Bava Metzia 48

ואיבעית אימא לעולם רבנן מי קתני הן שלו אינו חייב להכריז קתני ויניח וייתי ישראל ויהיב ביה סימנא ושקיל

And if you wish I will say: Admittedly this is the view of the Rabbis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And it is not a case where the money was concealed. It is wrong, however, to conclude from this that the Rabbis agree with R. Simeon b. Eleazar where the majority are heathens, as their decision does not mean that the article belongs to the finder. ');">¹</span> but is it stated. 'They belong to the finder'? — It [merely] says 'He has not to announce them' [meaning that] he lets it lie,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., he retains it in his possession till an Israelite comes. V. Strashun a.l.] The fact that the majority are heathens does not, according to the Rabbis, entitle the finder to appropriate the article, v. supra. p. 151, n. 9. ');">²</span> and when an Israelite comes and indicates an identification mark in it he receives it.

ת"ש דאמר רב אסי מצא חבית יין בעיר שרובה כנענים מותרת משום מציאה ואסורה בהנאה בא ישראל ונתן בה סימן מותרת בשתיה למוצאה

Come and hear: R. Assi said: If one finds a barrel of wine in a town where the majority are heathens he is permitted [to keep it] as a find but he is forbidden to derive any benefit from it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the wine may have been used in connection with idol-worship and thus become [H] i.e., forbidden not only to be drunk by Jews but also to be utilised in any way that might yield profit or pleasure. ');">³</span> If an Israelite comes and indicates an identification mark in it the finder is permitted to drink it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the owner proves to be a Jew the prohibition relating to wine used in connection with idol-worship does not arise, and as the majority of the inhabitants of the place are heathens who do not return lost articles, the owner must be assumed to have abandoned the hope of recovering the lost goods. ');">⁴</span> Now this is obviously in accordance with the view of R. Simeon b. Eleazar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who maintains that in such a case the majority must be considered in deciding whether the finder is entitled to appropriate the article or not. ');">⁵</span>

כמאן כר"ש בן אלעזר שמע מינה כי קאמר ר"ש בן אלעזר ברוב כנענים אבל ברוב ישראל לא לעולם אימא לך ר"ש בן אלעזר אפי' ברוב ישראל נמי קאמר ורב אסי סבר לה כוותיה בחדא ופליג עליה בחדא

It therefore follows that R. Simeon b. Eleazar only Says this where the majority are heathens, but not where the majority are Israelites! — [No.] In reality, I will tell you. R. Simeon b. Eleazar says this also where the majority are Israelites, but R. Assi agrees with him in the one case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the majority are heathens. ');">⁶</span> but differs from him in the other case.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the majority are Israelites. ');">⁷</span> But if [the finder] is forbidden to derive any benefit [from the barrel of wine], what purpose does the law serve [by permitting him to keep it]? — R. Ashi answered: In regard to the vessel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He may use the vessel in which the wine is contained, although he is forbidden to use the wine. ');">⁸</span>

וכי מאחר דאסירא בהנאה מותרת משום מציאה למאי הלכתא אמר רב אשי לקנקנה:

A certain man once found four <i>zuz</i> which had been tied up in a cloth and thrown into the river Biran. When he appeared before Rab Judah the latter said to him, 'Go and announce it.' But is not this [like retrieving an object from] the tide of the sea? — The river Biran is different. As it contains obstacles<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Various kinds of network intended to catch the fish. ');">⁹</span> the owner does not give up hope.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the network is likely to hold up the article floating in the river the owner hopes that the article will ultimately be recovered. ');">¹⁰</span> But does not the majority<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the inhabitants of the territory through which the river Biran flows. ');">¹¹</span>

