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Bava Metzia 54a

בבא מציעא נ״ד ע״א

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Topic

The added fifth (חומש): how it is calculated, whether it holds back redemption, and whether it follows the rules of the main payment

Overview

This amud finishes a משנה (from ערכין) about an owner who redeems his own הקדש while someone else bids against him. Its numbers prove that the added fifth (חומש) is counted 'from outside' (מלבר), a quarter of the principal, which matches רבי יאשיה against רבי יונתן. The גמרא then asks whether an unpaid חומש holds back the redemption of מעשר שני. רבינא proves from the rule about דמאי that it does not. The גמרא suggests that רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע argue about this, but רב פפא explains that their argument is only about worrying the person will be careless. רבי יוחנן's rule about הקדש is challenged from a ברייתא and narrowed so that it applies only on שבת. Finally, רמי בר חמא asks three questions about whether the חומש follows the rules of the main payment. רבא answers from the word ״עליו״ that it does, and רבינא supports him from a משנה about stolen תרומה.

Opening lines

הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִין עֶשְׂרִים וָשֵׁשׁ.

the owner gives twenty-six.

עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם – הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִין עֶשְׂרִים וָשֶׁבַע.

If twenty-two, the owner gives twenty-seven.

בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ – הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִין עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה.

If twenty-three, the owner gives twenty-eight.

בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע – הַבְּעָלִים נוֹתְנִין עֶשְׂרִים וָתֵשַׁע.

If twenty-four, the owner gives twenty-nine.

The steps (21)

  1. StatementThe owner pays the outside bid plus his own fifth
  2. StatementAt a bid of twenty-five, the owner pays thirty
  3. ProofProof that the fifth is counted from outside
  4. StatementThe same question is a dispute between תנאים
  5. QuestionDoes an unpaid fifth hold back the redemption?
  6. QuestionThe two sides of the question
  7. Proofרבינא brings a משנה about דמאי
  8. Proofרבינא's inference: the קרן is required but the חומש is not
  9. StatementSuggesting the question is an argument between תנאים
  10. ProofFrom רבי's words, they argue on both שבת and weekdays
  11. ProofSuggesting the argument is about whether the חומש holds things back
  12. Rejectionרב פפא: they argue about worrying over carelessness
  13. Statementרבי יוחנן: with הקדש everyone agrees the redemption works
  14. ChallengeA ברייתא shows an argument about הקדש too
  15. Challengeרבי's ruling shows both sides argue in both cases
  16. Resolutionרבי יוחנן's rule restated: agreement only on שבת
  17. QuestionCan the extra fifth for הקדש be paid with land?
  18. QuestionCan the extra fifth for eaten תרומה be paid with תרומה?
  19. QuestionCan the fifth of מעשר be redeemed with an unminted coin?
  20. Responseרבא answers: the fifth is like the main amount
  21. Proofרבינא supports רבא from a משנה about stolen תרומה