## Bava Metzia Daf 24a

###### Bava Metzia 24a:1
[Bava Metzia 24a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:1)

וּבְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא. מַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא: לְאַהְדּוֹרֵי לֵיהּ אֲבֵידְתָּא בִּטְבִיעוּת עֵינָא. אִי יָדְעִינַן בֵּיהּ דְּלָא מְשַׁנֵּי אֶלָּא בְּהָנֵי תְּלָת – מַהְדְּרִינַן לֵיהּ, וְאִי מְשַׁנֵּי בְּמִילֵּי אַחֲרִינֵי – לָא מַהְדְּרִינַן לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** he can lie **with regard to a host [*ushpiza*],** as one may say that he was not well received by a certain host to prevent everyone from taking advantage of the host’s hospitality. **What is the** practical **difference** that emerges from this statement with regard to matters in which Torah scholars deviate from the truth? **Mar Zutra says:** The practical difference is with regard **to returning a lost item on** the basis of **visual recognition. If we know about him that he alters** his statements **only with regard to these three** matters, **we return** the lost item **to him, but if he alters** his statements **with regard to other matters, we do not return** the lost item **to him.**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:2
[Bava Metzia 24a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:2)

מָר זוּטְרָא חֲסִידָא אִגְּנִיב לֵיהּ כָּסָא דְכַסְפָּא מֵאוּשְׁפִּיזָא. חַזְיֵאּ לְהָהוּא בַּר בֵּי רַב דְּמָשֵׁי יְדֵיהּ וְנָגֵיב בִּגְלִימָא דְחַבְרֵיהּ. אֲמַר: הַיְינוּ הַאי דְּלָא אִיכְפַּת לֵיהּ אַמָּמוֹנָא דְחַבְרֵיהּ. כַּפְתֵיהּ וְאוֹדִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **A silver goblet was stolen from the host of Mar Zutra Ḥasida.** Mar Zutra **saw a certain student** of Torah **who washed his hands and dried** them **on the cloak of another.** Mar Zutra **said: This is** the one **who does not care about the property of another. He bound** that student, **and** the student then **confessed** that he stole the goblet.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:3
[Bava Metzia 24a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:3)

תַּנְיָא: מוֹדֶה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּכֵלִים חֲדָשִׁים שֶׁשְּׂבָעָתַן הָעַיִן שֶׁחַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן כֵּלִים חֲדָשִׁים שֶׁלֹּא שְׂבָעָתַן הָעַיִן שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז, כְּגוֹן בַּדֵּי מְחָטִין, וְצִינּוֹרִיּוֹת, וּמַחְרוֹזוֹת שֶׁל קַרְדּוּמּוֹת. כׇּל אֵלּוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ, אֵימָתַי מוּתָּרִים? בִּזְמַן שֶׁמְּצָאָן אֶחָד אֶחָד, אֲבָל מְצָאָן שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם – חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita*: Although **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar** holds that one does not need to proclaim his finding of *anpurya* vessels, he **concedes** that the finder is **obligated to proclaim** his find **of new vessels that the eye** of its purchaser has **sufficiently seen. And these are new vessels that the eye** of its purchaser has **not** yet **sufficiently seen** and concerning **which** the finder is **not obligated to proclaim** his find: **for example, branches [*badei*]** upon which **needles or utensils** for **spinning** are hanging, **or strings of axes. When is it permitted for** the one who finds **all those** items **that** the *tanna* **mentioned** in the *baraita* to keep them? It is **when he found them one at a time. But** if **he found them two at a time,** the finder is **obligated to proclaim** his find.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:4
[Bava Metzia 24a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:4)

מַאי ״בַּדֵּי״? שׂוֹכֵי. וְאַמַּאי קָרוּ לֵיהּ ״בַּדֵּי״? דָּבָר דְּתָלוּ בֵּיהּ מִידֵּי, ״בַּד״ קָרוּ לֵיהּ. כִּי הַהוּא דִּתְנַן הָתָם: עָלֶה אֶחָד בְּבַד אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara clarifies: **What** is the meaning of the term ***badei*?** It means **branches. And why did** the *tanna* **call them branches?** It is because the item **upon which one hangs** another **item [*davar detalu bei midei*], he calls it a branch, like that which we learned there** (*Sukka* 44b): **One leaf on one branch.**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:5
[Bava Metzia 24a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:5)

