Bava Basra 171b

בבא בתרא קע״א ע״ב

Bava Batra 171b

Learn Bava Basra 171b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Writing a שובר (receipt) when a loan document is lost, and how postdated (שטר מאוחר) loan and sale documents can be misused and protected.

Overview

The גמרא explains that רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי argue only about an ordinary שטר מאוחר, and that each follows his own view on writing a שובר. רבי יהודה says we do not write a שובר, so a late date is harmless. רבי יוסי says we do write one, so a late date could let a lender collect twice. רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע limits the שובר to partial payment, but the גמרא rejects this: a שובר is written even for full payment. It proves this from a court case before רבי חנינא בר פפי, from רבי יוחנן, ריש לקיש and רבי אילעא, and from fairness, and רבא answers אביי that "the borrower is a servant to the lender." Next a משנה rules that antedated loan documents are invalid and postdated ones are valid. רב המנונא says postdated sale documents are invalid because of a buy-back trick. Loans are safe, he says, because he holds we do not write a שובר. Since in practice both are written, רב כהנא cites the fixes of רבי אבא and רב ספרא for the wording of the document and of the receipt, and another question begins that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. StatementThe dispute is only about an ordinary postdated document
2. Statementרבי יהודה's reason: no receipts, so no harm
3. Statementרבי יוסי's reason: receipts are written, so harm can result
4. StatementReceipts are written only for partial payment
5. RejectionRejecting the partial-payment limit
6. ProofA court case: the lender lost the note
7. ChallengeThe borrower objects: רב and שמואל say no receipt
8. ResolutionThe judge rules: we write a receipt
9. Proofרבין's report: רבי אילעא also says we write a receipt
10. ProofLogic shows we should write a receipt
11. Challengeאביי: a receipt can also be lost
12. Resolutionרבא: the borrower carries the risk
13. Statementמשנה: early-dated loan documents are invalid, late-dated are valid
14. Statementרב המנונא: sale documents are invalid even if postdated
15. QuestionWhy are postdated sale documents invalid?
16. ResponseThe buy-back trick a late date allows
17. ChallengeThe same danger should apply to loan documents
18. Resolutionרב המנונא holds that we do not write a receipt
19. ChallengeBut today we write both late dates and receipts
20. Resolutionרבי אבא's fix: the document admits its late date
21. ChallengeBut today we don't use רבי אבא's wording
22. Resolutionרב ספרא's fix: date the receipt correctly or leave it undated
23. ChallengeIntroducing the next question about this practice