Bava Metzia 95b

בבא מציעא צ״ה ע״ב

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Topic

The exemption of בעליו עמו: whether it covers a שומר חנם, the refutation of רב המנונא's strict conditions, and how אביי derives from the פסוקים that the time of borrowing is what counts.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a rejected proof. Our משנה lists only the שואל, whose exemption when the owner is with him is written openly in the Torah, so its silence about a שומר חנם proves nothing. A ברייתא about borrowing or renting an animal together with its owner is then tried as a proof. It is pushed away, because it could follow רבי מאיר, or a reversed version of the opinions, where a שוכר counts as a שומר חנם. Next, רב המנונא rules that the borrower is exempt only if the owner does the same work as his animal, the whole time from the borrowing until the mishap. רבא challenges him from the same ברייתא, and its wording shows the owner can be doing different work. Two more ברייתות show that being with the borrower at the time of borrowing, or even for one moment after the handover, is enough. So רב המנונא is refuted. Finally, the גמרא begins explaining how the פסוקים teach this: אביי reads them like רבי יאשיה, and the time of borrowing turns out to be what counts.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. RejectionThe משנה only lists what the Torah writes openly
2. ProofA ברייתא with four combinations of borrowing and renting
3. ProofRead as רבי יהודה, the ברייתא seems to leave out the שומר חנם
4. RejectionRead as רבי מאיר, the ברייתא is about a שומר חנם
5. RejectionA second rejection: the opinions are reversed
6. Statementרב המנונא: the exemption applies only with the same work for the whole time
7. Challengeרבא challenges from the ברייתא: the owner worked elsewhere
8. ResolutionNo, it is the same work
9. ChallengeThen what does 'another place' mean?
10. ResolutionThe owner breaks up the soil ahead of the animal
11. ChallengeThe second half of the ברייתא shows the first half means different work
12. ResolutionBoth halves are about the same work, and each teaches its own new point
13. RejectionThe answer fails: if both halves are the same work, there is no new point
14. ChallengeA ברייתא shows that being there at the time of borrowing is enough
15. ChallengeA second ברייתא says even one moment with the owner exempts
16. Conclusionרב המנונא is refuted
17. Statementאביי follows רבי יאשיה and רבא follows רבי יונתן
18. Statementאביי's reading: liable only when the owner was absent at both times
19. ChallengeThe second verse seems to require the owner at both times
20. ResolutionThe time of borrowing is what counts