Bava Batra 186

נותן לו דמי זרע אמרו לו הרבה לוקחין אותו לדברים אחרים

he must refund to him the price of the seed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because most of the linseed is sold for sowing purposes. ');">¹</span> They replied unto him: Many<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For every man who buys a large quantity of linseed for sowing, there are ten times as many people who buy it in smaller quantities for food, medicinal, or other purposes. ');">²</span>

מאן תנאי אילימא רבי יוסי ואמרו לו תרוייהו בתר רובא אזלי מר אזיל בתר רובא דאינשי ומר אזיל בתר רובא דזריעה

buy it for other purposes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, therefore, no refund is necessary, despite the fact that a minority of big buyers use the linseed for sowing only. ');">³</span> Now who are the Tannaim [between whom the question of the majority principle, as has been said, is in dispute]? If it is assumed that they are R. Jose,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he orders the refund of the price of the seed, he is presumably of the same opinion as that held by Rab, viz. that the majority principle must be followed even in monetary matters. ');">⁴</span>

אלא אי תנא קמא ור' יוסי אי ת"ק ואמרו לו

and 'those who replied to him';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since they maintain that no refund is necessary, they must uphold the opinion advanced by Samuel that in monetary matters the majority principle is no guide. ');">⁵</span> [surely] both, [it may be retorted], follow the majority principle; one follows the majority of men,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., most people buy linseed for purposes other than sowing. ');">⁶</span>

ת"ר מהו נותן לו דמי זרע ולא הוצאה ויש אומרים אף הוצאה

the others, the majority of the seed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., most linseed is sold for sowing, though to a minority of buyers. ');">⁷</span> [neither of these, then, can be said to agree with the opinion advanced by Samuel!] But [the dispute referred to is] either [that between] the first Tanna<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who does not accept the majority principle. (Cf. supra notes 1 and 2). ');">⁸</span>

מאן יש אומרים אמר רב חסדא רשב"ג היא

and R. Jose, or [between] the first Tanna<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who does not accept the majority principle. (Cf. supra notes 1 and 2). ');">⁸</span> and those 'who replied to him'.

הי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אילימא רשב"ג דמתני' דתנן המוכר פירות לחבירו וזרען ולא צמחו ואפילו זרע פשתן אינו חייב באחריותן (הא זרעוני גינה שאינן נאכלין חייב באחריותן)

Our Rabbis taught: What does he, [who has sold garden seeds which are not eaten], refund [the buyer who sowed them without success]? — The cost of the seeds, but not expenses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of ploughing and any other services incidental to sowing. ');">⁹</span> And others say: Expenses also [must be refunded]. Who are these others?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'who are the others who say?'. ');">¹⁰</span>

אימא סיפא רשב"ג אומר זרעוני גינה שאינן נאכלין חייב באחריותן ת"ק נמי הכי קאמר זרע פשתן הוא דאינו חייב באחריותן הא זרעוני גינה שאינן נאכלין חייב באחריותן

— R. Hisda said: It is R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. Which [of the teachings of] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel [reflects such a view]? If it is suggested [that the teaching is that of] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel of our Mishnah, where we learnt: [IF] ANYONE HAS SOLD FRUIT TO ANOTHER … AND [THE BUYER] SOWED THEM AND THEY DID NOT GROW, EVEN [IF THEY WERE] LINSEED, HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE; [now] consider in view of this, the last clause [of our Mishnah]: R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: FOR GARDEN SEEDS WHICH ARE NOT EATEN. HE IS RESPONSIBLE: Does not the first Tanna say the same thing? [For he said]. 'for LINSEED only. HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE', which [implies that] FOR GARDEN SEEDS WHICH ARE NOT EATEN, HE IS RESPONSIBLE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What, then, is the difference between these two Tannaim of our Mishnah? ');">¹¹</span>

אלא לאו הוצאה איכא בינייהו מר סבר דמי זרע ומ"ס אף הוצאה

[and this is the very law of R. Simeon]. Does not this [force the conclusion that] the difference between them is the [question of] expenses? One<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna. ');">¹²</span> holds the opinion [that only] the cost of the seeds [is to be refunded], and the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Simeon b. Gamaliel_ ');">¹³</span>

ממאי דלמא איפכא הא לא קשיא כל תנא בתרא לטפויי מילתא קא אתי

is of the opinion [that the] expenses also [must be refunded]! — How [can this be proved]? Is it not possible [that the opinions of the two Tannaim are to be] reversed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna holding the seller responsible for the expenses whilst R. Simeon does not. Those 'others' will not therefore be R. Simeon but the first Tanna of our Mishnah. ');">¹⁴</span> This is no difficulty. Any Tanna [who is mentioned] last, enters [the discussion for the purpose of] adding some [restriction];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In this case, R. Simeon, who is last, must therefore be the one who adds the expenses to the seller's responsibility. ');">¹⁵</span>

