Bava Metzia 78

Chapter 78

א ואפילו הגדיל
1 even if he attained his majority.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After which the stranger had it in his possession three years. But this does not establish a claim, since he took possession whilst the orphan was a minor, who on attaining his majority may not have known that the estates were his father's, and hence did not protest. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב ולא אמרן אלא באחי דאבא אבל באחי דאמא לית לן בה ואחי דאבא נמי לא אמרן אלא בארעתא אבל בבתי לית לן בה ובארעתא נמי לא אמרן אלא דלא עביד עיטדא אבל עביד עיטדא קלא אית לה
2 Now, this applies only to a brother by his father,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who may claim that he inherited the estates. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג ולא היא לא שנא אחי דאבא ולא שנא אחי דאמא לא שנא ארעתא ולא שנא בתי ולא שנא עביד עיטדא לא שנא לא עביד עיטדא לא מחתינן
3 but there is no objection to a brother by his mother. And even of a brother by his father, this applies only to land; but there is no objection in respect of houses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the neighbours can testify to their rightful ownership. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד ההיא סבתא דהויא לה תלת בנתא אישתבאי איהי וחדא ברתא אידך תרתי בנתא שכיבא חדא מינייהו ושבקה ינוקא אמר אביי היכי נעביד לוקמינהו לנכסי בידא דאחתא דלמא שכיבא סבתא ואין מורידין קרוב לנכסי קטן נוקמינהו לנכסיה בידא דינוקא דלמא לא שכיבא סבתא ואין מורידין קטן לנכסי שבוי
4 And even in respect of land, this holds good only if no deed of partition was drawn up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Distinctly setting forth the portion of each. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה אמר אביי הלכך פלגא יהבינא לה לאחתא ואידך פלגא מוקמינן ליה אפוטרופא לינוקא רבא אמר מגו דמוקמינן אפוטרופא לפלגא מוקמינן ליה אפוטרופא לאידך פלגא
5 But if a deed of partition had been drawn up, it is generally known.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'it has a voice'. Hence there is no fear of a false claim. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו לסוף שמעו דשכיבא סבתא אמר אביי תילתא יהבינן לה לאחתא ותילתא יהבינן ליה לינוקא ואידך תילתא יהבינן דנקא לאחתא ואידך דנקא מוקמינן ליה אפוטרופא לינוקא רבא אמר מגו דמוקים אפוטרופא לדנקא מוקמינן נמי אפוטרופא לאידך דנקא
6 This, however, is not so. It makes no difference whether a brother by his father or a brother by his mother,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [As he can still claim it to be property belonging to his mother in her own right, to which he is entitled as heir.] ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז מרי בר איסק אתא ליה אחא מבי חוזאי א"ל פלוג לי אמר ליה לא ידענא לך
7 whether land or houses, whether a deed of partition had been drawn up or not — we do not authorize them to take possession.
ח אתא לקמיה דרב חסדא א"ל שפיר קאמר לך שנאמר (בראשית מב, ח) ויכר יוסף את אחיו והם לא הכירוהו מלמד שיצא בלא חתימת זקן ובא בחתימת זקן א"ל זיל אייתי סהדי דאחוה את אמר ליה אית לי סהדי ודחלי מיניה דגברא אלימא הוא א"ל לדידיה זיל אנת אייתי סהדי דלאו אחוך הוא
8 A certain old woman had three daughters; she and one daughter were taken captive, and of the other two daughters, one died, leaving a child behind. Said Abaye: What shall we do? Shall we [temporarily] assign the estates to the [third] Sister: but perhaps the old woman is dead, and a relative is not permitted to enter upon a minor's estates?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For if she had died, part of her estates belonged to the grandchild. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ט א"ל דינא הכי המוציא מחבירו עליו הראיה א"ל הכי דיינינא לך ולכל אלימי דחברך אמר ליה סוף סוף אתו סהדי ולא מסהדי א"ל תרתי לא עבדי
9 Shall we assign the estates to the child, but perhaps the woman is not dead, and a minor is not permitted to enter a captive's estate? — Said Abaye: Therefore half is given to the [last] sister, and a steward is appointed in respect of the other half on behalf of the child. Raba said: Since a steward is appointed for one half, a steward is appointed for the other half too. Subsequently it was heard that the old woman was dead.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But nothing was known of the daughter. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
י לסוף אתו סהדי דאחוה הוא א"ל לפלוג לי נמי מפרדיסי ובוסתני דשתל אמר ליה שפיר קאמר לך דתנן הניח בנים גדולים וקטנים והשביחו גדולים את הנכסים השביחו לאמצע
10 Thereupon Abaye ruled: A third is given to the sister, a third to the child, and as for the remaining third,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The share of the captive daughters. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> a sixth is given to the sister, and a steward is appointed for the other sixth on behalf of the child. Raba said: Since a steward is appointed for one sixth, a steward is appointed for the other sixth. There came a brother to Mari b. Isak from Be Hozai,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 508, n. 2. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> saying to him, 'Divide [my father's estates] with me.' 'I do not know you,' he replied. So they went before R. Hisda. Said he to him, 'He [Mari] speaks truly to you, for it is written, And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLII, 8. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> which teaches that he had gone forth without the stamp of a beard and came [before them] with one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Mari may not recognise you too, even if you are his brother. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> Go then,' he continued, 'and produce witnesses that you are his brother.' 'I have witnesses,' he replied, 'but they are afraid of him, because he is a powerful man.' Thereupon he said to the other [Mari], 'Go you, and bring witnesses that he is not your brother.' 'Is that justice!' he exclaimed, 'the onus of proof lies on the claimant!' 'Thus do I judge in your case,' he retorted, 'and for all who are powerful men of your like'. 'But after all,' he argued, 'witnesses will come and not testify [the truth]'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If they are afraid of me, they will certainly testify in my favour whether it be the truth or not. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> 'They will not commit two [wrongs],' he rejoined.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Witnesses who can testify to your disadvantage may repress their evidence through fear of you, which is one wrong. But they will certainly not commit another by testifying falsely in your favour. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> Subsequently witnesses came [who testified] that he was his brother. 'Let him share with me the vineyards and gardens which he planted,' demanded he. 'He speaks rightly to you,' said he [R. Hisda], 'For we learnt: If one leaves sons, adults and minors, and the adults improve the property, they improve it for both equally;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'in the middle'. (V. B.B. 143b.) I.e., the minors take an equal share of the improvements. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
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