## Bava Metzia Daf 23a

###### Bava Metzia 23a:1
[Bava Metzia 23a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:1)

דְּמִדַּרְסָא. בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז, דְּלָא מִדַּרְסָא. וְהָאֲלוּמּוֹת, בֵּין בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וּבֵין בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז, כֵּיוָן דִּגְבִיהָן לָא מִדַּרְסָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**that they are trampled.** Even if there had been a distinguishing mark on the bundles it would have been destroyed when it was trampled. If he finds them **in a secluded area,** the finder **takes** the sheaves **and proclaims** his find, **as** due to the absence of pedestrian traffic **they are not trampled** and the distinguishing mark remains intact. **And** with regard to **the sheaves, whether** he finds them **in a public area** or **whether** he finds them **in a secluded area,** the finder **takes** them **and proclaims** his find. **Since they** protrude **high** above the ground, they are **not trampled.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:2
[Bava Metzia 23a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:2)

וְרָבָא מְתָרֵץ לְטַעְמֵיהּ בְּמָקוֹם: כְּרִיכוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ – דְּמִינַּשְׁתְּפָא. בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז – דְּלָא מִינַּשְׁתְּפָא. וְהָאֲלוּמּוֹת, בֵּין בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וּבֵין בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז, כֵּיוָן דְּיַקִּירֵי לָא מִינַּשְׁתְּפָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava explains, according to his** line of **reasoning,** that the *baraita* is referring to bundles **whose location** is their distinguishing mark: If one finds **bundles** of grain **in a public area, these** belong **to him** due to the fact **that they are** kicked **and** they consequently **roll** to a different location than where they were placed. If he finds them **in a secluded area,** he is **obligated to proclaim** his find. Due to the absence of pedestrian traffic **they are** not kicked **and do not roll,** and they therefore remain in the location where they were placed. **And** with regard to **the sheaves, whether** he finds them **in a public area** or **whether** he finds them **in a secluded area,** the finder **takes** them **and proclaims** his find. **Since they are heavy, they do not roll** when kicked.


###### Bava Metzia 23a:3
[Bava Metzia 23a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:3)

תָּא שְׁמַע: כִּכָּרוֹת שֶׁל נַחְתּוֹם – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. הָא שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז. שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת מַאי טַעְמָא? כֵּיוָן דְּאִית בְּהוּ סִימָן, דְּמִידָּע יְדִיעַ רִפְתָּא דְאִינִישׁ אִינִישׁ הוּא. וְלָא שְׁנָא רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְלָא שְׁנָא רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז, אַלְמָא סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס הָוֵי סִימָן, תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַבָּה!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof from the mishna: If one found **baker’s loaves, these** belong **to him.** The Gemara infers: **But** if one finds **loaves of a homeowner,** he is **obligated to proclaim** his find. **What is the reason?** When one finds loaves **of a homeowner** he is obligated to proclaim his find **because there is a distinguishing mark on** the loaves. **As** each person shapes his loaves in a unique manner, **it is known that the loaves of a person** belong to that **person. And** there **is no difference** if the loaves were found **in a public area, and** there **is no difference** if the loaves were found **in a secluded area;** the finder **takes** the item **and proclaims** his find. **Apparently,** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is** that of **a distinguishing mark.** This is **a conclusive refutation of** the opinion of **Rabba.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:4
[Bava Metzia 23a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:4)

אָמַר לָךְ רַבָּה: הָתָם הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא – מִשּׁוּם דְּאֵין מַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. וְהָא אִיכָּא גּוֹיִם! גּוֹיִם חָיְישִׁי לִכְשָׁפִים. וְהָאִיכָּא בְּהֵמָה וּכְלָבִים! בְּאַתְרָא דְּלָא שְׁכִיחִי בְּהֵמָה וּכְלָבִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba** could have **said to you: There, this is the reason** that one must return the loaves of a homeowner found in a public area. It is **due to** the fact **that one does not pass by food** without picking it up. Therefore, it can be assumed that it will not be trampled. The Gemara asks: **But aren’t there gentiles** who do not treat food with deference and who will trample the loaves? The Gemara answers: **Gentiles are concerned** that the loaves were placed in a public area for reasons **of sorcery.** The Gemara asks: **But aren’t there beasts and dogs** that will trample the loaves? The Gemara answers: The mishna is referring to **a place where beasts and dogs are not commonly** found.


