has sustained damage.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the vendor subsequently retracts, the purchaser has sold his own estate cheaply for no purpose. ');">¹²</span>

רבי יוסי לטעמיה דאמר אסמכתא קניא

And we learnt: For damages<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'those who suffer damage.' ');">¹³</span>

רבי יהודה אומר דיו שיקנה כנגד ערבונו אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל בד"א בזמן שאמר לו ערבוני יקון אבל מכר לו שדה באלף זוז ונתן לו מהם חמש מאות זוז קנה ומחזיר לו את השאר אפי' לאחר כמה שנים

we assess [and collect] the best [of the offender's estate].

לא קשיא הא דקא עייל ונפיק אזוזי הא דלא קא עייל ונפיק אזוזי

'R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: They are instructed [so to act as] to make it impossible [for either] to withdraw. How so? He [the vendor] must draw up a deed, stating. "I [so-and-so have sold such and such a field to so-and-so for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, etc."' Hence, it is only because he writes thus;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., describing the balance as an ordinary debt. ');">¹⁴</span>

דאמר רבא האי מאן דזבין מידי לחבריה וקא עייל ונפיק אזוזי לא קני לא קא עייל ונפיק אזוזי קני

but if not, he [the purchaser] does not acquire it. But has it not been taught: If a man gives a deposit to his neighbour and stipulates. 'If I retract, this deposit be forfeited to you.' and the other stipulates. 'If I retract, I will double you your deposit.' the conditions are effective: this is R. Jose's view, R. Jose [ruling here] in accordance with his general opinion that an <i>asmakta</i> is valid. R. Judah said: It is sufficient that he [the purchaser] shall gain possession [of the object sold] in proportion to his deposit. Said R. Simeon b. Gamaliel: This holds good only if he stipulates, 'Let my deposit effect possession'; but if he sells him a field for a thousand <i>zuz</i>, of which he pays him five hundred, he acquires [it all], and must repay him the balance even after many years?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 48b. This shews that the transaction is binding though the balance was not arranged as an ordinary debt. ');">¹⁵</span>

ואמר רבא האי מאן דאוזפיה מאה זוזי לחבריה ופרעיה זוזא זוזא פרעון הוי אלא דאית ליה תרעומת גביה דאמר ליה אפסדתינהו מינאי

— There is no difficulty: The former refers to a case where he [the vendor] repeatedly dunned<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'was going in and out.' ');">¹⁶</span>

ההוא גברא דזבין ליה חמרא לחבריה ופש ליה חד זוזא וקא עייל ונפיק אזוזא יתיב רב אשי וקא מעיין בה כי האי גוונא מאי קני או לא קני אמר ליה רב מרדכי לרב אשי הכי אמר אבימי מהגרוניא משמיה דרבא זוזא כזוזי דמי ולא קני

[the buyer] for his money;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'comes in and out for money'. This proves that he sold his field through financial pressure, and therefore, unless he explicitly arranged for the balance to be treated as an ordinary loan, he can cancel the sale if full payment is delayed. ');">¹⁷</span>

אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף לרב אשי והא אמרינן משמיה דרבא קני אמר ליה תתרגם שמעתיך במוכר שדהו

the latter, where he did not repeatedly demand his money. For Raba said: If one sold an article to his neighbour, and repeatedly demanded payment, it does not become his [the purchaser's];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Even if there was meshikah (v. Glos.); so according to the majority of authorities. Cf. Tosaf. and H.M., CXC. 11.] ');">¹⁸</span> but if not, he [the buyer] acquires it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the purchase money is regarded as an ordinary debt. ');">¹⁹</span> Raba also said: If one lent a hundred <i>zuz</i> to his neighbour, who repaid him a <i>zuz</i> at a time, it is [valid] repayment, but he may bear resentment against him, for he can complain, 'You have destroyed it for me.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A hundred zuz in a lump sum can be put to business use; one zuz at a time is spent as received, with no visible or tangible advantage. ');">²⁰</span> A man once sold an ass<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text is [H], which may mean 'ass' or 'wine', and Rashi translates 'ass'. The reason is that in Rashi's opinion, this assumption, viz. that the vendor's repeated demand for money proves that he sold the article only because he was hard pressed, applies only to land or such articles which are not normally sold, such as an ass which is kept for work on the land; but in the case of wine, which is a normal article of sale, it proves nothing, and hence the consequences drawn from it do not hold good (Maharam). [Alternatively: In the case of wine there would be no reason for cancelling the whole sale for the sake of the single zuz, the buyer surely being entitled to retain wine for the amount he had paid up; Maharsha, [H].] ');">²¹</span> to his neighbour, and one <i>zuz</i> [of the purchase price] being left [unpaid], he [the vendor] made repeated calls for it. Now, R. Ashi sat and cogitated thereon: What [is the law] in such a case? Does he [the purchaser] acquire it or not?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the balance is so small. ');">²²</span> Said R. Mordecai to R. Ashi: Thus did Abimi of Hagronia say in Rab's name: One <i>zuz</i> is as [many] <i>zuz</i>, and he does not acquire it. R. Aha, the son of R. Joseph, protested to R. Ashi: But we have stated in Raba's name that he does acquire it! — He replied: You must interpret your teaching [as referring] to one who sells his field