Bava Metzia 186

הא נטר כדנטרי אינשי אמר ליה אביי אלא מעתה על למתא בעידנא דעיילי אינשי הכי נמי דפטור אמר ליה אין גנא פורתא בעידנא דגנו אינשי הכי נמי דפטור א"ל אין

He guarded [them] as people guard.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore it is not like any ordinary loss, for which a paid trustee is responsible, but like an accident, for which he is exempt. ');">¹</span>

איתיביה אלו הם אונסין ששומר שכר פטור עליהן כגון (איוב א, טו) ותפל שבא ותקחם ואת הנערים הכו לפי חרב אמר ליה התם בחזני מתא

Abaye protested, 'If so, had he entered the town when people generally enter it [leaving his charges alone], would he still be exempt?' — 'Yes', he replied. 'Then had he slept a little when other people sleep, would he also be exempt?' — 'Even so,' was his answer. Thereupon he raised an objection: The following are the accidents for which a paid bailee is not responsible: E.g., <i>And the Sabeans fell upon them</i> [sc. the oxen and asses], <i>and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword</i>!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job I, 15: this proves that they are free from liability only for exceptional and unpreventable mishaps. ');">²</span>

איתיביה עד מתי שומר שכר חייב לשמור עד כדי (בראשית לא, מ) הייתי ביום אכלני חורב וקרח בלילה א"ל התם נמי בחזני מתא אמר ליה אטו יעקב אבינו חזן מתא הוה דאמר ליה ללבן נטרי לך נטירותא יתירתא כחזני מתא

— He replied, 'There the reference is to city watchmen.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Appointed to watch at night, and upon whose vigilance the safety of the town depends; greater care is demanded from them. ');">³</span>

איתיביה רועה שהיה רועה והניח עדרו ובא לעיר בא זאב וטרף ובא ארי ודרס אין אומדים אילו היה שם היה מציל אלא אומדין אותו אם יכול להציל חייב ואם לאו פטור

He further raised an objection: To what extent is a paid bailee bound to guard? Even as far as, <i>Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXI, 40. ');">⁴</span>

מאי לאו דעל בעידנא דעיילי אינשי לא דעל בעידנא דלא עיילי אינשי אי הכי אמאי פטור תחילתו בפשיעה וסופו באונס חייב

— There too, he answered, the reference is to the city watchman. Was then our father Jacob a city watchman? he asked. — [No.] He merely said to Laban, 'I guarded for you with super-vigilance, as though I were a city watchman.'

דשמע קל אריה ועל אי הכי אומדין אותו מאי הוה ליה למעבד היה לו לקדם ברועים ובמקלות

He raised another objection: If a shepherd, who was guarding his flock, left it and entered the town, and a wolf came and destroyed [a sheep]; or a lion, and tore it to pieces, we do not say, 'Had he been there, he could have saved them;' but estimate his strength: if he could have saved them, he is responsible; if not, he is exempt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 41a. ');">⁵</span>

אי הכי מאי איריא שומר שכר אפי' שומר חנם נמי דהא מר הוא דאמר שומר חנם שהיה לו לקדם ברועים ובמקלות ולא קידם חייב שומר חנם בחנם שומר שכר בשכר

Surely it means that he entered [the town] when other people generally do? — No. He entered when people do not generally enter. If so, why is he not responsible? Where there is negligence in the beginning, though subsequently an accident supervenes, he is liable!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra, 42a. Thus here too, he might have averted some slight mishap, had he been at his post; and therefore by deserting it he displayed negligence and should be liable, notwithstanding that subsequently the damage was unpreventable. ');">⁶</span>

ועד כמה עד כדי דמיהן והיכן מצינו בשומר שכר שחייב באונסין דהדר שקיל דמיהן מבעל הבית

