Bava Metzia 23

Chapter 23

א חצר איתרבאי משום יד ולא גרעה משליחות גבי גט דחוב הוא לה אין חבין לאדם אלא בפניו גבי מתנה דזכות הוא לו זכין לאדם שלא בפניו
1 [A person's] 'ground' [acts for him because] it is included in [the term] 'hand', and is no less effective than a [human] agency: In the case of a bill of divorcement, where the agency would work to her disadvantage, [we say that] one may not do anything to a person's disadvantage except when the person is present. But in the case of a gift, where the agency would work to the advantage [of the recipient, we say that] one may do something to a person's advantage when the person is absent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Kid. 23a and 32b; A person's 'ground' acquires for him the object given to him, if even he is not present and is not aware of the gift, because it is assumed that he agrees that the 'ground' should act for him and receive on his behalf the gift from the donor, who wishes to bestow upon the recipient the right to the possession of the object. It is different, however, in the case of a found object, as there is no one to bestow upon the claimant the right to the property, and unless he is present, or the ground where the object is found is guarded (fenced in), the 'agency' cannot take effect nor can the principle of his 'hand' be applied when he is not present (Rashi). ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב גופא ראה אותן רצין אחר המציאה וכו' אמר רבי ירמיה אמר רבי יוחנן והוא שרץ אחריהן ומגיען בעי רבי ירמיה במתנה היאך קבלה מיניה ר' אבא בר כהנא אע"פ שרץ אחריהן ואין מגיען
2 [To revert to] the above text: 'IF A MAN SEES PEOPLE RUNNING AFTER A LOST ARTICLE etc. R. Jeremiah said in the name of R. Johanan: This is provided that if he runs after them he can reach them. R. Jeremiah asked: What [is the law] in [the case of] a gift? R. Abba b. Kahana approved of the [distinction implied in the] question [and answered]: 'Even though if he runs after them and cannot reach them.' Now, Raba asked:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. infra 102a. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג בעי רבא זרק ארנקי בפתח זה ויצא בפתח אחר מהו אויר שאין סופו לנוח כמונח דמי או לא
3 If one throws [away] a purse through one door and it falls through another door,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Through the door of a house belonging to another person. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד אמר ליה רב פפא לרבא ואמרי לה רב אדא בר מתנה לרבא ואמרי לה רבינא לרבא לאו היינו מתניתין ראה אותן רצין אחר המציאה ואמר רבי ירמיה אמר רבי יוחנן והוא שרץ אחריהן ומגיען ובעי רבי ירמיה במתנה היאך וקבלה מיניה רבי אבא בר כהנא במתנה אף על פי שרץ אחריהן ואין מגיען
4 what is the law? [Do we say that even] when a thing does not come to rest in the air it is regarded as being come to rest there,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the owner of the first house could claim the purse on the ground that his premises had acquired it for him before it reached the other house. Cf. Git. 77a. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה אמר ליה מתגלגל קאמרת שאני מתגלגל דכמונח דמי:
5 or not? — R. Papa said to Raba, (and according to some R. Adda b. Mattena said to Raba, while according to others Rabina said to Raba): Is not this the same as [the case in] our Mishnah: IF A MAN SEES PEOPLE RUNNING AFTER A LOST ARTICLE [etc.]. and R. Jeremiah said in the name of R. Johanan: 'This is, provided that if he runs after them he can reach them', and R. Jeremiah asked: 'What is the law in the case of a gift?' and R. Abba b. Kahana approved of the [distinction implied in the] question [and answered]: 'Even though if he runs after them and cannot reach them'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case the animal or the birds are bound to get beyond his field and land on someone else's ground. And yet the law is that he acquires the animal or birds. The owner of the first house, through which the purse passed after being thrown (away), should therefore also acquire the purse. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> מציאת בנו ובתו הקטנים מציאת עבדו ושפחתו הכנענים מציאת אשתו הרי אלו שלו מציאת בנו ובתו הגדולים מציאת עבדו ושפחתו העברים מציאת אשתו שגירשה אע"פ שלא נתן כתובה הרי אלו שלהן:
6 [Raba] answered him: You speak of [a case where the objects were] moving [on the ground]: moving [on the ground] is different, as it is like resting.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no comparison between the case of the purse thrown through the door of a house, and the animal or birds moving through a field, as moving on the ground is like resting on the ground, and the owner acquires the objects before they leave his field. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אמר שמואל מפני מה אמרו מציאת קטן לאביו שבשעה שמוצאה מריצה אצל אביו ואינו מאחר בידו
7 <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. AN OBJECT FOUND BY A MAN'S SON OR DAUGHTER WHO ARE MINORS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Keth. 46b. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ח למימרא דסבר שמואל קטן לית ליה זכייה לנפשיה מדאורייתא והתניא השוכר את הפועל ילקט בנו אחריו למחצה לשליש ולרביע לא ילקט בנו אחריו רבי יוסי אומר בין כך ובין כך ילקט בנו ואשתו אחריו ואמר שמואל הלכה כרבי יוסי
8 OR BY HIS CANAANITE BONDMAN OR BONDWOMAN,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. XXV, 46. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ט אי אמרת בשלמא קטן אית ליה זכייה לנפשיה כי קא מלקט לנפשיה קא מלקט ואבוה מיניה קא זכי אלא אי אמרת קטן לית ליה זכייה לנפשיה כי קא מלקט לאביו קא מלקט אבוה עשיר הוא אמאי אשתו ובנו מלקט אחריו
9 OR BY HIS WIFE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Keth. loc. cit. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
י שמואל טעמא דתנא דידן קאמר וליה לא סבירא ליה
10 BELONGS TO HIMSELF. AN OBJECT FOUND BY HIS SON OR DAUGHTER WHO ARE MAJORS, OR BY HIS HEBREW MANSERVANT OR MAIDSERVANT, OR BY HIS WIFE WHOM HE HAS DIVORCED, ALTHOUGH HE HAS NOT PAID [HER THE AMOUNT DUE TO HER ACCORDING TO] HER MARRIAGE-CONTRACT, BELONGS TO THE FINDER.
