Bava Metzia 114b

בבא מציעא קי״ד ע״ב

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Topic

The end of the story of רבה בר אבוה and אליהו, and the laws of returning a borrower's collateral.

Overview

The amud finishes the story of רבה בר אבוה and אליהו הנביא. אליהו gives the source that a naked person may not separate תרומה, and explains that a כהן may stand among graves of non-Jews because, according to רבי שמעון בן יוחי, they do not give over טומאה. רבה בר אבוה admits that the pressure of earning a living keeps him from learning. אליהו brings him into גן עדן to gather leaves, but he throws them away when a voice warns that he is using up his עולם הבא. The scent left in his cloak still sells for a fortune, which he gives to his sons-in-law. The גמרא then turns to the laws of collateral. רב ששת explains that a poor man's collateral may not stay with the lender overnight, but a rich man's may. רב ששת and רבא give two different readings of a confusing ברייתא about taking and returning collateral. רבא corrects רב שיזבי's teaching so that a day garment is returned for the day and a night garment for the night. Finally, רבי יוחנן rules that after the debtor dies, the creditor may take the collateral from the children. The גמרא begins a challenge to him from רבי מאיר, and that challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. QuestionWhere do we learn that a naked person may not separate תרומה?
2. ResponseThe source is the פסוק about seeing nakedness
3. ChallengeWhy is a כהן standing in a cemetery?
4. ResolutionGraves of non-Jews do not give over טומאה
5. Responseרבה בר אבוה admits he has not learned all six orders
6. Questionאליהו asks him why
7. ResponseFinancial pressure keeps him from learning
8. Statementאליהו brings him to גן עדן to gather leaves
9. ChallengeA heavenly voice says he is using up his עולם הבא
10. ConclusionHe throws the leaves away but the cloak keeps their scent
11. StatementA poor man's collateral may not be kept overnight, but a rich man's may
12. QuestionWhat does the ברייתא mean?
13. Responseרב ששת: 'Do not lie down while his collateral is with you'
14. StatementA confusing ברייתא about taking collateral from a borrower
15. QuestionWhat does this ברייתא mean?
16. Responseרב ששת: If he took it, he must return it
17. Responseרבא: The rule depends on when the collateral was taken
18. Statementרב שיזבי: One פסוק is about a night garment, the other about a day garment
19. Challengeרבא: This is backwards. Why give a day garment at night?
20. QuestionShould I erase this teaching?
21. Resolutionרבא flips the two פסוקים: day garment and night garment
22. Statementרבי יוחנן: after the debtor dies, the creditor may take it from the children
23. ChallengeChallenge begins: רבי מאיר's question in a ברייתא
24. ChallengeHow can רבי מאיר ask why we return it? The Torah says to!
25. ResolutionCorrected wording: since he has to return it