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Bava Basra 173b

בבא בתרא קע״ג ע״ב

Bava Batra 173b

Learn Bava Basra 173b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The guarantor (עָרֵב): when a lender may collect from him, why he is obligated at all, and how he differs from a קבלן.

Overview

The משנה finishes its rules about a guarantor (עָרֵב). If the lender set a condition to collect 'from whomever I wish,' he may collect from the עָרֵב. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל says that if the borrower has property, he may not. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל also rules that a husband divorcing a wife whose כתובה has a guarantor must vow off benefit from her, so the couple cannot plot against the guarantor. The גמרא first explains the משנה through רבה and רב יוסף: the guarantor only answers for producing the borrower. רב נחמן rejects this as unreasonable, 'like a Persian court,' and explains that the lender simply may not go to the עָרֵב first. A ברייתא supports him. The גמרא then looks for a פסוק showing that a עָרֵב is obligated. It rejects the story of יהודה and בנימין as קבלנות and accepts פסוקים from משלי. אמימר ties the guarantor's obligation to the dispute over אסמכתא. רב אשי rejects this and explains that the עָרֵב truly commits because he enjoys being trusted. Finally, רבי יוחנן limits the 'whomever I wish' condition to a borrower with no property. The גמרא explains that the משנה is missing words and contrasts a regular עָרֵב with a קבלן.

Opening lines

וְאִם אָמַר לוֹ:

But if he said to him:

״עַל מְנָת שֶׁאֶפָּרַע מִמִּי שֶׁאֶרְצֶה״ –

"On condition that I will collect from whomever I wish"

יִפָּרַע מִן הֶעָרֵב.

he may collect from the guarantor.

רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר:

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:

The steps (20)

  1. StatementA condition lets the lender collect from the guarantor
  2. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל protects the guarantor when the borrower has property
  3. StatementA guarantor for a כתובה: the husband must vow off his wife
  4. QuestionThe גמרא asks why the guarantor is protected
  5. Responseרבה and רב יוסף: 'You gave me a man, I give you back a man'
  6. Challengeרב נחמן: that is Persian law
  7. ChallengePersian courts actually go after the guarantor
  8. ResolutionHe meant it is an arbitrary ruling, like a Persian court's
  9. Responseרב נחמן's reading: the lender cannot go to the guarantor first
  10. ProofA ברייתא teaches the same rule
  11. Statementרב הונא's source: יהודה guarantees בנימין
  12. Challengeרב חסדא: That was full responsibility, not a regular guarantee
  13. Proofרבי יצחק's source from משלי
  14. ProofA second verse: the guarantor is trapped by his words
  15. Statementאמימר ties the guarantor's obligation to the אסמכתא dispute
  16. Challengeרב אשי objects from everyday practice
  17. Resolutionרב אשי: the guarantor commits because he enjoys being trusted
  18. Statementרבי יוחנן limits the 'collect from whomever I want' condition
  19. ChallengeChallenge from the end of the משנה
  20. ResolutionThe משנה is missing words: the full reading