## Bava Batra Daf 155b

###### Bava Batra 155b:1
[Bava Batra 155b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:1)

הַיְינוּ דְּקָאָתוּ וְאָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מַהוּ לְבוֹדְקוֹ. אֶלָּא אִי אָמְרַתְּ מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים, כִּי בָּדְקוּ לֵיהּ מַאי הָוֵי? וְהָא תְּנַן: בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שֶׁלֹּא הֵבִיא שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת – יָבִיאוּ רְאָיָה שֶׁהוּא בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים; וְהוּא הַסָּרִיס, לֹא חוֹלֵץ וְלֹא מְיַבֵּם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**this is** the reason **that they came and said to** Rabbi Akiva: **What is** the *halakha*? Is it permitted **to examine** the corpse? **But if you say** that he can sell the property **from** the time he is **twenty** years **old,** even **if they examine him, what of it? But didn’t we learn** in a mishna (*Nidda* 47b): With regard to **a twenty-**year**-old** man **who did not develop two** pubic **hairs, proof must be brought that he is twenty** years **old,** and then he is no longer considered a minor. **And he is the sexually underdeveloped man,** who is excluded from the mitzva of levirate marriage. Therefore, if his married brother dies childless, **he neither performs *ḥalitza* nor enters into levirate marriage** with his widow. Since a twenty-year-old is considered an adult even if he has not developed signs of puberty, there is no reason to examine the body.


###### Bava Batra 155b:2
[Bava Batra 155b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:2)

לָאו אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר רַב: וְהוּא שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ בּוֹ סִימָנֵי סָרִיס? אָמַר רָבָא: דַּיְקָא נָמֵי, דְּקָתָנֵי: וְהוּא הַסָּרִיס; שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara replies: **Wasn’t it stated with regard to that** mishna: **Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak says** that **Rav says: And** is **this** the *halakha* only **where he developed the signs of a sexually underdeveloped man?** Otherwise, a twenty-year-old who has not developed two pubic hairs is still considered a minor. The examination of the deceased could therefore be effective to see if he has other signs of being sexually underdeveloped. **Rava said:** The language of the mishna **is also precise, as it teaches: And he is the sexually underdeveloped man.** The usage of the definitive article indicates that the mishna is referring to one who is clearly a sexually underdeveloped man. The Gemara affirms: One can **conclude from** the mishna that the mishna is speaking of one who developed the signs of a sexually underdeveloped man.


###### Bava Batra 155b:3
[Bava Batra 155b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:3)

וְכִי לָא נוֹלְדוּ לוֹ סִימָנֵי סָרִיס, עַד כַּמָּה? תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא: עַד רוֹב שְׁנוֹתָיו. כִּי אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא, אִי כָּחֵישׁ אֲמַר לְהוּ: לִיבְרֵי; וְאִי אִבְּרִי אֲמַר לְהוּ: לִיכְחוֹשׁ. דְּהָנֵי סִימָנֵי – זִמְנִין דְּאָתוּ מֵחֲמַת כְּחִישׁוּתָא, זִמְנִין דְּאָתוּ מֵחֲמַת בְּרִיּוּתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And if he did not develop the signs of a sexually underdeveloped man, until when** is he considered a minor if he does not develop two pubic hairs? **Rabbi Ḥiyya teaches** in a *baraita*: He is considered a minor **until most of his years** have elapsed, i.e., until he is thirty-five years old. **When** the case of one who had not developed pubic hair **would come before Rabbi Ḥiyya,** he would offer the following advice: **If** the person was **thin, he** would **say to** those appearing in court: Cause him **to become fat, and if he was fat, he** would **say to them:** Cause him **to become thin.** This is **because these signs** indicating puberty **sometimes develop due to** excessive **thinness,** and **sometimes they develop due to corpulence.**


###### Bava Batra 155b:4
[Bava Batra 155b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:4)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: תּוֹךְ זְמַן – כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן, אוֹ כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן? (אָמַר) רָבָא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: תּוֹךְ זְמַן כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן. רָבָא בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: תּוֹךְ זְמַן כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: **During** the **time,** i.e., the year, when a minor comes of age with regard to selling his deceased father’s property, i.e., during his eighteenth or twentieth year, is this year considered **as before** the **time** that he comes of age **or** is it considered **as after** the **time?** Does one come of age at the beginning or end of that year? **Rava says** that **Rav Naḥman says: During** that **time** is considered **as before** the **time,** and he does not come of age until the year has elapsed. **Rava bar Rav Sheila** says that **Rav Naḥman says: During** that **time** is considered **as after** the **time,** and he is considered as having come of age during that year.


