Bava Metzia 193

דינא הכי ושתיק רב

is that the law?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Is not the law rather that the broken axe is returned and the loss made up? v. B.K. 10b. ');">¹</span>

והלכתא כרב כהנא ורב אסי דמהדר ליה תבריה וממליא ליה דמי מנא

Thereupon Rab was silent. And [indeed] the law agrees with R. Kahana and R. Assi, that he returns him the broken axe and makes up its full value.

ההוא גברא דשאיל דוולא מחבריה איתבר אתא לקמיה דרב פפא אמר ליה אייתי סהדי דלא שנית ביה ואיפטר

A man borrowed a bucket from his neighbour, and it broke. When he came before R. Papa, he said to him, 'Go and bring witnesses that you did not put it to foreign use, and you will be free from liability.'

ההוא גברא דשאיל שונרא מחבריה חבור עליה עכברי וקטלוהו יתיב רב אשי וקמיבעיא ליה כי האי גוונא מאי כי מתה מחמת מלאכה דמי או לא אמר ליה רב מרדכי לרב אשי הכי אמר אבימי מהגרוניא משמיה דרבא גברא דנשי קטלוהו לא דינא ולא דיינא

A man borrowed a cat from his neighbour; the mice then formed a united party and killed it. Now, R. Ashi sat and pondered thereon: How is it in such a case? Is it as though it had died through its work, or not? Thereupon R. Mordecai said to R. Ashi: Thus did Abimi of Hagronia say in Raba's name: A man whom woman killed — [for him] there is no judgment nor judge!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., no redress. He is not worthy of being called a man! The same applies to a cat that is eaten by mice. ');">²</span>

איכא דאמרי אכיל עכברי טובא וחביל ומית יתיב רב אשי וקא מעיין בה כהאי גוונא מאי אמר ליה רב מרדכי לרב אשי הכי אמר אבימי מהגרוניא גברא דנשי קטלוהו לא דינא ולא דיינא

Others say: It ate many mice, whereby it sickened and died. Now, R. Ashi sat and cogitated thereon: How is it in this case? — Said R. Mordechai to R. Ashi: Thus did Abimi of Hagronia say: A man whom women killed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Through excessive gratification. ');">³</span>

אמר רבא האי מאן דבעי למישאל מידי מחבריה וליפטר נימא ליה אשקיין מיא דהוי שאילה בבעלים

— for him there is no judgment nor judge.

ואי פקח הוא נימא ליה שאיל ברישא והדר אשקייך

Raba said: If a man wishes to borrow something from his neighbour and yet be free from responsibility, he should say to him, 'Give me a drink of water,' so that it constitutes a loan together with the owner's service. But if he [the lender] is wise, he should answer him, '[First] borrow it by threshing with it, and then I will give you a drink.'

אמר רבא מקרי דרדקי שתלא טבחא ואומנא ספר מתא כולהון בעידן עבידתייהו כשאילה בבעלים דמו

Raba said: A teacher of children, a gardener,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who plants gardens for others on a percentage. ');">⁴</span>

אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא שאיל לן מר אקפיד אמר להו לאפקועי ממונאי קא בעיתו אדרבה אתון שאילתון לי דאילו אנא מצי אישתמוטי לכו ממסכתא למסכתא אתון לא מציתו לאישתמוטי

a butcher, a cupper and a town barber<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ [H] others: a notary [H] cf. B.B. (Sonc. ed.) p. 106, n. 7.] ');">⁵</span>

ולא היא איהו שאיל להו ביומא דכלה אינהו שאילו ליה בשאר יומי

— all [if they lend something] whilst at work, are treated in regard to the loan as being in the service [of the borrower].

מרימר בר חנינא אוגר כודנייתא בי חוזאי נפק לדלויי טעונה בהדייהו פשעו בה ומית אתו לקמיה דרבא חייבינהו אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא פשיעה בבעלים היא איכסיף לסוף איגלאי מילתא דלמיסר טעונה הוא דנפק

The scholars said to Raba: 'You, Master, are loaned to us.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'you are pledged to our service, to teach us.' ');">⁶</span>

הניחא למאן דאמר פשיעה בבעלים פטור משום הכי איכסיף אלא למאן דאמר חייב אמאי איכסיף

This enraged him: 'You wish to deprive me of my possessions!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'to borrow from me and be exempt from liability.' ');">⁷</span>

לא מיפשע פשעו בה אלא איגנובי איגנוב ומתה כדרכה בי גנב הוי ואתו לקמיה דרבא וחייבינהו אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא גניבה בבעלים היא איכסיף לסוף איגלאי מילתא דלמיסר טעונה הוא דנפק:

he exclaimed. 'On the contrary, you are loaned to me! For I can change you over from one tractate to another, whilst you cannot!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'I can select for subject of study any tractate I fancy, and you have not the right to protest.' ');">⁸</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> השואל את הפרה שאלה חצי יום ושכרה חצי יום שאלה היום ושכרה למחר שכר אחת ושאל אחת ומתה המשאיל אומר שאולה מתה ביום שהיתה שאולה מתה

But neither was entirely correct. He was lent to them during the Kallah days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kallah, general assembly, refers to the months of Adar and Ellul, before Passover and the High Festivals respectively, when popular lectures were given on the coming Festivals. During this time the teacher was restricted to those particular subjects, and therefore stood in the service of his disciples. On Kallah v. B.B. (Sonc. ed.) p. 60, n. 7. ');">⁹</span> whilst they were loaned to him for the rest of the year. Meremar b. Hanina hired a mule to inhabitants of Be Hozae<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 508, n. 2. ');">¹⁰</span> and went forth to assist them in loading it, but through a negligent act on their part it died. When they came before Raba, he held them liable. His disciples objected: But it is negligence with the owner [in service]! So he was ashamed. Subsequently it was ascertained that he had gone forth to supervise the loading.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To see that it was not overloaded. Hence he was not in their service at all, and so Raba's verdict was just. ');">¹¹</span> Now, on the view that for negligence with the owner in service there is no responsibility, it is well; for that reason he was ashamed. But on the view that one is liable, why was he ashamed? — They were not negligent with respect thereto, but it was stolen, and it died a natural death in the thief's possession; and they came before Raba, who ruled them responsible. Thereupon the Rabbis protested to Raba: But it was theft whilst the owner was in their service! But subsequently it was ascertained that he had gone out to supervise its loading. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF ONE BORROWS A COW, BORROWING IT FOR HALF A DAY AND HIRING IT FOR HALF A DAY; OR IF HE BORROWS IT FOR ONE DAY AND HIRES IT FOR THE NEXT; OR IF HE HIRES ONE AND BORROWS ANOTHER, AND ONE COW DIES, THE LENDER ASSERTING THAT THE BORROWED ONE DIED, OR IT DIED ON THE DAY WHEN IT WAS BORROWED,