## Bava Metzia Daf 103a

###### Bava Metzia 103a:1
[Bava Metzia 103a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:1)

שָׂכִיר בִּזְמַנּוֹ, נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **a hired laborer** claims his wages **at** the proper **time,** on the day his wages are due, and the employer claims to have already paid him, the laborer **takes an oath** that he did not receive his wages **and takes** his wages. So too, in the case of rent, if the landlord demands payment, and the renter claims to have paid, the landlord should be able to take an oath and then take the payment.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:2
[Bava Metzia 103a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:2)

שָׂכִיר הוּא דִּרְמוֹ רַבָּנַן שְׁבוּעָה עֲלֵיהּ, מִשּׁוּם דְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת טָרוּד בְּפוֹעֲלָיו. אֲבָל הָכָא, שׂוֹכֵר מְהֵימַן בִּשְׁבוּעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: Generally, one takes an oath to exempt oneself from paying, not to collect. And it is specifically in the case of **a hired laborer that the Sages imposed an oath upon him, due to the fact that the employer is busy with his workers** and might mistakenly think he paid a particular worker when in fact he had paid a different one. **But here,** in the case of rent, where there is no such concern, the **renter is deemed credible that he already paid the rent,** provided **that** he takes **an oath.**


###### Bava Metzia 103a:3
[Bava Metzia 103a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:3)

אָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: הַאי מַאן דְּאוֹגַר לֵיהּ בֵּיתָא לְחַבְרֵיהּ לַעֲשַׂר שְׁנִין, וּכְתַב לֵיהּ שְׁטָרָא, וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְקִיטַתְּ חֲמֵשׁ שְׁנִין – מְהֵימַן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַחָא מִדִּפְתִּי לְרָבִינָא: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, אוֹזְפֵיהּ מְאָה זוּזֵי בִּשְׁטָרָא, וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ: פְּרַעְתִּיךָ פַּלְגָא – הָכִי נָמֵי דִּמְהֵימַן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rava says** that **Rav Naḥman says:** In the case of **one who rented out a house to another for ten years and had written him** an undated **document** attesting to that fact, **and** later the landlord **said to** the renter: **You have** already **taken five years** of your rental period, **he is deemed credible.** The burden of proof is not on the landlord, and the renter cannot use the document to demonstrate that he has a right to rent for ten more years. **Rav Aḥa of Difti said to Ravina: If that is so,** then if **one lent a hundred dinars** to another, **with** a promissory **note, and** later, the borrower **said to him: I have** already **repaid you half** the loan, **so too should he be deemed credible?** This is not the *halakha*.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:4
[Bava Metzia 103a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:4)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי הַשְׁתָּא?! הָתָם – שְׁטַר לְגוּבְיָינָא קָאֵי, אִם אִיתָא דְּפַרְעֵיהּ – אִיבְּעִי לֵיהּ לְמִכְתַּבא אַגַּבֵּיהּ, אִי נָמֵי מִיכְתַּב עֲלֵיהּ תְּבָרָא. אֲבָל הָכָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי דִּכְתַיבִי לָךְ שְׁטָרָא – כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא תַּחְזֵק עֲלֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ravina **said to him: How can** these cases **be compared? There,** in the case of the loan, the promissory **note exists to** allow the lender to **collect** the debt, and **if it is so that** the borrower **repaid** part of the debt, the lender **should have written** that fact **on** the note itself; **alternatively, he could have written a receipt** to enable the borrower to prove he had paid. **But here,** in the case of rent, the landlord could **say** to the renter: The fact **that I wrote the document for your** rental of the property **was** only **in order** to ensure **that you would not** be able to **establish a presumptive ownership of** the property and thereby be able to claim it belongs to you. Therefore, the bill cannot be used to prove that the renter has a right to occupy the property.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:5
[Bava Metzia 103a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:5)

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם בְּטוּבוֹ לְעוֹלָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Naḥman says: A person may borrow** another’s utensil **in its good** working order **forever,** i.e., if he requests to borrow it as long as it is in good working order, then even after returning it to the owner, he may continue to take it and use it indefinitely and the owner cannot prevent him from doing so.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:6
[Bava Metzia 103a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:6)

