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Bava Metzia 82a

בבא מציעא פ״ב ע״א

Learn Bava Metzia 82a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Is a lender holding collateral a שומר שכר or a שומר חנם, and what is the root of the argument between רבי אליעזר and רבי עקיבא?

Overview

The גמרא is trying to explain why our משנה calls a lender holding collateral (משכון) a שומר שכר, while רבי אליעזר in a ברייתא treats him as a שומר חנם. The first two attempts to make them agree fail. The first runs into the wording of the משנה. The second, a split between lending money and lending produce, runs into רבי יהודה's clause and would push the משנה away from רבי עקיבא. So the גמרא concludes that the משנה simply does not follow רבי אליעזר. It then asks what רבי אליעזר and רבי עקיבא really argue about. Its first guess is שמואל's rule of the sickle handle, but that is rejected, since everyone disagrees with שמואל when the משכון is cheap. Its second guess is רבי יצחק's rule that a lender acquires the משכון, but that rule may apply only to a משכון taken after the loan. Its third guess ties the argument to the dispute of רבה and רב יוסף about someone guarding a lost item. When the גמרא asks whether this makes רב יוסף's view an argument between תנאים, it answers no, and starts a new explanation that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הִלְוָהוּ עַל הַמַּשְׁכּוֹן קָתָנֵי!

It teaches 'he lent him on collateral'!

אֶלָּא לָא קַשְׁיָא:

Rather, it is not difficult:

כָּאן – שֶׁהִלְוָהוּ מָעוֹת,

here, where he lent him money,

כָּאן – שֶׁהִלְוָהוּ פֵּירוֹת.

there, where he lent him produce.

The steps (14)

  1. ChallengeBoth sources use the same wording
  2. ResolutionA new split: lending money versus lending produce
  3. Challengeרבי יהודה's clause shows the first opinion makes no such split
  4. ResolutionThe whole משנה is רבי יהודה, with words missing
  5. ChallengeThen the משנה goes against רבי עקיבא
  6. ConclusionFinal conclusion: the משנה does not follow רבי אליעזר
  7. StatementMaybe they argue about שמואל's rule of the sickle handle
  8. RejectionNo one holds like שמואל when the משכון is cheap
  9. ResolutionInstead, maybe they argue about רבי יצחק's rule
  10. Rejectionרבי יצחק may only mean a משכון taken after the loan
  11. ResolutionA third suggestion: they argue about a finder who guards a lost item
  12. StatementThe source: רבה and רב יוסף argue about a finder's responsibility
  13. QuestionDoes this mean רב יוסף's view is disputed by a תנא?
  14. ResponseNo: everyone may agree with רב יוסף about a lost item