Bava Metzia 83

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> המפקיד מעות אצל חברו צררן והפשילן לאחוריו או שמסרם לבנו ולבתו הקטנים ונעל בפניהם שלא כראוי חייב שלא שימר כדרך השומרים ואם שימר כדרך השומרים פטור:

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF A MAN DEPOSITED MONEY WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR, WHO BOUND IT UP AND SLUNG IT OVER HIS SHOULDER<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'behind him'. ');">¹</span> [OR] ENTRUSTED IT TO HIS MINOR SON OR DAUGHTER AND LOCKED [THE DOOR] BEFORE THEM, BUT NOT PROPERLY, HE IS LIABLE, BECAUSE HE DID NOT GUARD [IT] IN THE MANNER OF BAILEES. BUT IF HE GUARDED IT IN THE MANNER OF BAILEES, HE IS EXEMPT.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> בשלמא כולהו שלא שימר כדרך השומרים אלא צררן והפשילן לאחוריו מאי הוה ליה למיעבד אמר רבא א"ר יצחק אמר קרא (דברים יד, כה) וצרת הכסף בידך אע"פ שצרורין יהיו בידך

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. As for all, it is well, since indeed he did not guard it in the manner of bailees: but if HE BOUND IT UP AND SLUNG IT OVER HIS SHOULDER — what else should he have done? — Said Raba in R. Isaac's name: Scripture saith, <i>and thou shalt bind up the money in thine hand</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIV, 25. ');">²</span> — even if bound up, it should be in thy hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not over the shoulder, so that it can be properly guarded. ');">³</span>

וא"ר יצחק לעולם יהא כספו של אדם מצוי בידו שנאמר וצרת הכסף בידך וא"ר יצחק לעולם ישליש אדם את מעותיו שליש בקרקע ושליש בפרקמטיא ושליש תחת ידו

R. Isaac also said: One's money should always be ready to hand,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not in another man's keeping, so that advantage can immediately be taken of a trading bargain that is available. ');">⁴</span> for it is written, <i>and thou shalt bind up the money in thy hand.</i>

וא"ר יצחק אין הברכה מצוייה אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין שנאמר (דברים כח, ח) יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמיך תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל אין הברכה מצויה אלא בדבר שאין העין שולטת בו שנאמר יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמיך

R. Isaac also said: One should always divide his wealth into three parts: [investing] a third in land, a third in merchandise, and [keeping] a third ready to hand. R. Isaac also said: A blessing is found only in what is hidden from the eye,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the exact quantity of which the owner does not know. ');">⁵</span>

ת"ר ההולך למוד את גורנו אומר יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתשלח ברכה במעשה ידינו התחיל למוד אומר ברוך השולח ברכה בכרי הזה מדד ואח"כ בירך הרי זה תפילת שוא לפי שאין הברכה מצוייה לא בדבר השקול ולא בדבר המדוד ולא בדבר המנוי אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין שנאמר יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמיך

for it is written, <i>The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy hidden things</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVIII, 8. (E.V. 'storehouses'.) ');">⁶</span> The School of R. Ishmael taught: A blessing comes only to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'is found only in'. ');">⁷</span>

אמר שמואל כספים אין להם שמירה אלא בקרקע אמר רבא ומודי שמואל בערב שבת בין השמשות דלא אטרחוהו רבנן ואי שהא למוצאי שבת שיעור למקברינהו ולא קברינהו מחייב ואי צורבא מרבנן הוא סבר דלמא מיבעי ליה זוזי לאבדלתא

that over which the eye has no power,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., hidden, and so not subject to the evil eye. ');">⁸</span> for it is said, <i>The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy hidden things.</i>

והאידנא דשכיחי גשושאי אין להן שמירה אלא בשמי קורה והאידנא דשכיחי פרומאי אין להם שמירה אלא ביני אורבי אמר רבא ומודה שמואל בכותל (אי נמי בין הקרנות) והאידנא דשכיחי טפוחאי אין להן. שמירה אלא בטפח הסמוך לקרקע או בטפח הסמוך לשמי קורה

Our Rabbis taught: When one goes to measure [the corn in] his granary, he should pray, 'May it be Thy will, O Lord our God, to send a blessing upon the work of our hands.' Having started to measure, he prays, 'Blessed is He who sendeth a blessing on this pile.' But if he measured and then prayed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'uttered a benediction'. ');">⁹</span> it is a vain prayer, because a blessing is not found in that which is [already] weighed, measured, or counted, but only in that which is hidden from the eye, for it is said, <i>The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy hidden things.</i>

א"ל רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף לרב אשי התם תנן חמץ שנפלה עליו מפולת הרי הוא כמבוער רשב"ג אומר כל שאין הכלב יכול לחפש אחריו ותנא כמה חפישת הכלב ג' טפחים הכא מאי מי בעינן שלשה טפחים או לא

Samuel said: Money can only be guarded [by placing it] in the earth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Otherwise the bailee is guilty of negligence — In ancient days there was probably no other place as safe. [Cf. Josephus, Wars, V. 7, 2, '…which the owners had treasured up under ground against the uncertain fortunes of war.'] ');">¹⁰</span> Said Raba: Yet Samuel admits that on Sabbath eve at twilight the Rabbis did not put one to that trouble.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If one receives a bailment then, he cannot be expected to place it in the earth, and his not doing so does not constitute negligence. [Some texts rightly omit 'at twilight', all manner of work being then in any case prohibited.] ');">¹¹</span>