ההוא גברא דאשכח ארבעה זוזי דציירי בסדינא ושדו בנהר בירן אתא לקמיה דרב יהודה א"ל זיל אכריז והא זוטו של ים הוא שאני נהר בירן כיון דמתקיל לא מיאש והא רובא כנענים נינהו ש"מ אין הלכה כר"ש בן אלעזר אפי' ברוב כנענים שאני נהר בירן דישראל סכרו ליה וישראל כרו ליה כיון דישראל סכרו ליה אימור מישראל נפל וכיון דישראל כרו ליה לא מיאש

consist of heathens? Hence it must be concluded that the <i>halachah</i> is not in accordance with R. Simeon b. Eleazar even where the majority are heathens! — [The position in regard to] the river Biran is different. For Israelites dam it up<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By placing the network therein for the purpose of catching fish. ');">¹²</span> and Israelites dredge it: As Israelites dam it up it may be assumed that an Israelite dropped [the coins], and as Israelites dredge it, [the loser] did not give them up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He depended on the Israelites recovering the article during dredging operations and returning it to him. ');">¹³</span> Rab Judah once followed Mar Samuel into a street of wholemeal vendors,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where crowds congregate. ');">¹⁴</span>

רב יהודה הוה שקיל ואזיל בתריה דמר שמואל בשוקא דבי דיסא א"ל מצא כאן ארנקי מהו אמר ליה הרי אלו שלו בא ישראל ונתן בה סימן מהו א"ל חייב להחזיר תרתי אמר ליה לפנים משורת הדין כי הא דאבוה דשמואל אשכח הנך חמרי במדברא ואהדרינהו למרייהו לבתר תריסר ירחי שתא לפנים משורת הדין

and he asked him: What if one found here a purse?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Would he be entitled to keep it? ');">¹⁵</span> — [Mar Samuel] answered: It would belong to the finder. What if an Israelite came and indicated an identification mark? — [Mar Samuel] answered: He would have to return it. Both?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Do not the two views contradict each other? ');">¹⁶</span> — [Mar Samuel] answered: [He should go] beyond the requirements of the law.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in saying 'he would have to return it' R. Simeon b. Eleazar did not give a legal decision but indicated what he would regard as the proper action to take on the ground of morality. The term used ([H]) means literally 'within the line of justice,' i.e. performing a good action even if one is not compelled to do so legally. Cf. B.K. (Sonc. ed.) p. 584, n. 2. ');">¹⁷</span>

רבא הוה שקיל ואזיל בתריה דר"נ בשוקא דגלדאי ואמרי לה בשוקא דרבנן א"ל מצא כאן ארנקי מהו א"ל הרי אלו שלו בא ישראל ונתן בה סימן מהו אמר ליה הרי אלו שלו והלא עומד וצווח נעשה כצווח על ביתו שנפל ועל ספינתו שטבעה בים

Thus the father of Samuel found some asses in a desert, and he returned them to their owner after a year of twelve months: [he went] beyond the requirements of the law. Raba once followed R. Nahman into a street of skinners<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Persons who deal in skins, leather and leather goods. ');">¹⁸</span> — some say into a street of scholars — and he asked him: What if one found here a purse? — [R. Nahman] answered: It would belong to the finder. What if an Israelite came and indicated its identification mark? — [R. Nahman] answered: It would [still] belong to the finder. But that one keeps protesting! — It is as if one protested against his house collapsing or against his ship sinking in the sea.

ההוא דיו דשקיל בשרא בשוקא ושדיה בצנייתא דבי בר מריון אתא לקמיה דאביי א"ל זיל שקול לנפשך והא רובא דישראל נינהו שמעת מינה הלכה כרבי שמעון בן אלעזר אפי' ברוב ישראל שאני דיו דכזוטו של ים דמי והא אמר רב בשר שנתעלם מן העין אסור בעומד ורואהו:

Once a vulture seized a piece of meat in the market and dropped it among the palm-trees belonging to Bar Marion. When the latter appeared before Abaye he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Abaye. ');">¹⁹</span> said to him: Go and take it for yourself. Now, the majority [in that case] consisted of Israelites. Hence it must be concluded that the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance with R. Simeon b. Eleazar even where the majority are Israelites! — [The position in regard to] a vulture is different — for it is like the tide of the sea.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The owner is sure to have given up the hope of recovering the loss. ');">²⁰</span> But did not Rab say that meat which has disappeared from sight is forbidden?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As it may have been exchanged for, or replaced by, meat taken from an unclean animal or be otherwise unfit to be eaten by Jews. ');">²¹</span>