— It means that he heard the voice of a lion, and so entered. If so, why judge his strength? What could he then have done? — He should have met it with [the assistance of other] shepherds and staves. If so, why particularly a paid bailee? The same applies even to an unpaid one. For you yourself, Master, did say: If an unpaid bailee could have met [the destroyer, e.g., a lion] with other shepherds and staves, but did not, he is responsible! — An unpaid bailee [must obtain their help only when he can procure them] gratuitously; whereas a paid bailee must even [engage them] for payment. And to what extent?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Is he bound to hire helpers? ');">⁷</span>

א"ל רב פפא לאביי אי הכי מאי אהני ליה מינה נפקא מינה לכושרא דחיותא אי נמי לטרחא יתירתא

— Up to their value.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. of his charges. ');">⁸</span>

רב חסדא ורבה בר רב הונא לא סבירא להו הא דרבה דאמרי להכי יהבי לך אגרא לנטורי לי נטירותא יתירתא

But where do we find that a paid trustee is responsible for accidents?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Unless he engages helpers at his own cost; it being assumed that this is the meaning of obtaining assistance for payment. ');">⁹</span>

בר אדא סבולאה הוי קא מעבר חיותא אגמלא דנרש דחפה חדא לחברתה ושדיתה במיא אתא לקמיה דרב פפא חייביה אמר ליה מאי הוה לי למעבד א"ל אבעי לך לעבורי חדא חדא א"ל ידעת ביה בבר אחתיך דמצי למעבר חדא חדא א"ל כבר צווחו קמאי דקמך ולא איכא דאשגח בהו

— Subsequently he collects the money from the owner. Said R. Papa to Abaye: If so, how does he benefit him? — It makes a difference on account of the attachment of the animals<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Their owner prefers these to be saved, because he knows them, even if the cost of saving is as much as buying different ones. ');">¹⁰</span>

איבו אפקיד כיתנא בי רוניא אזל שבו שמטיה מיניה לסוף הוכר הגנב אתא לקמיה דרב נחמן חייביה לימא פליגא דרב הונא בר אבין

or the additional trouble.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of procuring other animals. ');">¹¹</span>

דשלח רב הונא בר אבין נגנבה באונס ואח"כ הוכר הגנב אם שומר חנם הוא רצה נשבע רצה עושה עמו דין אם שומר שכר הוא עושה עמו דין ואינו נשבע

R. Hisda and Rabbah son of R. Huna disagree with Rabbah's dictum, for they maintain: [The owner can say], 'I paid you wages precisely in order that you should guard with greater care.'

אמר רבא התם גברי דפרמוסקא הוו קיימי דאי רמא קלא הוו אתו ומצלין ליה:

Bar Adda, the carrier, was leading beasts across the bridge of Naresh,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Supra p. 468, n. 3. It was situated on the canal Nars, a tributary of the Euphrates, Obermeyer, op. cit. p. 307.] ');">¹²</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> זאב אחד אינו אונס שני זאבים אונס רבי יהודה אומר בשעת משלחת זאבים אף זאב אחד אונס

when one beast pushed another and threw it into the water. On his appearing before R. Papa, the latter held him responsible. 'But what was I to do?' he protested. — 'You should have led them across one by one,' he replied. 'Do you know of your sister's son<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., your co-religionist. ');">¹³</span>

שני כלבים אינו אונס ידוע הבבלי אומר משום רבי מאיר מרוח אחת אינו אונס משתי רוחות אונס הלסטים הרי זה אונס הארי הדוב והנמר והברדלס והנחש הרי אלו אונס

that he could have led them across one by one?' he asked.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How can you assume that this would have been possible or convenient? ');">¹⁴</span>

אימתי בזמן שבאו מאליהן אבל הוליכן למקום גדודי חיה ולסטים אינו אונס

— 'Your predecessors before you have already complained, but none pay heed to them,' he replied.

