Bava Metzia 25a

בבא מציעא כ״ה ע״א

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Topic

Which found produce and coins must be announced: items next to a container, piles, and stacked coins

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה's list of found items that must be announced, then works through several of its cases. First the גמרא infers that produce lying in front of a vessel belongs to the finder. It meets a ברייתא that seems to say the opposite and settles the clash in four ways: flax versus produce, whether produce is left in the basket, which way the basket's mouth faces, and whether the basket has a rim. Next it tries to prove from the wording 'piles of produce' that number or location is a סימן, but the wording can be read either way, so there is no proof. רבי יצחק מגדלאה limits the three stacked coins to coins arranged like a tower, and a ברייתא backs him up. רבי חנינא, once his words are restated, requires a graded stack of different-sized coins. רבי יוחנן says even identical coins must be announced, with the count as the סימן, and that is why the משנה needs three coins. Finally רבי ירמיה asks about other coin shapes, and the wood-chip test settles only the ladder. רב אשי then begins a new question that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. StatementEnd of the list of finds that must be announced
2. StatementInference: produce in front of a vessel belongs to the finder
3. ProofA ברייתא says the same thing openly
4. ChallengeA different ברייתא seems to say the opposite
5. Resolutionרב זביד: flax and a container versus produce and a basket
6. Resolutionרב פפא: Is anything left in the basket?
7. ResolutionAnother answer: Which way the basket's mouth faces
8. ResolutionAnother answer: Whether the basket has a rim
9. ProofTrying to prove that the number of piles is a סימן
10. RejectionMaybe the משנה says 'a pile' in the singular
11. ProofThen prove that location is a סימן
12. RejectionMaybe the משנה really says 'piles' after all
13. StatementCoins must be stacked like a tower
14. ProofA ברייתא supports the tower rule
15. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to contradict itself
16. ResolutionAnything not a tower counts as scattered
17. Statementרבי חנינא: only coins of three kings
18. ChallengeWhat case could רבי חנינא mean?
19. Resolutionרבי חנינא restated: one king's coins that look like three kings'
20. QuestionWhat does a tower look like in this case?
21. ResponseBiggest on the bottom, smallest on top
22. Statementרבי יוחנן: Even one king's coins must be announced
23. QuestionWhat sign does the owner give?
24. ResponseThe number of coins is the sign
25. ChallengeWhy does the משנה say three coins?
26. Resolutionרבינא: The word 'coins' already means two
27. Questionרבי ירמיה asks about four coin arrangements
28. ResponseThe wood-chip test settles the ladder case
29. Questionרב אשי begins a new question