ר' חנינא מצא גדי שחוט בין טבריא לציפורי והתירוהו לו אמר רבי אמי התירוהו לו משום מציאה כר"ש בן אלעזר משום שחיטה כרבי חנניא בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי דתניא הרי שאבדו לו גדייו ותרנגוליו והלך ומצאן שחוטין ר' יהודה אוסר ורבי חנניא בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי מתיר

— He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bar Marion. ');">²²</span> stood by and watched it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the time the vulture seized it until it dropped it. ');">²³</span> R. Hanina once found a slaughtered kid between Tiberias and Sepphoris, and he was permitted [to appropriate] it. R. Ammi said: He was permitted [to appropriate] it as a find, according to R. Simeon b. Eleazar, and as regards the method of slaughter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., as regards the assumption that the kid had been slaughtered in accordance with the Jewish ritual and was therefore 'Kasher', or fit to be eaten by Jews. ');">²⁴</span>

אמר רבי נראין דברי רבי יהודה כשמצאן באשפה ודברי רבי חנניא בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי כשמצאן בבית מדהתירוהו לו משום שחיטה רובא ישראל נינהו שמעת מינה הלכה כר"ש בן אלעזר אפי' ברוב ישראל אמר רבא רוב כנענים ורוב טבחי ישראל

— [it was deemed proper.] according to R. Hanania, the son of R. Jose the Galilean. For it has been taught<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Hul. 12a. ');">²⁵</span> 'If one lost his kids or chickens and subsequently found them slaughtered — R. Judah forbids them, and R. Hanania the son of R. Jose the Galilean, permits them [to be eaten]. Rabbi said: The words of R. Judah seem right in a case where [the lost kids or chickens] were found on a dungheap while the words of R. Hanania, the son of R. Jose the Galilean seem right when they were found in a house.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would show that they were unfit to be eaten. ');">²⁶</span> Now, seeing that they were permitted in regard to the method of slaughter, the majority must have consisted of Israelites.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As otherwise it could not be assumed that the Jewish method of slaughter had been used. ');">²⁷</span>

רבי אמי אשכח פרגיות שחוטות בין טבריא לציפורי אתא לקמיה דר' אסי ואמרי לה לקמיה דר' יוחנן ואמרי לה בי מדרשא ואמרו ליה זיל שקול לנפשך רבי יצחק נפחא אשכח קיבורא דאזלי ביה אזלויי אתא לקמיה דר' יוחנן ואמרי לה בבי מדרשא ואמרו ליה זיל שקול לנפשך:

Hence it must be concluded that the <i>halachah</i> is according to R. Simeon b. Eleazar even where the majority are Israelites! — Raba replied: [That was a case where] the majority [of the inhabitants were] heathens, and the majority of the slaughterers [were] Israelites.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It could therefore be assumed that the Jewish method of slaughter was used, although the majority of the inhabitants were heathens. * The translation from here to the end of the tractate is by Rabbi Dr. H. Freedman. ');">²⁸</span> R. Ammi once found some slaughtered pigeons between Tiberias and Sepphoris. When he appeared before R. Assi — some say, before R. Johanan; others again say, in the house of study — he was told: 'Go and take them for yourself.' R. Isaac the blacksmith once found some balls of string which were used for making nets. When he appeared before R. Johanan — some say. in the house of study — he was told: 'Go and take them for yourself.'

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> ואלו חייב להכריז מצא פירות בכלי או כלי כמות שהוא מעות בכיס או כיס כמות שהוא צבורי פירות צבורי מעות

* <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. THE FOLLOWING OBJECTS HAVE TO BE PROCLAIMED: IF ONE FINDS FRUIT IN A VESSEL,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which usually has some identification mark by which the owner may recognise it. ');">²⁹</span> OR A VESSEL BY ITSELF, MONEY IN A PURSE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which also has an identification mark. ');">³⁰</span> OR A PURSE BY ITSELF; HEAPS OF FRUIT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heaps of fruit or money also have identification marks, as explained in the Gemara below. ');">³¹</span> HEAPS OF COINS,