וְכֵן הָיָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: הַמַּצִּיל מִן הָאֲרִי וּמִן הַדּוֹב וּמִן הַנָּמֵר וּמִן הַבַּרְדְּלָס וּמִן זוֹטוֹ שֶׁל יָם וּמִשְּׁלוּלִיתוֹ שֶׁל נָהָר, הַמּוֹצֵא בִּסְרַטְיָא וּפְלַטְיָא גְּדוֹלָה, וּבְכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָרַבִּים מְצוּיִין שָׁם – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַבְּעָלִים מִתְיָאֲשִׁין מֵהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The *baraita* continues: **And likewise, Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say:** In the case of **one who rescues** a lost item **from a lion, or from a bear, or from a leopard, or from a cheetah [*bardelas*], or from the tide of the sea, or from the flooding of a river;** and in the case of **one who finds** a lost item **in a main thoroughfare [*seratya*] or a large plaza [*pelatya*], or in any place where the multitudes are found, these** items belong **to him due to** the fact **that the owner despairs of their** recovery.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:6
[Bava Metzia 24a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:6)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: כִּי קָאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר – בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם אֲבָל בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל – לָא, אוֹ דִלְמָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל נָמֵי אָמַר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: **When Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says** that if one finds a lost item in any place where multitudes are found, the item belongs to him, did he refer only to a place **where there is a majority of gentiles; but** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews,** the owner does **not** despair of recovering the item, because he relies on the Jews to return his item? **Or perhaps, even** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews, he also says** that the item belongs to the one who found it.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:7
[Bava Metzia 24a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:7)

אִם תִּמְצָא לוֹמַר אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל נָמֵי אָמַר, פְּלִיגִי רַבָּנַן עֲלֵיהּ, אוֹ לָא פְּלִיגִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And **if you say** that **even** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews, he also said** that the item belongs to the one who found it, **do the Rabbis disagree with him or do they not disagree?**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:8
[Bava Metzia 24a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:8)

וְאִם תִּמְצָא לוֹמַר פְּלִיגִי, בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל וַדַּאי פְּלִיגִי, בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם פְּלִיגִי אוֹ לָא פְּלִיגִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you say** that **the Rabbis disagree** with him, in a place **where there is a majority of Jews, they certainly disagree.** In a place **where there is a majority of gentiles, do** the Rabbis **disagree, or do they not disagree?**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:9
[Bava Metzia 24a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:9)

וְאִם תִּמְצָא לוֹמַר פְּלִיגִי אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם הֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתוֹ אוֹ אֵין הֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתוֹ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you say** that **the Rabbis disagree** with him **even** in a place **where there is a majority of gentiles,** is the ***halakha* in accordance with** the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, **or** is the ***halakha* not in accordance with his** opinion?


###### Bava Metzia 24a:10
[Bava Metzia 24a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:10)

אִם תִּמְצָא לוֹמַר הֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתוֹ, דַּוְקָא בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם אוֹ אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And **if you say** that the ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, does this *halakha* apply **specifically** in a place **where there is a majority of gentiles, or** is the *halakha* in accordance with his opinion **even** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews?**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:11
[Bava Metzia 24a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:11)

תָּא שְׁמַע: הַמּוֹצֵא מָעוֹת בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, וּבְכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָרַבִּים מְצוּיִין שָׁם – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַבְּעָלִים מִתְיָאֲשִׁין מֵהֶן. מַאן שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ דְּאָזֵיל בָּתַר רוּבָּא? רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר, שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל נָמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof from a *baraita*: In the case of **one who finds coins in synagogues [*bevatei khenesiyyot*] and study halls or in any place where the multitudes are found, these** coins belong **to him, due to** the fact **that the owner despairs of their** recovery. **Who** is the one about **whom you heard that he follows the multitudes,** i.e., that he attaches significance to the loss of an item in a place where the multitudes are present? It is **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar. Conclude from** the *baraita* that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar holds that a lost item belongs to the finder **even** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews,** as synagogues and study halls are places frequented exclusively by Jews.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:12
[Bava Metzia 24a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:12)

הָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן? בִּמְפוּזָּרִין. אִי בִּמְפוּזָּרִין מַאי אִרְיָא מָקוֹם שֶׁהָרַבִּים מְצוּיִין שָׁם? אֲפִילּוּ אֵין הָרַבִּים מְצוּיִין שָׁם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects the proof. **With what are we dealing here?** We are dealing with a case **where** the coins are **scattered** and there is no distinguishing mark on them. The Gemara asks: **If** it is a case **where** the coins are **scattered, why** did the *baraita* establish the case **specifically** in **a place where the multitudes are found? Even** in a place where **the multitudes are not found,** the coins belong to the finder.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:13
[Bava Metzia 24a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:13)