###### Bava Batra 155b:5
[Bava Batra 155b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:5)

וְהָא דְּרָבָא, לָאו בְּפֵירוּשׁ אִיתְּמַר, אֶלָּא מִכְּלָלָא אִיתְּמַר – דְּהָהוּא תּוֹךְ זְמַן דְּאָזֵיל זַבֵּין נִכְסֵי, וַאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לֹא עָשָׂה וְלֹא כְלוּם. מַאן דַּחֲזָא סָבַר, מִשּׁוּם דְּתוֹךְ זְמַן כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן; וְלָא הִיא, הָתָם שְׁטוּתָא יַתִּירְתָא חֲזָא בֵּיהּ – דַּהֲוָה קָא מְשַׁחְרַר לְהוּ לְעַבְדֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes: **And this** statement **of Rava was not stated explicitly; rather, it was stated by inference. As** there was **a certain** person who was **during** the **time,** i.e., the year, when one comes of age **who went** and **sold** his father’s **property, and** the case **came before Rava.** Rava **said to** the litigants: **He did not do anything,** and the sale is not valid. **One who observed** Rava’s ruling **assumed** that he ruled in this manner **because** he maintained **that during** the **time** when he comes of age is considered **as before** the **time. But** that **is not so.** The reason for Rava’s ruling was that **there,** Rava **observed excessive mental incompetence in** the behavior of that individual, **as he was emancipating his slaves.** Since Rava saw that he was mentally incompetent, he invalidated the sale.


###### Bava Batra 155b:6
[Bava Batra 155b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:6)

שְׁלַח לֵיהּ גִּידֵּל בַּר מְנַשְּׁיָא לְרָבָא, יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּינוּ: תִּינוֹקֶת בַּת אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד, יוֹדַעַת בְּטִיב מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן; מַהוּ? שְׁלַח לֵיהּ: אִם יוֹדַעַת בְּטִיב מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן – מִקָּחָהּ מִקָּח וּמִמְכָּרָהּ מִמְכָּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Giddel bar Menashya sent** an inquiry **to Rava: Let our teacher instruct us:** With regard to **a girl** who is **fourteen years and one day old** who **understands the nature of business** negotiations, **what is** the *halakha*? Can she sell property that she inherited from her father? Rava **sent** a reply **to** Giddel bar Menashya: **If she understands the nature of business** negotiations **her purchase is** a valid **purchase and her sale is** a valid **sale.**


###### Bava Batra 155b:7
[Bava Batra 155b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:7)

וְלִישְׁלַח לֵיהּ תִּינוֹק! מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה כָּךְ הָיָה. וְלִישְׁלַח לֵיהּ תִּינוֹקֶת בַּת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד! מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה כָּךְ הָיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** Giddel **could have sent** this question **to** Rava with regard to **a boy.** Why did he not do so? The Gemara answers: **The incident that took place, took place in this way.** The Gemara asks: **But he could have sent** this question **to** Rava with regard to **a girl** who is **twelve years and one day old,** at which age a girl reaches her majority. Why did he not do so? The Gemara answers: **The incident that took place, took place in this way.**


###### Bava Batra 155b:8
[Bava Batra 155b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:8)

וְהָא דְּרָבָא, לָאו בְּפֵירוּשׁ אִיתְּמַר, אֶלָּא מִכְּלָלָא אִיתְּמַר – דְּהָהוּא פָּחוּת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים דַּאֲזַל זַבֵּין נִכְסֵי אֲבוּהוּ, כְּגִידֵּל בַּר מְנַשְּׁיָא. אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ קְרוֹבֵיהּ: זִיל אֱכוֹל תַּמְרֵי, וּשְׁדִי (בֵּיהּ) קַשְׁיָיתָא בֵּי רָבָא. עֲבַד הָכִי, אֲמַר לְהוּ: זְבִינֵיהּ לָאו זְבִינֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes: **And this** statement **of Rava was not stated explicitly; rather, it was stated by inference, as** it was inferred from the following incident. There was **a certain** person who was **under twenty** years **old** and understood business negotiations **who went** and **sold his father’s property, in accordance with** the ruling that Rava sent to **Giddel bar Menashya,** and the case **came before Rava.** The seller’s **relatives said to** the one who sold the property: **Go eat dates and throw** the **pits into Rava’s house,** in order to prove to Rava that their relative was not mentally competent. **He did so.** Rava **said to them: His sale** is **not** a valid **sale.**


