Bava Metzia 63a

בבא מציעא ס״ג ע״א

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Topic

Turning a loan into a debt of produce: רבי אושעיא's ברייתא, the dispute between רב and רבי ינאי, and רבי יהודה's view on a deal that might become interest.

Overview

רבא finishes explaining why he reads the משנה like רבי אושעיא. In רבי אושעיא's ברייתא, a lender keeps switching what he is owed, from money to wheat, then to wine, then to oil, each time at today's price. This is allowed only if the borrower actually has the produce. רבא reads 'לקח' in the משנה as 'took it as payment for his loan.' He then draws three lessons: a loan may be set up to be paid in produce, only if the borrower has that produce, and the הלכה follows רבי ינאי, who holds that taking the produce or its value makes no difference. The גמרא challenges רב, who disagrees with רבי ינאי, from the same ברייתא. רב הונא answers that the produce was already set aside for the lender in a corner. שמואל answers instead that the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה, who permits a deal that only might become interest, and the גמרא proves this from a ברייתא about a field 'sold' to a lender. אביי and רבא give two different explanations of that dispute, and רבא begins a new point based on רבי ינאי that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. Statementרבא's reason: רבי אושעיא fits the משנה
2. Proofרבי אושעיא's case: money turns into wheat, wheat into wine
3. StatementWine turns into oil, and the rule: only if he has it
4. ResolutionReading 'he took' in the משנה as payment for a loan
5. ConclusionThree lessons from רבי אושעיא's ברייתא
6. StatementWhat רבי ינאי holds
7. StatementThe full disagreement between רב and רבי ינאי
8. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to argue against רב
9. ResolutionThe lender actually acquired the produce
10. ChallengeThat would be too obvious
11. ResolutionThe borrower set aside a corner for the lender
12. Resolutionשמואל: the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה
13. ProofThe ברייתא: a field sold to the lender in place of a debt
14. Proofרבי יהודה's story about ביתוס בן זונין
15. RejectionThe חכמים reject the story
16. QuestionWhat is the real disagreement?
17. Responseאביי: they argue about a deal that might become interest
18. Responseרבא: they argue about interest that will be paid back
19. Statementרבא begins a new point based on רבי ינאי