Bava Metzia 70b

בבא מציעא ע׳ ע״ב

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Topic

צאן ברזל, ownership and בכורה; and whether taking interest from a גוי is proper

Overview

The משנה rules that a צאן ברזל deal, where the receiver guarantees the animals' value, is forbidden between Jews because it is רבית, but allowed with a גוי. It also allows borrowing and lending with interest with a גוי or a גר תושב. The גמרא asks how this fits a משנה in בכורות, which seems to treat such animals as still belonging to the גוי. אביי answers that the two cases differ in who carries the risk, but רבא rejects that answer with two objections. רבא then explains that in both cases the receiver owns the animals. The offspring are exempt from בכורה only because the גוי can seize them, which puts a 'גוי's hand in the middle'. The גמרא then turns to the פסוק in משלי about interest money ending up with a king like שבור מלכא, and רב נחמן teaches that this applies even to interest from a גוי. רבא challenges him from the פסוק 'לנכרי תשיך' and then from our משנה. רב חייא בריה דרב הונא begins an answer that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. StatementThe משנה forbids an iron-sheep deal between Jews
2. StatementLending with interest to non-Jews and a גר תושב
3. StatementA Jew lending a non-Jew's money
4. ChallengeWho owns the iron sheep? A contradiction from בכורות
5. Resolutionאביי: it depends on who carries the risk
6. ChallengeIf the owner carries the risk, it is not צאן ברזל
7. ChallengeOur משנה should have made that distinction itself
8. Resolutionרבא's answer: the גוי's claim exempts the offspring from בכורה
9. QuestionWhat does 'him who has pity on the poor' mean?
10. Responseרב: someone like שבור מלכא
11. StatementThe verse applies even to interest from a gentile
12. Challengeרבא: the Torah permits taking interest from a gentile
13. Resolutionתשיך means paying interest, not taking it
14. ChallengeIs paying interest to a gentile a requirement?
15. ResolutionThe verse comes to exclude your brother
16. ChallengeYour brother is already stated explicitly
17. ResolutionBoth a positive and a negative command
18. ChallengeThe משנה seems to allow lending to a גוי with interest
19. ResolutionThe משנה's permission applies only to a narrow case