ודלמא כולה רשב"ג היא וחסורי מחסרא והכי קתני המוכר פירות לחבירו וזרען ולא צמחו אפילו זרע פשתן אינו חייב באחריותן (הא זרעוני גינה שאינן נאכלין חייב באחריותן) דברי רשב"ג שרשב"ג אומר (זרע פשתן הוא דאינו חייב באחריותן הא) זרעוני גינה שאינן נאכלין חייב באחריותן

[the objection, however, is that] all [the Mishnah] may be [the teaching of] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, and [that only a few words are] missing, and [that] this [is what the Mishnah really] teaches: [IF] ANYONE HAS SOLD FRUIT TO ANOTHER. AND [THE BUYER] SOWED THEM AND THEY DID NOT GROW. EVEN [IF THEY WERE] LINSEED, HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE — these are the words of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, for R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: FOR GARDEN SEEDS WHICH ARE NOT EATEN, HE IS RESPONSIBLE!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whence, then, is it proved that R. Simeon b. Gamaliel requires the refunding of the expenses? Our Mishnah, then, cannot be the teaching of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel referred to under the authority of those 'others'. ');">¹⁶</span> But [it is] this [teaching of] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, [reflecting the view of those 'others'] for it has been taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. B.K. X; B.K. 99b. ');">¹⁷</span>

אלא הא רבן שמעון בן גמליאל דתניא המוליך חטין לטחון ולא לתתן ועשאן סובין או מורסן קמח לנחתום ואפאו פת ניפולין בהמה לטבח וניבלה חייב מפני שהוא כנושא שכר

[If] one takes wheat to grind and [the miller] does not moisten it [prior to the grinding], and makes it into bran flour or coarse bran; [or, if one takes] flour to a baker who makes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'baked'. ');">¹⁸</span> of it bread which falls into pieces, [or, if one takes] a beast to a slaughterer who makes it unfit,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g.. by the unskilful use of the knife. ');">¹⁹</span>

רשב"ג אומר נותן לו דמי בושתו ודמי בושת אורחיו וכן היה רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר מנהג גדול היה בירושלים המוסר סעודה לחברו וקלקלה נותן לו דמי בשתו ודמי בושת אורחיו

he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He, the miller, baker, or slaughterer. ');">²⁰</span> is liable [to pay compensation], since he is like one who takes payment [for his services].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.K. 99b. ');">²¹</span>

עוד מנהג גדול היה בירושלים מפה פרוסה על גבי הפתח כל זמן שמפה פרוסה אורחין נכנסין נסתלקה המפה אין האורחין נכנסין:

R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: He indemnifies him for the insult to him and to his guests.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he invited guests and, in consequence of the neglect of the miller, baker, or slaughterer, he was unable to cater for them. ');">²²</span> [How much more, then, must he refund his expenses;] and so R. Simeon b. Gamaliel used to say:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. Ber. IV. ');">²³</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> המוכר פירות לחבירו הרי זה מקבל עליו רובע טנופת לסאה תאנים מקבל עליו עשר מתולעות למאה מרתף של יין מקבל עליו עשר קוססות למאה קנקנים בשרון מקבל עליו עשר פיטסות למאה:

There was a fine<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'great'. ');">²⁴</span> custom in Jerusalem. If one entrusted [the preparations of] a banquet to another who spoilt it. [the latter] had to indemnify him for the insult to himself and to his guests. There was another fine custom in Jerusalem. [At the commencement of the meal] a cloth was spread over the door.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The cloth was a signal that a meal was in progress within the house. ');">²⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תאני רב קטינא רובע קטנית לסאה ועפרורית לא והאמר רבה בר חייא קטוספאה משמיה דרבה בורר צרור מגרנו של חברו

So long as the cloth was spread, guests entered. When the cloth was removed, no guests entered. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [IF] ONE SELLS FRUIT TO ANOTHER, [THE LATTER] MUST ACCEPT A QUARTER [OF A <i>KAB</i> OF] REFUSE FOR EVERY SE' AH. [IF HE SOLD HIM] FIGS, [THE BUYER] MUST ACCEPT TEN WORMY ONES FOR EVERY HUNDRED. [IF] A CELLAR OF WINE, HE MUST ACCEPT TEN [CASKS OF] PUNGENT [WINE] FOR EVERY HUNDRED. [IF] JUGS IN SHARON,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A place name, or 'in the plain'. ');">²⁶</span> HE MUST ACCEPT TEN BAD JUGS FOR EVERY HUNDRED. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. R. Kattina learned: A quarter [of a <i>kab</i>] of pulse for each <i>se'ah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Kattina is explaining the 'quarter of refuse' mentioned in our Mishnah. ');">²⁷</span> And [need he] not [accept] sandy matter? Surely Rabbah b. Hiyya of Kteshifon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the Eastern bank of Tigris. ');">²⁸</span> said<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bezah 38b. ');">²⁹</span> in the name of Rabbah: [If a man] picks out a pebble<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A pebble comes obviously under the category of sandy matter. ');">³⁰</span> from his neighbour's threshing-floor