## Bava Batra Daf 77a

###### Bava Batra 77a:1
[Bava Batra 77a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/77a:1)

אָמַר אַמֵּימָר, הִלְכְתָא: אוֹתִיּוֹת נִקְנוֹת בִּמְסִירָה, כְּרַבִּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי לְאַמֵּימָר: גְּמָרָא, אוֹ סְבָרָא? אָמַר לֵיהּ: גְּמָרָא. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: סְבָרָא נָמֵי הוּא – דְּאוֹתִיּוֹת מִילֵּי נִינְהוּ, וּמִילֵּי בְּמִילֵּי לָא מִיקַּנְיָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ameimar says: The *halakha*** is that **letters are acquired by** merely **transferring** the document to the buyer, **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi. **Rav Ashi said to Ameimar:** Is your ruling based on **a tradition or** on your own **logical reasoning?** Ameimar **said to him:** It is based on **a tradition. Rav Ashi said: It also** stands to **reason** that the contents of a promissory note are acquired through transferring, **as letters,** i.e., the contents of a promissory note, **are words,** i.e., the buyer is acquiring the right to a monetary obligation, not a physical item, **and words cannot be acquired through** other **words.**


###### Bava Batra 77a:2
[Bava Batra 77a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/77a:2)

וְלָא?! וְהָאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר רַב: שְׁנֵי שְׁטָרוֹת הֵם – ״זְכוּ בְּשָׂדֶה לִפְלוֹנִי וְכִתְבוּ לוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁטָר״ – חוֹזֵר בַּשְּׁטָר, וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is it true that documents **cannot** be acquired through words? **But doesn’t Rabba bar Yitzḥak say** that **Rav says: There are two** types of **documents.** The first type is where one says to others: **Take possession of this field for so-and-so and write the document for him** as proof of the sale of the field. In this case, **he may renege with regard to the document,** i.e., he may change his mind and tell them not to write it. **But he may not renege with regard to the field,** as the buyer has already acquired it.


###### Bava Batra 77a:3
[Bava Batra 77a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/77a:3)

״עַל מְנָת שֶׁתִּכְתְּבוּ לוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁטָר״ – חוֹזֵר בֵּין בַּשְּׁטָר בֵּין בַּשָּׂדֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The second type of document is where he said: Take possession of this field for so-and-so **on the condition that you write him a document.** If the document has not yet been delivered **he can retract** his instruction **both with regard to the document and with regard to the field,** as the transfer of the field is dependent on the writing of the document.


###### Bava Batra 77a:4
[Bava Batra 77a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/77a:4)

וְרַב חִיָּיא בַּר אָבִין אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁטָרוֹת הֵן; תְּרֵי – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן, אִידַּךְ – אִם קָדַם מוֹכֵר וְכָתַב אֶת הַשְּׁטָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin** says that **Rav Huna says: There are** actually **three** types of **documents. Two** are **those that we stated** above, and **the other** is **if** the **seller wrote the document in advance.**