Bava Batra 102

ובעל אוכל פירות ברם רבי אבא ורבי אבהו וכל גדולי הדור אמרו במתנה בקש ליתנו לה ולמה כתב לה לשום מכר כדי ליפות את כחה

but he still remains entitled to the produce. R. Abba, R. Abbahu, and all the chief authorities of that generation,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The generation preceding that of R. Huna b. Abin.] ');">¹</span> however, said that [in selling] his real intention was to make her a gift of it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore he is not entitled to the produce. ');">²</span>

מיתיבי לוה מן העבד ושחררו מן האשה וגרשה אין להן עליו כלום מאי טעמא לאו משום דאמרי לגלויי זוזי הוא דבעא

and he only made out a deed of sale to her in order to make her title more secure. An objection was raised [against this on the ground of the following]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The question and answer just recorded are here repeated. ');">³</span>

שאני התם דלא לישוי איניש עבד לוה לאיש מלוה

'If a man borrows money from his slave and then emancipates him, or from his wife and then divorces her, they have no claim against him. What is the reason? Is it not because we say that he merely wished to see if they had any money?' — These cases are different, because we presume that a man would not readily place himself in the position of 'a borrower who is a servant to the lender.' Rab said: If a man sells a field to his wife, She becomes the legal owner, but he is still entitled to the produce. If he makes her a gift of a field, she becomes the legal owner and he is no longer entitled to the produce.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it is assumed that a gift is given without reservation. ');">⁴</span>

אמר רב המוכר שדה לאשתו קנתה והבעל אוכל פירות במתנה קנתה ואין הבעל אוכל פירות ורבי אלעזר אמר אחד זה ואחד זה קנתה ואין הבעל אוכל פירות

R. Eleazar, however, said that in either case the wife becomes the legal owner and the husband is not entitled to the produce. In a case which actually occurred, R. Hisda followed the ruling of R. Eleazar. Rabban 'Ukba and Rabban Nehemiah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' (V. L. Mar 'Ukba and Rab Nehemiah. Rabban was a title borne by exilarchs, v. Hul. 92a.) ');">⁵</span> the sons of the daughters of Rab, said to R. Hisda: Do you mean then, Sir, to abandon the greater authorities and follow the lesser?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Eleazar was a pupil of R. Johanan, who himself deferred to Rab. ');">⁶</span>

עבד רב חסדא עובדא כרבי אלעזר אמרו ליה רבן עוקבא ורבן נחמיה בני בנתיה דרב לרב חסדא שביק מר רברבי ועביד כזוטרי א"ל ואנא נמי כרברבי עבדי דכי אתא רבין אמר ר' יוחנן אחד זה ואחד זה קנתה ואין הבעל אוכל פירות

He replied: I also am following a great authority, for when Rabin came<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From Palestine to Babylonia. ');">⁷</span> he said in the name of R. Johanan: In either case, the wife becomes the legal owner, and the husband is not entitled to the produce.

אמר רבא הלכתא המוכר שדה לאשתו לא קנתה והבעל אוכל פירות במתנה קנתה ואין הבעל אוכל פירות תרתי

Raba said: The law is that if a man sells a field to his wife she does not become the legal owner and the husband is entitled to the produce, but if he gives it to her she becomes the legal owner and the husband is not entitled to the produce. [Do not the] two [halves of Raba's first statement contradict each other]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' First he says, 'She does not acquire ownership,' i.e., either of the soil or of the produce, and then he says, 'and the husband is entitled to the produce,' which implies that the wife acquires ownership of the soil. ');">⁸</span> — There is no contradiction. The one [half] refers to the case where the wife had money hidden away,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In this case we say that he merely wished to find out if the wife had any money, and she does not acquire ownership. ');">⁹</span>

לא קשיא כאן במעות טמונין כאן במעות שאין טמונין דאמר רב יהודה מעות טמונין לא קנתה מעות שאינן טמונין קנתה:

the other to the case where she had no money hidden away,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And this motive cannot be ascribed to the husband. ');">¹⁰</span> since Rab Judah has laid down: [If the wife buys with] money hidden away, she does not acquire, if with money not hidden away, she does acquire.

תנו רבנן אין מקבלין פקדונות לא מן הנשים ולא מן העבדים ולא מן התינוקות קבל מן האשה יחזיר לאשה ואם מתה יחזיר לבעלה קבל מן העבד יחזיר לעבד ואם מת יחזיר לרבו

Our Rabbis taught: Pledges should not be taken either from women or from slaves or from children.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because there is a probability that they have stolen the articles pledged or deposited. ');">¹¹</span> If one has taken a pledge from a woman, he should return it to her;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because we do not assume that she has stolen it. ');">¹²</span> if she dies, to her husband. If one has taken a pledge from a slave, he should return it to the slave, or, if he dies, to his master.