###### Bava Metzia 23a:5
[Bava Metzia 23a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:5)

לֵימָא כְּתַנָּאֵי: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: כׇּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ שִׁינּוּי, חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז. כֵּיצַד? מָצָא עִיגּוּל וּבְתוֹכוֹ חֶרֶס, כִּכָּר וּבְתוֹכוֹ מָעוֹת. מִכְּלָל דְּתַנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say** that this dispute between Rabba and Rava is **parallel to** a dispute between ***tanna’im*** in the mishna. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** If one finds **any** lost item **in which there is an alteration,** he is **obligated to proclaim** his find. **How so?** If he **found a round** cake of pressed figs with an **earthenware** shard **inside it,** or **a loaf** of bread **with coins inside it,** he must proclaim his find. One may conclude **by inference that the first *tanna*** of the mishna **holds** that even in that case **those** items belong **to him.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:6
[Bava Metzia 23a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:6)

סַבְרוּהָ: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. מַאי לָאו: בְּסִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס קָא מִיפַּלְגִי, מָר סָבַר: לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמָר סָבַר: הָוֵי סִימָן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In explaining the tannaitic dispute, the Sages **assumed that everyone agrees that** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** without having been placed there intentionally **is** that of **a distinguishing mark, and** everyone agrees that **one passes by food** without picking it up. Accordingly, **what** is the basis of their dispute? **Is it not with regard to** the matter of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled** that **they disagree?** As one **Sage,** the first *tanna*, **holds** that its legal status **is not** that of **a distinguishing mark, and** one **Sage,** Rabbi Yehuda, **holds** that its legal status **is** that of **a distinguishing mark.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:7
[Bava Metzia 23a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:7)

אָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּקָא סָבַר תַּנָּא קַמָּא סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין, כִּכָּרוֹת שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים אַמַּאי מַכְרִיז?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava: If it enters your mind that the first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is not** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one passes by food** without picking it up, then in the case of **loaves of a homeowner** that were found **in a public area,** where the loaves would be trampled and their distinguishing mark destroyed, **why does he proclaim** his find?


###### Bava Metzia 23a:8
[Bava Metzia 23a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:8)

אֶלָּא, אָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סָבְרִי סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. וְהָכָא בְּסִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו קָא מִיפַּלְגִי, דְּתַנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר: סִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר: הָוֵי סִימָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava that everyone holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one passes by food** without picking it up. **And here,** it is **with regard to** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** that **they disagree. The first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own **is not** that of **a distinguishing mark, and Rabbi Yehuda holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own **is** that of **a distinguishing mark.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:9
[Bava Metzia 23a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:9)

וְרַבָּה אָמַר לָךְ: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס – לָא הָוֵי סִימָן וְאֵין מַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. וְהָכָא בְּסִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו קָמִיפַּלְגִי תַּנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר: לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר: הָוֵי סִימָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabba** could have **said to you that everyone agrees** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is not** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one does not pass by food** without picking it up. **And here,** it is **with regard to** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** that **they disagree. The first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own is not that of **a distinguishing mark, and Rabbi Yehuda holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own **is** that of **a distinguishing mark.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:10
[Bava Metzia 23a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:10)

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, סַבְרוּהָ: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו הָוֵי סִימָן, וְסִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס לָא הָוֵי סִימָן. מַאי לָאו: בְּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין קָא מִיפַּלְגִי, דְּמָר סָבַר: מַעֲבִירִין, וּמַר סָבַר: אֵין מַעֲבִירִין?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are** those **who say,** in explaining the tannaitic dispute, that the Sages **assumed that everyone agrees that** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** without having been placed there intentionally **is** that of **a distinguishing mark, and** everyone agrees that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is not** that of **a distinguishing mark. What,** then, is the basis of their dispute? **Is it not with regard to** the matter of whether **one passes by food** without picking it up that **they disagree. As** one **Sage,** the first *tanna*, **holds** that **one passes** by food without picking it up, **and** one **Sage,** Rabbi Yehuda, **holds** that **one does not pass** by food without picking it up.


