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Bava Metzia 113a

בבא מציעא קי״ג ע״א

Learn Bava Metzia 113a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A worker's wage claim, and the limits on taking a משכון from a borrower, even by a court agent

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the משנה about a שכיר (hired worker) who swears and collects his wages. The גמרא explains why the בעל הבית's side is stronger: he has two חזקות and the worker has only one. It then works out what witnesses to the worker's demand must have seen, and how long that gives him to swear and collect. A new משנה follows about taking a משכון (collateral) from a borrower. The lender may do it only through בית דין, may not enter the borrower's house, and must give back things the borrower needs. In the גמרא, שמואל rules that a שליח בית דין may seize items outside but may not go into the house to take a משכון. The גמרא tests שמואל against the משנה, against פסוקים brought by רב יוסף, and against a ברייתא. That ברייתא seems to treat the court's agent like the borrower, and its answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֲבָל מְטָא זְמַן חִיּוּבֵיהּ –

But when the time of his obligation arrives –

רָמֵי אַנַּפְשֵׁיהּ וּמִידְּכַר.

he applies himself and remembers.

וְכִי שָׂכִיר עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם ״בַּל תִּגְזֹל״?

But is the hired worker suspected of violating the prohibition of 'do not steal'?

הָתָם תְּרֵי חֲזָקֵי,

There, there are two presumptions,

The steps (21)

  1. ResolutionOnce payment is due, the employer pays attention and remembers
  2. ChallengeIsn't the worker also presumed not to steal?
  3. ResolutionThe employer has two presumptions, the worker only one
  4. StatementQuoting the משנה: witnesses that he demanded payment
  5. ChallengeWhy witnesses? He is demanding it right in front of us
  6. Resolutionרבי אסי: the witnesses saw him demand it on time
  7. ChallengeMaybe the employer paid afterward
  8. Resolutionאביי: he demanded it through the whole time
  9. ChallengeDo we assume forever that he was never paid?
  10. Resolutionרב חמא בר עוקבא: one more day, matching the day of the demand
  11. StatementA lender may take collateral only through the court and may not enter the house
  12. StatementReturning the pillow at night and the plow by day
  13. StatementReturning lasts only thirty days, and then the item is sold
  14. Statementשמואל: a court agent may grab items but may not take collateral from the house
  15. ChallengeChallenge: the משנה implies the court may take collateral
  16. ResolutionReread the משנה as 'seize', not 'take collateral'
  17. ProofSupport from the next line: even the court agent may not enter the house
  18. RejectionThe proof from the משנה's wording is pushed away
  19. Challengeרב יוסף challenges שמואל from the verses about forbidden pledges
  20. ResolutionThe verses are about the lender, adding a second prohibition
  21. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to make the court's agent like the borrower