Bava Metzia 31b

בבא מציעא ל״א ע״ב

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Topic

Doubled verbs in the Torah that teach 'מכל מקום' (in any case), and the finder's pay and conditions made before a בית דין when returning a lost item.

Overview

First the גמרא finishes explaining why the Torah needed separate פסוקים for השבת אבידה, פריקה and טעינה. With פריקה and טעינה the owner is standing with his animal, so we might have thought there is no duty to help. Next comes a ברייתא listing doubled verbs (like מות יומת, הכה תכה, השב תשיב, חבל תחבל, פתח תפתח, נתן תתן, הענק תעניק, העבט תעביטנו). Each doubled verb widens a law to apply 'מכל מקום,' in any case. Along the way the גמרא explains why two collateral פסוקים are needed: one is for a day garment and one for a night garment. For רבי אלעזר בן עזריה and רבי שמעון, who reject some of these rules, the doubling is just normal speech: דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם. The גמרא then returns to the משנה. A finder who stopped working is paid like a פועל בטל, which אביי explains as an idle worker from his own kind of work. Finally, the משנה lets the finder set a condition before a בית דין. This leads to a story where רב ספרא split up a partnership in front of only two people, and רבה בר רב הונא required three. His alternative option continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ConclusionWhy loading and unloading needed their own verses
2. StatementA murderer may be executed by any available method
3. StatementThe people of an idolatrous city may be struck by any method
4. StatementReturning collateral even if taken without the court's permission
5. StatementCollateral taken without permission must also be returned
6. QuestionWhy do we need two verses about returning collateral?
7. ResponseOne verse is for a day garment, one for a night garment
8. Statementצדקה also goes to the poor of other cities
9. StatementEven a small gift counts as צדקה
10. StatementGifts to a freed slave even when the house was not blessed
11. QuestionHow does רבי אלעזר בן עזריה explain the doubled verb?
12. ResponseThe תורה speaks the way people speak
13. StatementLending even to a poor man who has money but won't use it
14. QuestionHow does רבי שמעון explain the doubled verb?
15. ResponseAgain: the תורה speaks the way people speak
16. StatementThe finder cannot demand his full lost wage
17. StatementAnother teaching adds the word 'idle'
18. QuestionWhat does 'idle worker' mean?
19. Responseאביי: idle from his own kind of work
20. StatementSetting a condition in front of a בית דין
21. Statementרב ספרא splits from איסור in front of two people
22. Statementרבה בר רב הונא asks for three people