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Bava Basra 157b

בבא בתרא קנ״ז ע״ב

Bava Batra 157b

Learn Bava Basra 157b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Is later-acquired property (דאיקני) liened? Proofs are pushed off as following רבי מאיר. Then: when two lenders both lien future property, the הלכה is that they split it.

Overview

The גמרא asks whether a lien takes hold of property the borrower buys after the loan (דאיקני), even once he sells it or leaves it to his heirs. Two proofs are brought, one from the משנה about postdated שטרות and one from a ברייתא about a creditor taking a field that the buyer improved. Each proof is pushed off with the same answer: the source follows רבי מאיר, who holds that a person can transfer something not yet in existence. The גמרא then asks a follow-up question that only comes up if דאיקני is liened. If someone borrowed from two lenders and only afterward acquired property, which lender has the lien? A ruling from ארץ ישראל says the first lender acquires, but רב הונא and רבה בר אבוה say they split it. רב אשי changed his mind and ended with 'they split it,' and that is the הלכה. The improved-field ברייתא is then used to challenge this ruling. The גמרא answers that the ברייתא's word 'collects' means half the improvement.

Opening lines

אֶלָּא הָא מַנִּי –

Rather, whose view is this?

רַבִּי מֵאִיר הִיא,

It is Rabbi Meir,

דְּאָמַר: אָדָם מַקְנֶה

who says: A person can transfer ownership of

דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם.

something that has not yet come into the world.

The steps (14)

  1. RejectionThe earlier proof is pushed off: that משנה follows רבי מאיר
  2. ProofNew proof from the משנה on antedated and postdated שטרות
  3. ProofWhy postdated שטרות prove that דאיקני is liened
  4. RejectionThis proof is also pushed off: the משנה follows רבי מאיר
  5. ProofA ברייתא about a field that was improved
  6. ProofWhy can the creditor take the improvement?
  7. RejectionThe ברייתא follows רבי מאיר
  8. QuestionTwo loans, then property acquired: which lender comes first?
  9. ResponseFrom ארץ ישראל: the first lender acquires
  10. Responseרב הונא and רבה בר אבוה: the lenders split it
  11. Statementרב אשי's first and final rulings
  12. ConclusionThe הלכה: the lenders split it
  13. ChallengeChallenge from the improved-field ברייתא
  14. Resolution'Collects' means half the improvement