###### Bava Batra 155b:9
[Bava Batra 155b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:9)

כִּי קָא כָּתְבוּ לֵיהּ שְׁטָרָא, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לָקוֹחוֹת: זִיל אֵימָא לֵיהּ לְרָבָא, מְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר – בְּזוּזָא; שְׁטָרָא דְמָר בְּזוּזָא?! אֲזַל אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: זְבִינֵיהּ זְבִינֵי. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ קְרוֹבֵיהּ: לָקוֹחוֹת אַגְמְרוּהוּ! אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַסְבְּרִי לֵיהּ – סָבַר. כֵּיוָן דְּמַסְבְּרִי לֵיהּ, וְסָבַר – מִידָּע יָדַע, וְהַאי דַּעֲבַד הָכִי – חוּצְפָּא יַתִּירָא הוּא דַּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When they were writing for him a writ** containing the decision, **the buyers said to** the seller, in order to prove that he was mentally competent: **Go** and **say to Rava: The scroll of Esther,** which is a large scroll, is bought **for a dinar.** Why then does **the** short **writ** containing **Master’s** ruling also cost **a dinar,** which was the scribe’s fee? The seller **went** and **said** this **to** Rava. Rava **said to them: His sale** is a valid **sale. The** boy’s **relatives said to** Rava: **The buyers taught him** to say that. Rava **said to them:** Even so, when **they explain** the matter **to him he understands. Since, when they explain** a matter **to him he understands, he knows** what he is doing. **And** the reason **that he acted** in **this** manner, throwing the pits into Rava’s house, was because of **excessive impudence that was in him,** not mental incompetence.


###### Bava Batra 155b:10
[Bava Batra 155b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:10)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: וּלְעֵדוּת – עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת. אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא לְמִטַּלְטְלֵי, אֲבָל לִמְקַרְקְעֵי – לָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, says: And with regard to** the **testimony** of one who is not old enough to sell property that he inherits from his father, **his testimony** is valid **testimony. Mar Zutra said: We said** that his testimony is valid **only with regard to movable property, but not with regard to land.**


###### Bava Batra 155b:11
[Bava Batra 155b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:11)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי לְמָר זוּטְרָא: מַאי שְׁנָא מִטַּלְטְלִי – דִּזְבִינֵיהּ זְבִינֵי; אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, הָא דִּתְנַן: הַפָּעוֹטוֹת – מִקָּחָן מִקָּח וּמִמְכָּרָן מִמְכָּר בְּמִטַּלְטְלִין, הָכִי נָמֵי דְּעֵדוּתָן עֵדוּת?! אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָתָם, בָּעֵינָא ״וְעָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים״, וְלֵיכָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said to Mar Zutra:** In **what** way **is movable property different** from land? It is different **because** with regard to movable property **his sale is** a valid **sale. But if that is so,** consider **that which we learned** in a mishna (*Gittin* 59a): **A purchase** made **by young children** is a valid **purchase, and a sale** made by them is a valid **sale.** These *halakhot* apply **to** transactions involving **movable property.** Is it possible **that also** in the case of young children **their testimony** is valid **testimony?** Isn’t it an established *halakha* that minors are disqualified from bearing witness? Mar Zutra **said to** Rav Ashi: **There,** with regard to testimony, **I require** the witnesses to be men, as the verse states: **“Then the two men shall stand”** (Deuteronomy 19:17), which is interpreted as referring to witnesses, **and** this requirement is **not** fulfilled in the case of young children.


###### Bava Batra 155b:12
[Bava Batra 155b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/155b:12)

אָמַר אַמֵּימָר: וּמַתְּנָתוֹ מַתָּנָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי לְאַמֵּימָר: הַשְׁתָּא, וּמָה זְבִינֵי – דִּמְקַבֵּל זוּזֵי, אָמְרַתְּ דְּלָא – דִּלְמָא מוֹזֵיל וּמְזַבֵּין; כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן מַתָּנָה – דְּלָא מָטֵי לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Ameimar says:** With regard to one who is not old enough to sell property that he inherits from his father, if he gave a gift from the property, **his gift** is a valid **gift. Rav Ashi said to Ameimar: Now, if** with regard to **a sale,** in **which he receives money, you say** that the Sages instituted an ordinance **that** he is **not** authorized to sell, **lest he reduce** the price of the property and deplete his father’s estate, **all the more so** in the case of **a gift** he is not authorized to give a gift, **as nothing at all comes into his** possession in exchange. Ameimar **said to** Rav Ashi: