Bava Metzia 93

Chapter 93

א ויש לו עליו אונאה
1 but [the vendor] nevertheless has a claim of fraud against him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the money is less than the value of the article by a sixth, the vendor can claim the cancellation of the transaction (v. infra 49b). ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב קנה אף על גב דלא משך דכיון דלא קפיד קנה דכי חליפין דמי ויש לו עליו אונאה דמכור לי באלו קאמר ליה רב אבא אמר רב הונא מכור לי באלו קנה ואין לו עליו אונאה
2 'He acquires a title thereto,' — even though he did not take possession thereof [sc. of the article]: since he [the other party] was not particular [as to the exact amount of money], he [the former] acquires it, for it partakes of the nature of barter. 'Nevertheless, he has a claim of fraud against him,' — because he had said to him, 'Sell it me for these coins.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Sell' would imply to the vendor that the coins approximated to the value of the object. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג פשיטא דמים ואין מקפיד עליהן הא קאמרינן דקני דכחליפין דמו חליפין ומקפיד עליהן מאי
3 R. Abba said in R. Hunas name: [If A said to B.] 'Sell [it] me for these coins,' he acquires a title thereto, and he [the vendor] has no claim of fraud against him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Abba holds that no particular significance attaches to the word 'sell' in such circumstances. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד אמר רב אדא בר אהבה תא שמע הרי שהיה תופש פרתו ועומד ובא חבירו ואמר לו פרתך למה לחמור אני צריך יש לי חמור שאני נותן לך פרתך בכמה בכך וכך חמורך בכמה בכך וכך
4 Now, it is certain [if money or an article is delivered as] payment, but he [the recipient] is not particular [that the value shall correspond] — then we have just said that he [the giver] acquires title, for it partakes of the nature of barter. But what if it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Any other object except money. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה משך בעל החמור את הפרה ולא הספיק בעל הפרה למשוך את החמור עד שמת החמור לא קנה בעל החמור את הפרה
5 is delivered as barter, and he [the recipient] is particular?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the object given in symbolical delivery shall have a certain value. Is it still regarded as barter, and therefore the transaction is consummated by this symbolical delivery: or perhaps, since he insists that it shall have a certain value, it is the equivalent of money, and therefore does not effect a title? ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו שמע מינה חליפין ומקפיד עליהן לא קנה
6 — Said R. Adda b. Ahaba: Come and hear: If one was standing with his cow [in a market], and his neighbour came and asked him, 'Why [have you brought] your cow [hither]?' — 'I need an ass,'[he replied]. 'I have an ass which I can give you [in return for your cow].' 'What is the value of your cow?' 'So much.' 'What is the value of your ass?' 'So much.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the values tallied. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז אמר רבא אטו חליפין בשופטני עסקינן דלא קפדי אלא כל חליפין מיקפד קפדי וקנה והכא במאי עסקינן דאמר ליה חמור בפרה וטלה ומשך את הפרה ועדיין לא משך את הטלה דלא הוה ליה משיכה מעליא
7 If the ass-owner drew the cow into his possession, but before the cow-owner had time to draw the ass into his possession it [the ass] died, he [the ass-owner] acquires no title thereto [the cow]. This proves that in the case of barter, where each is particular, no title is gained [unless both take possession]. Said Raba: Does then [the general law of] barter apply only to imbeciles, who are not particular? But indeed in all cases of barter they are certainly particular; nevertheless, title is acquired [when only one party takes possession].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Although it may be regarded as the equivalent of money. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ח אמר מר מכור לי באלו קנה ויש לו עליו אונאה לימא סבר רב הונא מטבע נעשה חליפין
8 Here however it means that one said, '[I give you] my ass in return for a cow and a lamb,' and he drew the cow into his possession but not the lamb,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the ass died. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ט לא רב הונא סבר לה כרבי יוחנן דאמר דבר תורה מעות קונות ומפני מה אמרו משיכה קונה גזירה שמא יאמר לו נשרפו חטיך בעלייה מלתא דשכיחא גזרו בה רבנן ומלתא דלא שכיחא לא גזרו בה רבנן אמר ליה מר הונא בריה דרב נחמן לרב אשי אתון הכי מתניתו לה אנן הכי מתנינן לה וכן אמר רב הונא אין מטבע נעשה חליפין
9 in which case the <i>meshikah</i> was not completed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'proper'. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
י במה קונין
10 The Master said: '"Sell it me for these [coins]." He acquires title thereto, yet he [the vendor] has a claim of fraud against him.' Shall we say that in R. Huna's opinion coin may effect a barter? — No. R. Huna agrees with R. Johanan, who ruled: Biblically speaking, [the payment of] money effects a title. Why then was it said that only <i>meshikah</i> gives possession? As a precautionary measure, lest he say to him, 'Your wheat was burnt in the loft.' Now, the Rabbis enacted a preventive measure only for a usual occurrence, but not for an unusual occurrence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 276. n. 4. the transaction under discussion is likewise most unusual. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יא רב אמר בכליו של קונה דניחא ליה לקונה דלהוי מקנה קונה כי היכי דלגמר ולקני ליה ולוי אמר בכליו של מקנה כדבעינן למימר לקמן
11 Mar Huna, the son of R. Nahman, said to R. Ashi: You have had it reported so.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As above. I.e., you are in doubt whether R. Huna holds that coin may effect a barter, but merely answered that his dictum does not compel us to assume that in his opinion it is so. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
יב אמר ליה רב הונא מדסקרתא לרבא וללוי דאמר בכליו של מקנה הא קא קני ארעא אגב גלימא אם כן הוו ליה נכסים שיש להן אחריות ונקנין עם נכסים שאין להן אחריות ואנן איפכא תנן נכסים שאין להן אחריות נקנין עם נכסים שיש להן אחריות
12 But we had it reported thus: And R. Huna said likewise, Coin cannot effect a barter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As a definite statement. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
יג אמר ליה אי הוה לוי הכא הוה מפיק לאפך פולסי דנורא מי סברת גלימא מקנה ליה בההיא הנאה דקא מקבל מיניה גמר ואקני ליה
13 Wherewith is a title effected?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When A wishes to gain possession of an article belonging to B by means of a symbolical delivery of an object, Does A have to provide the article for effecting the title, the article he delivers being a symbolical exchange for that which he is to acquire; or B, the object he delivers being symbolical of that which he really intends giving? ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
יד כתנאי (רות ד, ז) וזאת לפנים בישראל על הגאולה ועל התמורה לקיים כל דבר שלף איש נעלו ונתן לרעהו גאולה זו מכירה וכן הוא אומר (ויקרא כז, כ) לא יגאל תמורה זו חליפין וכן הוא אומר (ויקרא כז, י) לא יחליפנו ולא ימיר אותו
14 — Rab said: With the utensil of the receiver; for the receiver wishes the bestower to take possession,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The object of symbolical recovery. ');"><sup>14</sup></span>
טו לקיים כל דבר שלף איש נעלו ונתן לרעהו מי נתן למי בועז נתן לגואל רבי יהודה אומר גואל נתן לבועז
15 so that he [the latter] in his turn may determine to give him possession. Whilst Levi said: With the utensil of the bestower, as will be explained anon. R. Huna of Diskarta<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Deskarah, sixteen parasangs N.E. of Bagdad, Obermeyer, op. cit. p. 246.] ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
טז תנא קונין בכלי אע"פ שאין בו שוה פרוטה אמר רב נחמן לא שנו אלא בכלי אבל בפירי לא רב ששת אמר אפילו בפירות מאי טעמא דרב נחמן אמר קרא נעלו נעל אין מידי אחרינא לא
16 said to Raba: Now, according to Levi, who maintained that it is with the utensil of the bestower, one will be able to acquire land in virtue of a garment, which is tantamount to secured property being acquired along with unsecured, whereas we learnt the reverse: Unsecured chattels may be acquired along with secured chattels!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Unsecured chattels = movables; secured chattels = real estate. The point of R. Huna's observation is this. Since Levi maintains that Possession is effected by means of the bestower's utensil, it follows that if the object transferred is land, the receiver gains Possession thereof in virtue of having taken the bestower's utensil, i.e., the former becomes an appendix to the latter, as it were. But the Mishnah has taught the reverse, viz., when one acquires real estate, he may likewise effect a title to movables that go with it, but not vice versa. ');"><sup>16</sup></span>