אֶלָּא לְעוֹלָם בִּצְרוּרִין, וְהָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן – בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, בָּתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר? בָּתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת דִּידַן דְּיָתְבִי בְּהוּ גּוֹיִם. הַשְׁתָּא דְּאָתֵית לְהָכִי, בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת נָמֵי דִּידַן דְּיָתְבִי בְּהוּ נָכְרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, actually** the *baraita* is referring to a case **where** the coins are **bound, and with what are we dealing here?** This is a case where the coins were found **in** the **houses of assembly [*bevatei khenesiyyot*] of gentiles,** not in synagogues. That resolves the matter of synagogues; but with regard to **study halls,** which are exclusive to Jews, **what can be said?** The Gemara answers: The *baraita* is referring to **our study halls in which gentile** guards or custodians **are sitting.** The Gemara notes: **Now that you have arrived at this** explanation, the *batei khenesiyyot* in the *baraita* can be explained as referring to **our synagogues, in which gentiles are sitting.**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:14
[Bava Metzia 24a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:14)

תָּא שְׁמַע: מָצָא בָּהּ אֲבֵידָה, אִם רוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל – חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז, אִם רוֹב גּוֹיִם – אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיז. מַאן שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר אָזְלִינַן בָּתַר רוּבָּא? רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר, שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ: כִּי קָאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם, אֲבָל בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל – לָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Come** and **hear** a proof from a mishna (*Makhshirin* 2:8): In a case when **one found a lost item in** a city where both Jews and gentiles reside, **if** the city has **a majority of Jews** he is **obligated to proclaim** his find. **If** there is **a majority of gentiles** he is **not obligated to proclaim** his find. **Who** is the one about **whom you heard that he follows the multitudes,** i.e., that he attaches significance to the loss of an item in a place where the multitudes are present? It is **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar. Resolve from** this mishna **that when Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says** that the item belongs to the finder, it is referring specifically to a place **where there is a majority of gentiles, but** in a place **where there is a majority of Jews, no,** it does not belong to the finder.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:15
[Bava Metzia 24a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:15)

מַנִּי? רַבָּנַן הִיא, תִּפְשׁוֹט מִינַּהּ דְּמוֹדוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּרוֹב גּוֹיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: In accordance with **whose** opinion **is this** mishna? It **is** in accordance with the opinion of **the Rabbis.** The Gemara suggests: In any case, **resolve** the dilemma **from** the mishna **that the Rabbis concede to Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar** in a place **where there is a majority of gentiles.**


###### Bava Metzia 24a:16
[Bava Metzia 24a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:16)

אֶלָּא לְעוֹלָם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר הִיא, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל נָמֵי. וְהָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן? בְּטָמוּן. אִי בְּטָמוּן, מַאי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ?! וְהָתְנַן: מָצָא כְּלִי בָּאַשְׁפָּה, מְכוּסֶּה – לֹא יִגַּע בּוֹ, מְגוּלֶּה – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this explanation: **Rather, actually** the mishna **is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, and** he stated his opinion **even in** a place **where there is a majority of Jews. And with what are we dealing here?** This is a case **where** the found item is **concealed.** The Gemara asks: **If** the item is **concealed, what** is the reason the item **is with** the finder? Clearly it was placed there and the owner will return to retrieve it. **And didn’t we learn** in a mishna (25b): In a case where **one found a vessel in a garbage dump,** if the vessel is **concealed he may not touch it,** but if it is **exposed,** the finder **takes** the item **and proclaims** his find.


###### Bava Metzia 24a:17
[Bava Metzia 24a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/24a:17)

כִּדְאָמַר רַב פָּפָּא, בְּאַשְׁפָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עֲשׂוּיָה לְפַנּוֹת, וְנִמְלַךְ עָלֶיהָ לְפַנּוֹתָהּ. הָכָא נָמֵי בְּאַשְׁפָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עֲשׂוּיָה לְפַנּוֹת, וְנִמְלַךְ עָלֶיהָ לְפַנּוֹתָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: It can be explained **as Rav Pappa says** elsewhere, that it is referring **to a garbage dump that is not designed to be cleared, and** the owner of the land **reconsidered** and decided **to clear it.** If one finds concealed vessels he should proclaim his find, because otherwise the vessels will be cleared with the rest of the garbage dump. **Here too,** the mishna is referring **to a garbage dump that is not designed to be cleared, and** the owner of the land **reconsidered** and decided **to clear it.** If one finds concealed items, his course of action is determined by the identity of the majority of the residents of the city. If they are Jews, he must proclaim his find, and if not, he need not proclaim his find. No proof can be cited to resolve the dilemma.