Bava Kamma 70a

בבא קמא ע׳ ע״א

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Topic

The אורכתא (power of attorney) for movable property and the collector's status, followed by a משנה on when a thief pays תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה and the גמרא's question whether it fits רבי עקיבא.

Overview

The amud opens with the last words of an earlier argument: רבי יוחנן's rule to follow a סתם משנה does not apply when that משנה reflects only one lone חכם. Then the חכמים of נהרדעא rule that one does not write an אורכתא, a document letting someone else collect for you, for movable property. אמימר explains this with רבי יוחנן's rule that an owner cannot be מקדיש an item that is not in his possession. A second version limits the ruling to property the holder denies having, because the document would look like a lie. The נהרדעי add that an אורכתא must say 'go, sue, win and collect for yourself.' Otherwise the debtor can say 'you are not my opponent.' אביי adds that giving the collector even part of the item is enough. אמימר, רב אשי and a third view argue whether the collector may keep what he collects, and the הלכה is that he is only a שליח. A new משנה then lists cases where a thief still pays תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה, with רבי שמעון exempting two of them. The גמרא asks whether the משנה goes against רבי עקיבא's rule of 'דבר ולא חצי דבר', and it begins a ברייתא as the source for that rule, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. Conclusionרבי יוחנן's rule does not cover a lone opinion
2. StatementNo authorization document for movable property
3. Questionרב אשי asks for the reason
4. ResponseThe reason comes from רבי יוחנן's rule on stolen items
5. StatementA second version: only property that was denied
6. ConclusionWhy denial matters, and what follows from it
7. StatementAn authorization document must say 'collect for yourself'
8. ResponseWhy: the debtor can say 'you are not my opponent'
9. StatementGiving even part of the item is enough
10. Statementאמימר: the collector may keep what he seizes
11. Statementרב אשי: the collector is only an agent
12. StatementAnother opinion: the collector is a partner
13. ResponseThe difference: may he take half?
14. ConclusionThe ruling: he is an agent
15. StatementTheft and slaughter proven by the same or different witnesses
16. StatementSelling or slaughtering while committing a sin
17. StatementStealing from one's father, or consecrating after slaughter
18. StatementA useless or forbidden slaughter still counts
19. Statementרבי שמעון exempts the thief in the last two cases
20. QuestionIs the משנה against רבי עקיבא?
21. ProofA ברייתא begins: the source for רבי עקיבא's rule