Bava Metzia 51a

בבא מציעא נ״א ע״א

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Topic

The laws of אונאה: time limits for buyer and seller, sales by a בעל הבית, merchants, and conditions that waive the claim

Overview

This amud deals with אונאה, selling at an unfair price. First the גמרא asks whether a מוכר who was cheated has the same short time to back out as a לוקח. A proof from the merchants of לוד is pushed aside, and then רב נחמן rules that a מוכר can always back out, because he no longer holds the item to check its price. Next, רבא and רב חסדא rule that a buyer who buys a בעל הבית's personal belongings has no claim of אונאה, because people charge extra for things they care about. A new משנה then teaches that both buyer and seller are protected, and that the cheated side may choose to cancel the sale or get the difference back. The גמרא brings the פסוק for this and explains why the Torah had to mention both sides. It then explains רבי יהודה's view that a תגר has no אונאה, and asks whose opinion the משנה follows, concluding that it is רבי יהודה הנשיא. Finally, רב and שמואל argue about a sale made on condition that there is no אונאה claim, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. ProofThat is why the merchants went back
2. ProofIf the seller had the same limit, the merchants would gain nothing by going back
3. RejectionThe merchants of לוד rarely made mistakes
4. Statementרמי בר חמא's landlord sold a donkey too cheaply
5. Conclusionרב נחמן rules that a seller may always back out
6. ResponseWhy the seller gets more time than the buyer
7. StatementThe silk seller and the clever buyer
8. Statementרבא: no אונאה when buying from a homeowner
9. StatementThe jewelry seller and the same trick
10. Statementרב חסדא gives the same ruling
11. ProofTwo sages approve the ruling
12. ChallengeA משנה says אונאה applies to a regular person too
13. Resolutionרב חסדא: the משנה is about simple linen goods
14. StatementNew משנה: Overcharging Goes Both Ways and Applies to Merchants
15. StatementThe Cheated Side Chooses: Cancel or Get the Difference
16. Questionגמרא Asks for the Source
17. ResponseThe Verse Covers Both the Buyer and the Seller
18. StatementWhy Writing Only the Seller Would Not Be Enough
19. ConclusionWhy Writing Only the Buyer Would Not Be Enough, So Both Are Needed
20. ChallengeHow can being a merchant remove protection from overcharging?
21. ResolutionA professional trader knows his prices and gave up the difference
22. ChallengeBut the merchant is trying to back out
23. Resolutionרב אשי: a merchant can back out even for a small difference
24. ProofA ברייתא supports רב נחמן
25. QuestionWhose opinion is the rule that the cheated person has the upper hand?
26. ChallengeWhy the משנה fits neither רבי נתן nor רבי יהודה הנשיא
27. Statementרבי אלעזר admits he does not know who taught it
28. Resolutionרבה: it is רבי נתן, and the ברייתא's wording is fixed
29. Resolutionרבא: it is רבי יהודה הנשיא, and the two sources complete each other
30. Proofרב אשי supports רבא from the משנה's wording
31. Statementרב and שמואל argue about a sale with a 'no overcharge claim' condition
32. QuestionSuggestion that רב follows רבי מאיר and שמואל follows רבי יהודה
33. ProofThe ברייתא about betrothal with a condition to give up the wife's rights
34. Rejectionרב can agree even with רבי יהודה because the wife knew what she gave up