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Bava Metzia 113b

בבא מציעא קי״ג ע״ב

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

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Topic

Taking collateral: the court agent's rights, what a debtor must be left (סידור), and whether collateral is sold

Overview

This amud deals with how a debt is collected and what must be left for the borrower. First the גמרא shows that תנאים disagree about whether a שליח בית דין must wait outside like the lender or may go into the house. A ברייתא then teaches that food-making tools may not be taken, and that the borrower keeps two beds for himself. Those beds follow the rule of סידור, which is learned from ערכין. The גמרא explains that one bed is for eating and one is for sleeping, based on a health warning from שמואל. Next, רב נחמן asks how there can be סידור if collateral is sold. The גמרא explains that he was speaking according to רבן שמעון בן גמליאל. It proves that רבן שמעון בן גמליאל means a full sale, because he holds that all Jews are children of kings. Finally, רב חגא challenges the whole idea of leaving the borrower anything, and אביי's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לָא,

No,

שְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין כְּמַלְוֶה.

the agent of the court is like the lender.

תָּא שְׁמַע:

Come and hear:

״אִם חָבֹל תַּחְבֹּל שַׂלְמַת רֵעֶךָ״ –

"If you take your neighbor's garment as collateral"

The steps (26)

  1. RejectionThe court agent is treated like the lender
  2. ProofA ברייתא says one פסוק is about the court agent
  3. ResolutionThis is a מחלוקת between תנאים; first view: the agent waits outside
  4. ResolutionSecond view: only the lender waits outside; the agent may go in
  5. StatementWhat must be left for the debtor
  6. ChallengeThe comparison is backwards
  7. ResolutionFlip the wording
  8. QuestionWho is the second bed for?
  9. ChallengeThe beds can't be for his family
  10. ResponseBoth beds are for him
  11. QuestionWhy does he need two?
  12. ResponseOne to eat on, one to sleep on
  13. Proofשמואל's three dangers
  14. StatementA ברייתא: a debtor gets arrangements like in ערכין
  15. Challengeרב נחמן: if we sell it, how can we leave it to him?
  16. ChallengeBut the משנה says collateral is returned, not sold
  17. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, who allows a sale
  18. ChallengeMaybe רבן שמעון בן גמליאל means only a partial sale
  19. RejectionRejected: for רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, nothing is unfit for a Jew
  20. Proofאביי: all Jews are children of kings
  21. Proofרבן שמעון בן גמליאל allows moving arum because ravens eat it
  22. Proofרבי שמעון says all Jews are princes and may use rose oil
  23. Proofרבי ישמעאל and רבי עקיבא say every Jew is fit for the expensive cloak
  24. ChallengeHow could a plow be partly sold?
  25. ResolutionThe plow is a silver plow
  26. ChallengeWhy should the lender have to look after the borrower?