אמר ליה התם משום ריחא בעינן ג' טפחים הכא משום איכסויי מעינא לא בעינן ג' טפחים וכמה אמר רפרם מסיכרא טפח

Yet if he tarried after the conclusion of the Sabbath long enough to bury it [the money] but omitted to do so, he is responsible [if it is stolen]. But if he [the depositor] was a scholar, he [the bailee] might have thought, He may require the money for <i>habdalah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'separation', a short blessing recited as a rule over wine, thanking God for the distinction between the Sabbath and week-days. — In that case, the bailee was justified in not burying the money, as the scholar might require same for wine. The practice of reciting habdalah at home was not widespread; v. Ber. 331. ');">¹²</span> But nowadays<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In the third century, when Babylonia entered upon its bitter struggles with the Romans for the possession of the rich lands of the Euphrates; v. Krauss, op. cit., p. 415.] ');">¹³</span>

ההוא גברא דאפקיד זוזי גבי חבריה אותבינהו בצריפא דאורבני איגנוב אמר רב יוסף אע"ג דלענין גנבי נטירותא היא לענין נורא פשיעותא היא הוה תחלתו בפשיעה וסופו באונס חייב ואיכא דאמרי אע"ג דלענין נורא פשיעותא היא לענין גנבי נטירותא היא ותחלתו בפשיעה וסופו באונס פטור והילכתא תחלתו בפשיעה וסופו באונס חייב

that there are money-diviners,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'sounders', who can sound the earth to discover cavities where money may be hidden. ');">¹⁴</span> it can be properly guarded only [by placing it] under the roof beams. But nowadays that there are house breakers,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who break through the beams. ');">¹⁵</span>

ההוא גברא דאפקיד זוזי גבי חבריה א"ל הב לי זוזאי א"ל לא ידענא היכא אותבינהו אתא לקמיה דרבא א"ל כל לא ידענא פשיעותא היא זיל שלים

it can be guarded only [within the void spaces] between bricks. Raba said: Yet Samuel admits [that it may be] hidden] in the wall. But nowadays that there are rappers,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who by rapping at the wall can discover its cavities and treasures. ');">¹⁶</span> It can be guarded only in the handbreadth nearest to the earth or to the uppermost beams.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Asheri a.l. observes that all this held good only in the days of Samuel and his successors, when rappers, diviners, etc. were to be feared. Nowadays, however, we do not fear all this, and it is sufficient if a bailee puts the money entrusted to his charge in the place where he keeps his own. ');">¹⁷</span>

ההוא גברא דאפקיד זוזי גבי חבריה אשלמינהו לאימיה ואותבינהו בקרטליתא ואיגנוב אמר רבא היכי נדיינו דייני להאי דינא

R. Aha, son of R. Joseph, said to R. Ashi: We learnt elsewhere: If ruins collapsed on leaven, it is regarded as removed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All leaven had to be removed from the house before Passover (Ex. XII, 15); if ruins fell on leaven, the leaven is regarded as removed, since it is inaccessible. ');">¹⁸</span> R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Provided that<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'whatever'. ');">¹⁹</span>

נימא ליה לדידיה זיל שלים אמר

a dog cannot search it out.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pes. 31b. ');">²⁰</span> And it was taught [thereon]: How far is the searching of a dog? Three handbreadths.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the leaven must be covered by not less than three handbreadths of debris; otherwise a dog can search it out, and it would therefore be necessary to remove the debris and destroy the leaven. ');">²¹</span> How is it here?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In respect to placing money in the earth. ');">²²</span> Do we require [that it shall be covered by] three handbreadths or not? — There, he replied, we require three handbreadths on account of the smell [of the leaven];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the leaven is covered by less, a dog can smell it. ');">²³</span> but here [it is put into the earth] in order to cover it from the eye; therefore three handbreadths are not required. And how much [is necessary]? — Said Rafram of Sikkara:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town S. of Mahuza. ');">²⁴</span> one handbreadth. A certain man deposited money with his neighbour, who placed it in a cot of bulrushes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Jast. Rashi: in a fowler's trap. ');">²⁵</span> Then it was stolen. Said R. Joseph: Though it was proper care in respect to thieves,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who would normally not think of looking there for it. ');">²⁶</span> yet it was negligence in respect to fire: hence the beginning [of the trusteeship] was with negligence though its end was through an accident, [and therefore] he is liable. Others Say: Though it was negligence in respect to fire, it was due care in respect to thieves, and when its beginning is with negligence and its end through an accident, he [the bailee] is not liable.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 36b. ');">²⁷</span> And the law is that when the beginning thereof is with negligence and the end through an accident, he is responsible. A certain man deposited money with his neighbour. On his demanding, 'Give me my money,' he replied, 'I do not know where I put it.' So he went before Raba, [who] said to him: Every [plea of] 'I do not know' constitutes negligence: go and pay him. A certain man deposited money with his neighbour, who entrusted it to his mother; she put it in her work basket and it was stolen. Said Raba: What ruling shall judges give in this case? Shall we say to him, 'Go and repay'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because if a bailee entrusts the deposit to another he is responsible. ');">²⁸</span> Then he can reply,