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Bava Metzia 44b

בבא מציעא מ״ד ע״ב

Learn Bava Metzia 44b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether gold or silver counts as currency (טבעא) or commodity (פירא): proofs from the משנה, רבי חייא, a ברייתא of coin values, and the בית שמאי–בית הלל dispute on redeeming onto gold

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining רבי's later view: silver, which everyone accepts, is currency, and gold is a commodity. רב אשי argues that רבי's earlier view (gold is currency) fits the משנה's line 'copper acquires silver' better. The גמרא rejects this, because that line is needed anyway: in some places copper is used more than silver. Next, a story about רב repaying gold דינרים to רבי חייא's daughter seems to prove that gold is currency. That proof is also pushed away, since רב owned dinars of his own. רבא then proves from a ברייתא of coin values that its תנא treats gold as currency, because it measures the fixed פדיון הבן payment in gold. Finally, the גמרא brings the dispute between בית שמאי and בית הלל about turning holy silver into gold. רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש argue over whether that dispute also covers redeeming produce onto gold. The amud ends as the גמרא begins to show which of them holds which view.

Opening lines

דְּחָרִיף – הָוֵי טִבְעָא.

[Silver,] which circulates, is currency.

דַּהֲבָא דְּלָא חָרִיף – הָוֵי פֵּירָא,

Gold, which does not circulate, is a commodity,

וְקָנֵי לֵיהּ פֵּירָא לְטִבְעָא.

and the commodity acquires the currency.

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי:

Rav Ashi said:

The steps (19)

  1. StatementSilver is currency and gold is a commodity in רבי's later view
  2. Statementרב אשי prefers רבי's earlier view
  3. ProofWhy the copper ruling supports the earlier view
  4. RejectionThe copper ruling is needed even under the later view
  5. Proofרבי חייא tells רב to repay gold coins by count
  6. ProofWhy the ruling only makes sense if gold is currency
  7. Rejectionרב already owned dinars, so the loan was allowed anyway
  8. Proofרבא's ברייתא: the פרוטה and the איסר
  9. ProofThe silver דינר measured against the gold דינר
  10. ProofWhy the ברייתא shows gold is currency
  11. ConclusionConclusion: this תנא treats gold as currency
  12. StatementA משנה: may silver coins be exchanged for gold coins?
  13. StatementFirst view: the dispute is only about silver for gold
  14. QuestionWhy would בית שמאי allow produce onto gold?
  15. ResponseCurrency or commodity depends on what you compare it to
  16. StatementSecond view: the dispute includes produce onto gold
  17. ChallengeThen why didn't the משנה use the produce case?
  18. ResolutionThe silver case shows how far בית הלל go
  19. ProofSuggesting that רבי יוחנן is the one who forbids redeeming onto gold