מתה כדרכה הרי זה אונס סגפה ומתה אינו אונס עלתה לראשי צוקין ונפלה הרי זה אונס העלה לראשי צוקין ונפלה ומתה אינו אונס:

Aibu entrusted flax to Ronia. Then Shabu<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A certain armed robber (Rashi). ');">¹⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> והתניא זאב אחד אונס אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק ההיא בשעת משלחת זאבים ורבי יהודה היא

came and stole it from him;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The theft being carried out in such a way that it could be regarded as an unpreventable accident from the point of view of the trustee. ');">¹⁶</span>

הלסטים הרי זה אונס אמאי לוקי גברא להדי גברא אמר רב בלסטים מזויין

but subsequently the thief's identity became known. Then he [the trustee] came before R. Nahman, who ruled him liable.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though it was an accident; yet since the thief was known, it was for the trustee — an unpaid one — to sue him. This was the assumed reason for his liability. ');">¹⁷</span>

איבעיא להו לסטים מזויין ורועה מזויין מהו מי אמרינן אוקי גברא להדי גברא או דלמא האי מסר נפשיה והאי לא מסר נפשיה מסתברא דהאי מסר נפשיה והאי לא מסר נפשיה אמר ליה אביי לרבא אשכחיה רועה ואמר ליה גנבא סריא בדוכתא פלניא יתיבינן

Shall we say that he disagrees with R. Huna b. Abin. For R. Huna b. Abin sent word:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From Palestine to Babylon. ');">¹⁸</span> If it [the bailment] was stolen through an accident, and then the thief's identity became known, if he was a gratuitous bailee, he can either swear [that he had not been negligent] or settle with him;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., pay him. But he is given the option of freeing himself by an oath, and in this he disagrees with R. Nahman. ');">¹⁹</span> if a paid trustee, he must settle with him, and cannot swear! — Said Raba: There,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' in the case of Ronia. ');">²⁰</span> officers were about, and had he [Ronia] cried out, they would have come and protected him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore the theft was due to negligence, and his liability was due to that, and not to the fact that the thief's identity was eventually discovered. ');">²¹</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [IF] ONE WOLF [ATTACKS], IT IS NOT AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The shepherd could have warded him off, and therefore, being a paid bailee, he is responsible. ');">²²</span> IF TWO [ATTACK], IT IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. R. JUDAH SAID: WHEN THERE IS A GENERAL VISITATION OF WOLVES, EVEN [THE ATTACK OF] ONE IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For then they are particularly fierce. ');">²³</span> [THE ATTACK OF] TWO DOGS IS NOT AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. JADDUA THE BABYLONIAN SAID ON R. MEIR'S AUTHORITY: IF THEY ATTACK FROM THE SAME SIDE, IT IS NOT AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT; FROM TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, IT IS. A ROBBER'S [ATTACK] IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. [DAMAGE DONE BY] A LION, BEAR, LEOPARD, PANTHER AND SNAKE RANKS AS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. WHEN IS THIS? IF THEY CAME [AND ATTACKED] OF THEIR OWN ACCORD: BUT IF HE [THE SHEPHERD] LED THEM TO A PLACE INFESTED BY WILD BEASTS AND ROBBERS, IT IS NO UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. IF IT DIED A NATURAL DEATH, IT IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT: [BUT] IF HE MALTREATED IT<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., by starvation or exposure. ');">²⁴</span> AND IT DIED, IT IS NO UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. IF IT ASCENDED TO THE TOP OF STEEP ROCKS AND THEN FELL DOWN, IT IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT; BUT IF HE TOOK IT UP TO THE TOP OF STEEP ROCKS AND IT FELL AND DIED, IT IS NO UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. But has it not been taught: [The attack of] one wolf is an accident? — R. Nahman b. Isaac replied: That is when there is a visitation of wolves, and is R. Judah's view. [THE ATTACK OF] A ROBBER IS AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. But why so: let man stand against man — Said Rab: This refers to an armed robber. The scholars propounded: What of an armed robber and an armed shepherd? Do we say, man must stand against man; or perhaps, the former is prepared to risk his life, but this cannot be expected of the latter? — Reason teaches that the one risks his life, but not the other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence it is an unavoidable accident. ');">²⁵</span> Abaye asked Raba: What if the shepherd met him [sc. the robber] and said to him, 'Thou vile thief! We are stationed in such and such a place;