יא וסבר רבי יוסי קטן אית ליה זכייה מדאורייתא והתנן מציאת חרש שוטה וקטן יש בהן משום גזל מפני דרכי שלום רבי יוסי אומר גזל גמור
11 <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Samuel said: For what reason has it been laid down that an object found by a minor belongs to his father? Because when he finds it he brings it hurriedly to his father<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is therefore assumed that when he picked up the object he did it in behalf of his father. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יב ואמר רב חסדא גזל גמור מדבריהן נפקא מינה להוציאה בדיינין
12 and does not retain it in his possession. Shall we then say that Samuel is of the opinion that a minor has no right to acquire anything for himself [and that this is] in accordance with Biblical law? Surely it was taught: If one hires a labourer [to work in his field] the son [of the labourer] may gather the gleaning behind [his father]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. XIX, 9. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
יג אלא אמר אביי עשאוה כמי שהלכו בה נמושות דעניים גופייהו מסחי דעתייהו סברי בריה דהיאך מלקטי ליה
13 [But if the labourer receives] a half or a third or a fourth [of the crops as wages] his son may not gather the gleaning behind him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As he receives part of the crops he is no more poor, and he is in the same position as the owner of the field. His son is therefore not allowed to gather the gleaning for him. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
יד א"ל רב אדא בר מתנה לאביי וכי מותר לאדם להרביץ ארי בתוך שדהו כדי שיראו עניים ויברחו
14 R. Jose says: In either case his son and his wife may gather the gleaning behind him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For although the labourer is no more poor, his son and wife may still be regarded as poor, and they may gather part of the crops. ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
טו אלא אמר רבא
15 And Samuel said: The <i>halachah</i> is like R. Jose. Now it is all well if you say that a minor has a right to acquire things for himself in accordance with Biblical Law. For then his son gathers the gleanings for himself, and the father acquires it from him. But if you say that a minor has no right to acquire anything for himself, then the son must gather the gleaning for his father; but his father is rich,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As he receives part of the crops. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> — why then may his wife and son gather the gleaning behind him? — Samuel merely gave the reason of the Tanna of our Mishnah, but he himself does not hold that view.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He himself does not hold that an object found by a minor belongs to his father. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> And does R. Jose hold the view that a minor has a right to acquire things for himself in accordance with Biblical law? Have we not learnt: An object found by a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor [may not be taken away from them as the law of] robbery is applied to them out of consideration for the public good.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'ways of peace'. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> R. Jose says: It is actual robbery.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Git. 59b. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> And R. Hisda says: It is actual robbery because of an enactment by the Rabbis; the difference is as regards reclaiming the object by law?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to the view of R. Jose the robbed object can be reclaimed by legal proceedings. But even according to him it is not a Biblical law that a minor has a right to acquire things for himself. Consequently by gleaning after his father, and on behalf of his father (who is now rich) he robs the poor. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> — Therefore Abaye said: [The field] is treated as if the last gleaners had passed through it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Pe'ah VIII, 1. Abaye admits that a minor has no right of possession, but he advances another reason why a minor may glean after his father: When the poor learn that the labourer in the field has a wife and children they give up hope of finding any gleanings there. The field is thus regarded as one through which the old people ([H]) have passed (old people who come last and walk slowly and haltingly, so that they cannot miss anything still left on the ground) and in which everybody is allowed to take away the gleanings — even the rich — because of the assumption that the poor are satisfied that after these last gleaners have searched the field nothing worth taking is left. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> so that the poor themselves dismiss it from their minds, thinking that the son of that [labourer] would gather the gleaning.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is why the son may gather the gleanings for his father. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> R. Adda b. Mattena then said to Abaye: Is it permissible for a man to cause a lion to lie down in his field in order that the poor may see it and run away?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the only reason why the son is permitted to gather the gleaning is that his presence serves to keep the poor away, although he is not legally entitled to glean in the field, it is like placing a wild beast in the field in order to frighten the poor people away, which is, of course, wrong. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> — Therefore Raba said: