## Bava Metzia Daf 19b

###### Bava Metzia 19b:1
[Bava Metzia 19b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:1)

הָא בְּבָרִיא, וְהָא בִּשְׁכִיב מְרַע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** *halakha* applies **in** a case of a gift given by **a healthy person, and that** *halakha* applies **in** a case of a gift given by **a person on his deathbed.**


###### Bava Metzia 19b:2
[Bava Metzia 19b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:2)

מַתְנִיתִין דְּקָתָנֵי: הָא אָמַר תְּנוּ נוֹתְנִין – בִּשְׁכִיב מְרַע, דְּבַר מִהְדַּר הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **The mishna that teaches that** if the giver **says: Give** it to its intended recipient, the finder **must give** it, applies **in** a case of a gift given by **a person on his deathbed, who is capable of retracting** his gift.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:3
[Bava Metzia 19b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:3)

דְּאָמְרִינַן, מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר: דִּלְמָא כַּתְבַהּ מֵעִיקָּרָא לְהַאי וְאִמְּלִיךְ וְלָא יַהֲבַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ, וַהֲדַר כַּתְבַהּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְיַהֲבַיהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ – הַשְׁתָּא קָא הָדַר בֵּיהּ מֵהָהוּא דְּיַהֲבַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, the finder must give the deed to the recipient, **as we say: What is there to say** as a reason for not returning the deed? One might suggest that **perhaps** the giver **initially wrote** a deed of gift **for this** person, **but** then **reconsidered and did not give it to him, and then he wrote** a second deed of gift **for another person and** thereby **gave** his property **to him.** And **now** that his first deed was found, he wishes to **retract** his gift to **that** second person **to whom he gave** the property, by dishonestly validating the first deed.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:4
[Bava Metzia 19b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:4)

אִי בְּמַתְּנַת בָּרִיא יַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ – לֵית לֵיהּ פְּסֵידָא, דְּכִי נָפְקָא תַּרְתֵּי, בָּתְרָיְיתָא זָכֵי, דְּהָא הֲדַר בֵּיהּ מִקַּמָּיְיתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This attempt to retract his latter gift will not succeed. **If he gave** his property **to** the recipient of the second deed of gift **as the gift of a healthy person,** then the second recipient **incurs no loss** by the first deed being given to its intended recipient. This is **because, when the two** deeds **are produced** in court, the recipient of **the later** one **acquires** the property, **as** the owner evidently **retracted the first** gift. Since one who gave away his property while on his deathbed can subsequently retract his gift, the second recipient acquires the property.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:5
[Bava Metzia 19b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:5)

אִי בְּמַתְּנַת שְׁכִיב מְרַע נָמֵי יַהֲבַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ, לֵית בַּהּ פְּסֵידָא – דְּבָתְרָיְיתָא זָכֵי, דְּקָא הָדַר בֵּיהּ מִקַּמָּיְיתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**So too, if he gave it to** the second person **as the gift of a person on his deathbed, he incurs no loss.** This is **because** the recipient of **the later** deed **acquires** the property, **as** the giver evidently **retracted** his gift to **the first** recipient.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:6
[Bava Metzia 19b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:6)

כִּי קָתָנֵי בְּבָרַיְיתָא: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם מוֹדִים לֹא יַחְזִיר לֹא לָזֶה וְלֹא לָזֶה – בְּבָרִיא, דְּלָאו בַּר מִהְדַּר הוּא,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And **when the *baraita* teaches** that **even if both** the one who wrote the deed and its intended recipient **agree** that it is valid, the one who found it **should neither return** it **to this** person **nor to that** person, it is referring **to** the case of a gift given by **a healthy person, who is not able to retract** his gift.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:7
[Bava Metzia 19b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:7)

דְּאָמְרִינַן: דִּלְמָא כַּתְבַהּ לְהַאי מֵעִיקָּרָא וְאִמְּלִיךְ וְלָא יַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ, וַהֲדַר כַּתְבַהּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְיַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ – הַשְׁתָּא קָא הָדַר בֵּיהּ מֵהָהוּא דְּיַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ וְסָבַר: מִהְדָּר לָא מָצֵינָא הָדַרְנָא בִּי, אֵימַר לְהוּ דַּאֲנָא לְהַאי יַהֲבִתַהּ, וְנַיהְדְּרוּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ כְּתָבָא, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּכִי מַפֵּיק הַאי כְּתָבָא, דְּקָדֵים זָכֵה בֵּיהּ הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, one may not return the deed, **as we say** that **perhaps** the giver **initially wrote** a deed of gift **for this** person **but** then **reconsidered and did not give it to him, and then he wrote** a second deed of gift **for another person and** thereby **gave** his property **to him;** and **now** he wishes to **retract** his gift to **that** second person **to whom he gave** the property, **thinking:** Since **I cannot retract** the gift legally, **I will say to** the court **that I gave** the first deed of gift **to this** first person, **and they will return the deed** of gift **to him, in order that when he produces this deed** of gift, **which** is dated **earlier, he will** thereby **acquire** the property.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:8
[Bava Metzia 19b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:8)

אֶלָּא אָמְרִינַן לֵיהּ אֲנַן: הַאי כְּתָבָא לָא יָהֲבִינַן לֵיהּ לְהַאי. דִּלְמָא מִכְתָּב כְּתַבְתְּ, מֵיהָב לָא יְהַבְתְּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ, וִיהַבְתַּהּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְקָא הָדְרַתְּ בֵּיהּ. אִי לָא יְהַבְתַּהּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְקָא בָּעֵית דְּתִתְּבַהּ לְהַאי, כְּתֹב לֵיהּ הַשְׁתָּא כְּתָבָא אַחֲרִינָא וְיַהֲבֵיהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ, דְּאִי יָהֲבַתְּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא לֵית בַּהּ פְּסֵידָא, דְּקָדֵים זָכֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, we say to** the giver: **We will not give this document to this** person, as **perhaps you wrote** it but **did not give it to him, and** then **you gave** the property **to another person, and you** now wish to **retract** your gift to **him** unlawfully. Therefore, **if** in fact **you did not give** this property as a gift **to another person, and you wish to return it to this** person, then do the following: **Write another deed** of gift **for him now and give it to him,** so **that if you did** previously **give** the property **to another person,** he will **incur no loss, as the earlier** recipient **acquires** the gift.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:9
[Bava Metzia 19b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:9)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב זְבִיד: וְהָא אִידֵּי וְאִידֵּי דְּיָיתֵקָאוֹת קָא תָנֵי! אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב זְבִיד: הָא וְהָא בִּשְׁכִיב מְרַע, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בֵּיהּ, וְהָא בִּבְרֵיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Zevid objects to this** distinction between the mishna and *baraita*, asking: **But don’t this** mishna **and that** *baraita* both **teach** *halakhot* with regard to **wills?** How can Rabbi Abba bar Memel explain that the *baraita* is referring to the gift of a healthy person? **Rather, Rav Zevid said** that both **this** mishna **and that** *baraita* are referring **to** the gift of **a person on his deathbed, and** nevertheless, the contradiction between them is **not difficult; this** mishna is referring **to him,** the giver himself, who authorizes the return of the will to its intended recipient, **and that** *baraita* is referring **to** a case where the giver died, and **his son** is the one who is authorizing the return of the will.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:10
[Bava Metzia 19b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:10)

דְּקָא אָמַר ״תְּנוּ״ נוֹתְנִין, בְּדִידֵיהּ דְּבַר מִהְדָּר הוּא, דְּאָמְרִינַן: אִי נָמֵי יַהֲבַהּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא לֵית בַּהּ פְּסֵידָא, דְּקַמָּא וּבָתְרָא – בָּתְרָא זָכֵי, דְּהָא הֲדַר בֵּיהּ מִקַּמָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **The mishna, which** indicates that if the giver **says: Give** it to the recipient, the finder must **give** it to him, is referring **to** a case where the giver **himself** authorizes giving the will, **as he is capable of retracting** it. Therefore, there is no harm in giving the will to the recipient, **as we say** that **even if** in the meantime **he** already **gave** the property **to another person,** the latter recipient **incurs no loss.** This is **because** in a case where there are two wills, **a first one and a last one,** the recipient of **the last one acquires** the property, **as** the owner evidently **retracted the first** will.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:11
[Bava Metzia 19b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:11)

כִּי קָא תָנֵי בְּבָרַיְיתָא: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם מוֹדִים, לֹא יַחְזִיר לֹא לָזֶה וְלֹא לָזֶה, בִּבְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And **when the *baraita* teaches** that **even if both** the one who wrote the deed and its intended recipient **agree** that it is valid, the one who found it **should neither return** it **to this** person **nor to that** person, it is referring **to** a case where the one who wrote it died, and it is **his son** who authorizes its return to the recipient.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:12
[Bava Metzia 19b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:12)

דְּאָמְרִינַן: דִּלְמָא כְּתַב אֲבוּהּ לְהַאי, וְאִמְּלִיךְ וְלָא יַהֲבַיהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ, וּבָתַר אֲבוּהּ כְּתַב אִיהוּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְיַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ, וְהַשְׁתָּא קָא הָדַר בֵּיהּ מֵהָהוּא. סָבַר: מִהְדָּר לָא מָצֵינָא הָדַרְנָא בִּי. אֵימַר לְהוּ דְּאַבָּא יַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ לְהַאי, וְנִתְּבוּ לֵיהּ כְּתָבֵיהּ, וְנֵיזִיל וְנַפֵּיק מִינֵּיהּ דְּהוּא זָכֵי וְנִפְלוֹג בַּהֲדֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In that case, the deed may not be returned, **as we say** that **perhaps his father wrote** the deed of gift **for this** person **and** then **reconsidered and did not give it to him, and after his father** died, the son **wrote** a deed of gift giving the property **to another person and gave it to him. And now** the son wishes to **retract that** gift, **thinking:** Since **I cannot retract** the gift legally, **I will say to** the court **that my father gave** his deed of gift **to this** first person, **and they will return him his deed** of gift, **and he will** then **go and appropriate** the property **from the one who** legally acquired the property, **as he will** be successful in **acquiring** it, **and I will divide** it **with him.**


###### Bava Metzia 19b:13
[Bava Metzia 19b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:13)

הִלְכָּךְ אָמְרִינַן לֵיהּ אֲנַן: הַאי כְּתָבָא לָא יָהֲבִינַן לֵיהּ לְהַאי, דְּדִלְמָא מִכְתָּב כַּתְבֵיהּ אֲבוּהּ מֵיהָב לָא יַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ, וִיהַבְתֵּיהּ אַתְּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וְקָא הָדְרַתְּ בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Therefore, we say to** the son: **We will not give this deed to this** person, **as perhaps** your **father wrote it** but **did not give it to him, and** then **you gave** the property **to another person, and** now **you** wish to **retract** your gift.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:14
[Bava Metzia 19b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:14)

אֶלָּא אִי קוּשְׁטָא קָא אָמְרַתְּ, דִּיהַב לֵיהּ אֲבוּךְ – זִיל אַתְּ הַשְׁתָּא כְּתֹב לֵיהּ שְׁטָרָא אַחֲרִינָא, דְּאִי נָמֵי לָא יַהֲבַהּ לֵיהּ אֲבוּהּ וּכְתַבְתֵּיהּ אַתְּ לְאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא – לֵית בַּהּ פְּסֵידָא, דְּקַמָּא וּבָתְרָא – קַמָּא זָכֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, if you are telling the truth that your father gave him** this property, then **you** should **go now** and **write another deed** of gift **for him,** so **that even if** your **father did not give him** this property, **and you wrote** a deed of gift giving this property **to another person,** he will **incur no loss.** This is **because** in a case where there are two deeds of gift, **a first one and a last one,** the recipient of **the first one acquires** the property.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:15
[Bava Metzia 19b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:15)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מָצָא שׁוֹבָר, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה מוֹדֶה – יַחְזִיר לַבַּעַל. אֵין הָאִשָּׁה מוֹדֶה – לֹא יַחְזִיר לֹא לָזֶה וְלֹא לָזֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: If one **found a receipt** for payment of a marriage contract, in a case **when the wife admits** that it was paid, **he should return** it **to the husband.** If **the wife does not admit** that it was paid, **he should neither return** it **to this** person, the husband, **nor to that** person, the wife.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:16
[Bava Metzia 19b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:16)

בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה מוֹדֶה מִיהַת יַחְזִיר לַבַּעַל, וְלֵיחוּשׁ דִּלְמָא כָּתְבָה לִיתֵּן בְּנִיסָן, וְלֹא נָתְנָה עַד תִּשְׁרֵי, וַאֲזַלָה זְבֵנְתַּהּ לִכְתוּבְּ[תַ]הּ בְּטוֹבַת הֲנָאָה מִנִּיסָן עַד תִּשְׁרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**In any event,** the *baraita* states that **when the wife admits** that it was paid, one **should return** the receipt **to the husband.** The Gemara asks: **But let us suspect** that **perhaps** the wife **wrote** the receipt intending **to give** it to the husband **in Nisan, but** ultimately **she did not give** it to him **until Tishrei, and she went** and **sold her marriage contract for financial advantage** in the interim, **between Nisan and Tishrei.** In other words, she received a sum of money and in exchange agreed that if she were to be divorced or widowed and become entitled to payment of her marriage contract, the money would belong to the purchaser of the rights to her marriage contract.


###### Bava Metzia 19b:17
[Bava Metzia 19b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:17)

וּמַפֵּיק לֵיהּ לְשׁוֹבָר דִּכְתִיב בְּנִיסָן, וְאָתֵא לְמִטְרַף לָקוֹחוֹת שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** then after the couple is divorced, and the purchaser collects payment of the marriage contract from the husband, the husband will **produce the receipt that was written in Nisan and** will **come to repossess** property **from** the **purchasers unlawfully.**


###### Bava Metzia 19b:18
[Bava Metzia 19b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/19b:18)

אָמַר רָבָא:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said:**