יז מאי טעמיה דרב ששת אמר קרא לקיים כל דבר לרב נחמן נמי הכתיב לקיים כל דבר ההוא לקיים כל דבר דנקנין במנעל ורב ששת נמי הכתיב נעלו אמר לך רב ששת מה נעלו דבר המסויים אף כל דבר המסויים לאפוקי חצי רמון וחצי אגוז דלא
17 — Said he to him: Were Levi here, he would have smitten you<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he would have brought before you fiery lashes.' He would have threatened you with the ban for having imputed to him a wrong opinion (Rashi). ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
יח אמר רב ששת בריה דרב אידי כמאן כתבינן האידנא במנא דכשר למקניא ביה במנא לאפוקי מדרב ששת דאמר קונין בפירות דכשר לאפוקי מדשמואל דאמר קונין
18 with fiery lashes! Do you really think that the garment gives him possession? [Surely not! but] in consideration of the pleasure he [the bestower] experiences in that the receiver accepts it from him, he wholeheartedly transfers it to him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that when the bestower gives his garment, it is regarded as though he were actually receiving something. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The controversy between Rab and Levi. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> is disputed by Tannaim: Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, For to confirm all things; a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ruth IV, 7. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> 'redeeming' means selling, and thus it is written, It shall not be redeemed;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXVII, 33. The reference is to the redemption of a consecrated animal. Evidently, such redemption, if permitted, would be by means of money, i.e., buying the animal back (since substitution is separately dealt with, as the Talmud proceeds to shew); thus here too, by 'redeeming' selling for money is meant. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> 'changing' refers to barter, and thus it is written, He shall not alter it, nor change it;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> for to confirm all things; a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour. Who gave whom? Boaz gave to the kinsman. R. Judah said: The kinsman gave to Boaz.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus we see the same dispute here as between Rab and Levi. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> It has been taught: Acquisition may be made by means of a utensil, even if it is worth less than a <i>perutah</i>. Said R. Nahman: This applies only to a utensil, but not to produce.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., produce cannot be employed as a symbol of acquisition. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> R. Shesheth said: [It may be done] even with produce. What is R. Nahman's reason? — Scripture saith, 'his shoe': implying, only 'his shoe' [i.e., a utensil], but nothing else. What is R. Shesheth's reason? Scripture saith, for to confirm all things.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which he translates, for to confirm with all things — i.e., any article can confirm a transaction. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> But according to R. Nahman too, is it not written, to confirm all things?-That means, to confirm all things the title to which is to be effected by means of a shoe.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., both purchase and barter are consummated by the symbolical delivery of a shoe. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> And R. Shesheth too: is it not written, 'his shoe'?- R. Shesheth can answer you: [That is to teach,] just as his shoe is a clearly defined object, so must everything [used in this connection] be a clearly defined object, thus invalidating half a pomegranate or half a nut, which may not be [employed].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Half a pomegranate has no distinctive individuality, which is the idea connoted here by 'clearly defined'. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> R. Shesheth, the son of R. Iddi, said: In accordance with whom do we write nowadays, 'with a utensil that is fit for acquiring possession therewith'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In a document recording a transaction by means of halifin. This phrase is also used in a woman's marriage settlement (kethubah). ');"><sup>28</sup></span> 'With a utensil' — that rejects the view of R. Shesheth, who maintains: A title may be effected by means of produce. 'That is valid' — this excludes Samuel's dictum, viz.: Possession can be obtained