אָמַר רַב מָרִי בְּרַהּ דְּבַת שְׁמוּאֵל, וְהוּא (דִּקְנֵי) [דִּקְנוֹ] מִינֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mari, son of the daughter of Shmuel, said: And that is** only if **he performed an act of acquisition** concerning this right **with** the owner. Otherwise, once he returns the utensil to the owner, he can no longer borrow it again without his consent.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:7
[Bava Metzia 103a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:7)

אָמַר רַב מָרִי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אָשֵׁי: וּמַהְדַּר לֵיהּ קַתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mari, son of Rav Ashi, said: And** if the utensil breaks, the borrower may no longer keep it but **must return its handle,** i.e., the remaining parts, **to** the owner.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:8
[Bava Metzia 103a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:8)

אָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מַאן דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ לְחַבְרֵיהּ: ״אוֹשְׁלַן מָרָא לְמִירְפַּק בֵּיהּ הַאי פַּרְדֵּיסָא״ – רָפֵיק בֵּיהּ הָהוּא פַּרְדֵּיסָא. ״פַּרְדֵּיסָא״ – רָפֵיק בֵּיהּ כֹּל פַּרְדֵּיסָא דְּבָעֵי. ״פַּרְדֵּיסֵי״ – רָפֵיק וְאָזֵיל כֹּל פַּרְדֵּיסֵי דְּאִית לֵיהּ, וּמַהְדַּר לֵיהּ קַתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says:** In the case of **one who says to another: Lend me a hoe** in order **to dig up this orchard, he may** use it only to **dig up that orchard** that he specified. If he said: Lend it to me to dig up **an orchard,** then **he may** use it to **dig up any** one **orchard that he desires.** If he said: Lend it to me to dig up **orchards,** then **he may** use it to **dig up all the orchards he has,** however numerous they are. **And** in all these cases, if it breaks, **he must return its handle,** i.e., the remaining parts, **to** the owner.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:9
[Bava Metzia 103a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:9)

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא, הַאי מַאן דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ לְחַבְרֵיהּ: ״אוֹשְׁלַן הַאי גַּרְגּוּתָא״ וְנָפְלָה – לָא בָּנֵי לַהּ. ״גַּרְגּוּתָא״ וְנָפְלָה – בָּנֵי לַהּ. ״בֵּי גַרְגּוּתָא״ – כָּרֵי וְאָזֵיל כַּמָּה גַּרְגּוּתֵי בְּאַרְעֵיהּ עַד דְּמִתְרְמֵי לֵיהּ, וְצָרִיךְ לְמִיקְנֵי מִינֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Pappa says:** In the case of **one who says to another: Lend me this well** for me to use to irrigate my fields, **and** then its walls **fell down,** the borrower **may not rebuild it** and then use it, as he had specified that he was borrowing that particular well. If he said: Lend me **a well, and** then its walls **fell down,** the borrower **may rebuild** that well and use it, but may not take a different well. If he said: Lend me **a place** in your land **for a well, he may continually dig** many different **wells in** the lender’s **land until he happens upon** a water source that is suitable for his needs. **But** in order to have this indefinite right, **he needs to perform an act of acquisition** concerning this right **with** the owner.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:10
[Bava Metzia 103a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:10)

**מַתְנִי׳** הַמַּשְׂכִּיר בַּיִת לַחֲבֵירוֹ וְנָפַל – חַיָּיב לְהַעֲמִיד לוֹ בַּיִת. הָיָה קָטָן – לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ גָּדוֹל, גָּדוֹל – לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ קָטָן. אֶחָד – לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ שְׁנַיִם, שְׁנַיִם – לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ אֶחָד. לֹא יִפְחוֹת מִן הַחַלּוֹנוֹת וְלֹא יוֹסִיף עֲלֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא מִדַּעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** In the case of **one who rented out a house to another, and** then the house **fell,** the landlord is **obligated to provide** the renter with another **house.** If the original house **was small,** the landlord **may not construct a large** house as a replacement, and if the original **was large,** he **may not construct a small** house as a replacement. If the original had **one** room, **he may not construct** the replacement with **two** rooms, **and** if the original had **two** rooms, **he may not construct** the replacement with **one. He may not reduce** the number **of windows, nor add to them, except with the agreement** of **both of them.**


###### Bava Metzia 103a:11
[Bava Metzia 103a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:11)

**גְּמָ׳** הֵיכִי דָּמֵי? אִי דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״בַּיִת זֶה״, נְפַל אֲזַל לֵיהּ. אִי דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״בַּיִת סְתָם״, אֶחָד אַמַּאי לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ שְׁנַיִם, קָטָן אַמַּאי לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ גָּדוֹל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **What are the circumstances** of the mishna’s case? **If** it is a case **where** the landlord **said to** the renter: I am renting **this house** to you, once **it has fallen, it has gone** and the rental agreement does not obligate the landlord to provide another one. **If** it is a case **where** the landlord **said to him:** I am renting **a house** to you, **without specification,** then even if the original house had **one** room, **why may** the landlord **not construct** its replacement with **two** rooms, and if the original was **small, why may** the landlord **not construct a large** house as a replacement?


###### Bava Metzia 103a:12
[Bava Metzia 103a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:12)

אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ ״בַּיִת שֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׂכִּיר לְךָ מִדַּת אׇרְכּוֹ כָּךְ וְכָךְ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Reish Lakish said:** The case is **where he said to him:** The **house that I am renting to you, the measurement of its length is such and such,** and its width is such and such. Since he did not specify a specific house, he is obligated to provide a replacement, but it must be of a similar size and structure.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:13
[Bava Metzia 103a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:13)

אִי הָכִי מַאי לְמֵימְרָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If that is so, what** is the purpose **of stating** this ruling; it is obvious?


###### Bava Metzia 103a:14
[Bava Metzia 103a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:14)

אֶלָּא כִּי אֲתָא רָבִין אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ: ״בֵּית כָּזֶה אֲנִי מַשְׂכִּיר לָךְ״. וְאַכַּתִּי מַאי לְמֵימְרָא? לָא צְרִיכָא: דְּקָאֵי אַגּוּדָּא דְנַהְרָא. מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: מַאי ״כָּזֶה״ – דְּקָאֵי אַגּוּדָּא דְנַהְרָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, when Ravin came,** he said that **Reish Lakish said:** The case is **where he said: I am renting to you a house like this.** The Gemara persists: **But still, what** is the purpose **of stating** this ruling; it is obvious. The Gemara answers: **No,** the ruling is **necessary where** the house the landlord spoke of **was standing on the bank of a river. Lest you say** that **what** the landlord meant by saying: A house **like this,** was that he would provide the renter with a house **that stands on the bank of a river,** therefore, the mishna **teaches us** that if he uses such an expression, it is taken to refer to the dimensions and structure of the house.


###### Bava Metzia 103a:15
[Bava Metzia 103a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:15)

**הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ הַשּׁוֹאֵל **


###### Bava Metzia 103a:16
[Bava Metzia 103a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/103a:16)

מַתְנִי׳ **הַמְקַבֵּל** שָׂדֶה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִקְצוֹר – יִקְצוֹר, לַעֲקוֹר – יַעֲקוֹר, לַחְרוֹשׁ אַחֲרָיו – יַחְרוֹשׁ, הַכֹּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁחוֹלְקִין בַּתְּבוּאָה, כָּךְ חוֹלְקִין בַּתֶּבֶן וּבַקַּשׁ. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁחוֹלְקִין בַּיַּיִן, כָּךְ חוֹלְקִין

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to **one who receives a field from another** to cultivate, either as a tenant farmer, who, in exchange for the right to farm the land, gives a set amount of the produce to the owner, or as a sharecropper, who cultivates the land and receives a set proportion of the produce, the *halakha* is as follows: In **a location where** those cultivating the land **were accustomed to cut** the produce, this one **must cut** it as well. In a location where they were accustomed **to uproot** the produce, not to cut it with a sickle or a scythe, this one **must uproot** it as well. If they were accustomed **to plow** the land **after** harvesting the produce, this one **must plow** as well. **All** farming of the land shall be conducted **in accordance with regional custom. Just as** the *halakha* is that the owner of the field and the one cultivating it **divide the produce, so** too the *halakha* is that **they divide the stubble and the straw. Just as** the *halakha* is that the owner of the field and the one cultivating it **divide the wine, so** too the *halakha* is that **they divide**