Bava Kamma 64b

בבא קמא ס״ד ע״ב

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Topic

The sources and scope of כפל for a thief: which items are included, how ״אם המצא תמצא״ is read, and the rule that one who admits to a קנס is exempt

Overview

The גמרא explains why the תורה needs the words ״אם המצא תמצא״ to include all stolen items in כפל (double payment). The word ״חיים״ would otherwise limit the law to animals. It first reads the פסוק as כלל ופרט וכלל, using רבינא's rule to place each detail between the two generalizations. That method leaves ״שה״ with no job, so the גמרא switches to ריבה ומיעט וריבה, following the school of רבי ישמעאל. Under that reading everything is included except land, slaves and documents, and ״גניבה״ and ״חיים״ teach רב's rule that the thief pays the value at the time of theft. The גמרא then turns to the view that one פסוק is about a real thief. For that view, ״אם המצא תמצא״ teaches רבא בר אהילאי's source for רב: one who admits to a קנס stays exempt even if witnesses come later. The two views assign ״אם המצא תמצא״ and ״אשר ירשיען אלהים״ differently, and they disagree on whether later witnesses make the admitter liable. Finally, אביי uses a קל וחומר to prove that a thief pays double even without an oath. A new challenge, starting from the word ״ידו״, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ChallengeThe question in the ברייתא is a good one
2. ResolutionThe earlier derivation has a weakness
3. ResolutionSo ״אם המצא״ is needed to include all items
4. ChallengeBut these are two generalizations side by side
5. ResolutionThe rule from ארץ ישראל about side-by-side generalizations
6. ResolutionPlacing 'ox' between the two generalizations
7. ResolutionPlacing 'donkey' between the two generalizations
8. ChallengeWhat is 'sheep' left to teach?
9. ResolutionSwitching to the 'include, limit, include' method
10. ProofThe proof from 'in the waters, in the waters'
11. QuestionWhat does the broad reading include?
12. ChallengeThen why list all the details?
13. ResolutionEach detail excludes one thing
14. Resolution״גניבה״ and ״חיים״ teach רב's rule
15. QuestionThe other view: what does ״אם המצא תמצא״ teach?
16. ResponseIt teaches that one who admits to a fine is exempt
17. QuestionThe both-שומר view: where is the admission rule from?
18. ResponseThe source is ״אשר ירשיען אלהים״
19. QuestionWhat does ״אשר ירשיען״ teach for the split view?
20. Response״אשר ירשיען״ teaches the basic admission exemption
21. StatementThe both-שומר view must disagree with רבא בר אהילאי's teaching for רב
22. ChallengeWhy does the split view need all the details in the first פסוק?
23. ResolutionA repeated passage is repeated for one new point
24. ChallengeMaybe a thief also pays double only after an oath
25. Resolutionרבי יעקב teaches that a thief pays double even without an oath
26. QuestionWhat does 'it was not so' mean?
27. Responseאביי: a thief with an oath could be learned by קל וחומר
28. ConclusionSo the thief's פסוק teaches double payment even without an oath
29. ChallengeAre the words 'if it shall be found' already needed for something else?