###### Bava Metzia 23a:11
[Bava Metzia 23a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:11)

אָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ סָבַר תַּנָּא קַמָּא סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין – כִּכָּרוֹת שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים אַמַּאי מַכְרִיז?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava: If it enters your mind that the first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is not** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one passes by food** without picking it up, then in the case of **loaves of a homeowner** that were found **in a public area,** where the loaves would be trampled and their distinguishing mark destroyed, **why does he proclaim** his find?


###### Bava Metzia 23a:12
[Bava Metzia 23a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:12)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סָבְרִי סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס – הָוֵי סִימָן, וּמַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. וְהָכָא בְּסִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו קָא מִיפַּלְגִי, דְּתַנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר: סִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו – לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר: הָוֵי סִימָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava that everyone holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one passes by food** without picking it up. **And here,** it is **with regard to** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** that **they disagree. The first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own is not** that of **a distinguishing mark, and Rabbi Yehuda holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own **is** that of **a distinguishing mark.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:13
[Bava Metzia 23a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:13)

וְרַבָּה אָמַר לָךְ: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא סִימָן הֶעָשׂוּי לִידָּרֵס – לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וְאֵין מַעֲבִירִין עַל הָאוֹכָלִין. וְהָכָא בְּסִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו קָא מִיפַּלְגִי, תַּנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר: סִימָן הַבָּא מֵאֵילָיו – לָא הָוֵי סִימָן, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר: הָוֵי סִימָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabba** could have **said to you that everyone agrees** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is not** that of **a distinguishing mark and** that **one does not pass by food** without picking it up. **And here,** it is **with regard to** the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own** that **they disagree. The first *tanna* holds** that the legal status of **a distinguishing mark that** could **come** to mark an item **on its own is not** that of **a distinguishing mark, and Rabbi Yehuda holds** that the legal status of a distinguishing mark that could come to mark an item on its own **is** that of **a distinguishing mark.**


###### Bava Metzia 23a:14
[Bava Metzia 23a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:14)

אָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: כְּלָלָא דַּאֲבֵידְתָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר ״וַוי לֵהּ לְחֶסְרוֹן כִּיס״ – מִיָּאַשׁ לֵיהּ מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava** that this is **the principle of a lost item: Once** the owner of a lost item **says: Woe** is me **for the monetary loss,** this indicates that **he has despaired of its** recovery.


###### Bava Metzia 23a:15
[Bava Metzia 23a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/23a:15)

וְאָמַר רַב זְבִיד מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: הִלְכְתָא, כְּרִיכוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד, אִי דֶּרֶךְ נְפִילָה – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ, אִי דֶּרֶךְ הַנָּחָה – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז. וְזֶה וָזֶה בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סִימָן, אֲבָל בְּדָבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סִימָן – לָא שְׁנָא בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְלָא שְׁנָא בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד, בֵּין דֶּרֶךְ נְפִילָה וּבֵין דֶּרֶךְ הַנָּחָה – חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava:** The ***halakha*** is that if one finds **bundles** of grain **in a public area, those** bundles belong **to him. If** he finds the bundles **in a secluded area** in **a manner** indicating that they had **fallen, those** bundles belong **to him. If** he finds the bundles in **a manner** indicating that they had been **placed** there, the finder **takes** them **and proclaims** his find. **And** both **this** ruling **and that** ruling are **in** the case of **an item in which there is no distinguishing mark. But in** the case of **an item on which there is a distinguishing mark,** it **is no different** if the bundles were found **in a public area and** it **is no different** if the bundles were found **in a secluded area; whether** the bundles were found in **a manner** indicating that they had **fallen or whether** they were found in **a manner** indicating that they had been **placed** there, he is **obligated to proclaim** his find.