Bava Metzia 24a

בבא מציעא כ״ד ע״א

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Topic

Honest תלמידי חכמים and returning lost items by recognition (טביעות עין), a story about מר זוטרא חסידא, and רבי שמעון בן אלעזר's concession about new vessels that must be announced

Overview

The amud opens by finishing שמואל's list of three things a תלמיד חכם may change his words about: his learning, his bed, and his host. מר זוטרא explains why it matters: such a scholar is trusted to claim a lost item just by recognizing it (טביעות עין). A short story shows מר זוטרא חסידא catching a thief by watching how a student treated someone else's cloak. A ברייתא then teaches that רבי שמעון בן אלעזר agrees that new vessels the owner has looked at well must be announced, and the גמרא explains the word בדי. The same ברייתא says that items saved from wild animals or floods, or found in crowded places, belong to the finder, because the owner gives up hope (יאוש). The גמרא asks a chain of questions: does this rule apply even where most people are Jews, do the רבנן argue, and how does the הלכה go? It tries to answer from a ברייתא about coins found in בתי כנסיות and from a משנה about a city with Jews and גויים. Both proofs are pushed off, the last one with רב פפא's case of a garbage heap that is about to be cleared.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementThe third item: one's host
2. QuestionWhy does this list matter?
3. ResponseReturning a lost item by recognition
4. Statementמר זוטרא חסידא and the stolen silver cup
5. Statementרבי שמעון בן אלעזר agrees about well-seen new vessels
6. StatementExamples of vessels not yet looked at enough
7. StatementOnly when found one at a time
8. QuestionWhat does בדי mean?
9. Responseבדי means branches
10. QuestionWhy call branches בדי?
11. ResponseAnything things hang on is called בד
12. ProofProof from a משנה about ערבה
13. StatementItems saved from danger or found in crowded places belong to the finder
14. QuestionDoes the rule apply only where most people are not Jewish?
15. QuestionIf the rule covers a Jewish majority, do the רבנן disagree?
16. QuestionIf the רבנן disagree, do they disagree even where most are not Jewish?
17. QuestionFourth question: Is the הלכה like רבי שמעון בן אלעזר?
18. QuestionFifth question: If the הלכה follows him, how far does it reach?
19. ProofProof attempt from coins found in a synagogue
20. RejectionRejection: The coins were scattered
21. ChallengeChallenge: Then why mention a crowded place?
22. ResolutionThe coins were bundled, and the place belonged to גויים
23. ChallengeBut study halls are only Jewish
24. ResolutionOur study halls with גויים sitting in them
25. ConclusionSynagogues can be read the same way
26. ProofProof from the משנה about a mixed city
27. RejectionThe משנה follows the רבנן
28. ProofThen the רבנן agree where most are גויים
29. RejectionIt is רבי שמעון בן אלעזר, and the item was hidden
30. ChallengeA hidden item should not be touched at all
31. ResolutionA garbage heap the owner has decided to clear