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Bava Metzia 111b

בבא מציעא קי״א ע״ב

Learn Bava Metzia 111b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who and what is covered by the Torah's laws against paying wages late, and how each תנא reads the פסוקים

Overview

The גמרא finishes quoting a ברייתא that reads the פסוק about not oppressing a hired worker word by word. The first תנא puts a גר תושב, and also rented animals and utensils, under all the late-payment laws. רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה is narrower: a גר תושב is only under 'ביומו תתן שכרו', and animals and utensils are only under 'בל תעשק'. Our משנה fits neither of them fully, so רבא says it follows the school of רבי ישמעאל. The גמרא then explains the dispute. The first תנא links the two פסוקים through the word 'שכיר' ('hired worker'). רבי יוסי does not make that link, and he uses 'כי עני הוא' to leave animals and utensils out of 'ביומו'. Our תנא includes animals and utensils from 'פעולת' and 'אתך', and leaves out the גר תושב from 'רעך'. Finally, the גמרא shows what each opinion learns from the remaining words: paying the poor first, not applying עושק and גזל to a גוי, and רב אסי's rule that even a tiny job counts.

Opening lines

״מֵאַחֶיךָ״ – פְּרָט לַאֲחֵרִים.

"From your brothers" – to leave out others.

״גֵּרְךָ״ – זֶה גֵּר צֶדֶק.

"Your stranger" – this is a righteous convert.

״בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ״ – זֶה אוֹכֵל נְבֵילוֹת.

"Within your gates" – this is one who eats unslaughtered carcasses.

אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שְׂכַר אָדָם,

I have only the wages of a person;

The steps (33)

  1. StatementReading the verse: who counts as a protected worker
  2. QuestionWhat about renting animals and utensils?
  3. Response'In your land' includes everything
  4. ConclusionThe rule: people, animals and utensils are all covered
  5. Statementרבי יוסי ברבי יהודה disagrees
  6. ChallengeOur משנה fits neither opinion
  7. Resolutionרבא: Our משנה follows the school of רבי ישמעאל
  8. QuestionWhat is the reason of the תנא קמא
  9. ResponseThe תנא קמא learns 'hired worker' from 'hired worker'
  10. ChallengeWhy aren't animals and utensils at least under 'pay on his day'
  11. Resolution'For he is poor' leaves out animals and utensils
  12. QuestionWhat does the תנא קמא do with 'for he is poor'
  13. ResponseIt teaches to pay a poor worker before a rich one
  14. Responseרבי יוסי learns the poor-first rule from 'do not oppress'
  15. ResponseThe first תנא uses each verse for a different ordering rule
  16. ResolutionWhy both ordering rules are needed
  17. ChallengeA two-sided challenge to the תנא of our משנה
  18. Resolution'אתך' includes anything whose work is with you
  19. ChallengeThen the גר תושב should be included too
  20. Resolution'רעך' leaves out the גר תושב
  21. ChallengeIf 'your neighbor' excludes, animals and utensils should be excluded too
  22. ResolutionThe word 'with you' brings animals and utensils back in
  23. ChallengeWhy include animals and exclude the גר תושב, and not the reverse?
  24. ResolutionAnimals and utensils count as your neighbor's property
  25. QuestionHow do the other תנאים use the word 'your neighbor'?
  26. Response'Your neighbor' comes to exclude a גוי
  27. ChallengeBut a גוי is already left out by 'your brothers'
  28. ResolutionOne word for withholding wages, one for stealing
  29. ResolutionWhy both cases had to be taught
  30. QuestionHow does רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה use 'the wages shall not stay overnight'?
  31. ResponseEven a tiny job counts, as רב אסי teaches
  32. QuestionWhat about the other תנא?
  33. ResponseHe learns it from "ואליו הוא נשא את נפשו"