## Bava Metzia Daf 26a

###### Bava Metzia 26a:1
[Bava Metzia 26a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:1)

דִּשְׁתִיךְ טְפֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**where** the item is **extremely rusted,** indicating that it had been left there for a long time.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:2
[Bava Metzia 26a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:2)

בְּכוֹתֶל חָדָשׁ, מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלַחוּץ – שֶׁלּוֹ, מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלִפְנִים – שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: If **one found** lost items **in a new wall from its midpoint and outward,** they belong **to him.** But if he found the items **from its midpoint and inward,** they belong **to the homeowner.**


###### Bava Metzia 26a:3
[Bava Metzia 26a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:3)

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: סַכִּינָא בָּתַר קַתָּא, וְכִיסָא בָּתַר שִׁנְצֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said:** The determination of ownership with regard to **a knife** found in a wall **follows the handle, and** the determination of ownership with regard to a money **pouch follows the laces** at the opening of the pouch. If the handle or laces face inward, they belong to the homeowner. If the handle or laces face outward, they belong to the finder.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:4
[Bava Metzia 26a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:4)

וְאֶלָּא מַתְנִיתִין דְּקָתָנֵי: מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלַחוּץ – שֶׁלּוֹ, מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלִפְנִים – שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת. וְלֶחְזֵי, אִי קַתָּא לְגָאו אִי קַתָּא לְבַר! אִי שִׁנְצֵיהּ לְגָאו אִי שִׁנְצֵיהּ לְבַר! מַתְנִיתִין בְּאוּדְרָא וּנְסָכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** if so, what is the applicability of the ruling of **the mishna, which teaches:** If one found lost items in a new wall **from its midpoint and outward,** they belong **to him,** and **from its midpoint and inward,** they belong **to the homeowner? But** instead, to determine ownership, **let us see if its handle** faces **inward** or **if its handle** faces **outward,** or **if its straps** face **inward or if its straps** face **outward.** The Gemara answers: **The mishna** is referring to a case **where** one found **rags or metal strips.**


###### Bava Metzia 26a:5
[Bava Metzia 26a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:5)

תָּנָא: אִם הָיָה כּוֹתֶל מְמוּלָּא מֵהֶן – חוֹלְקִין. פְּשִׁיטָא! לָא צְרִיכָא, דִּמְשַׁפַּע בְּחַד גִּיסָא, מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: אִשְׁתְּפוֹכֵי אִישְׁתְּפוּךְ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is **taught: If** the hollow in the **wall was filled with** lost items, e.g., coins, the homeowner and the finder **divide** them. The Gemara asks: Isn’t that **obvious?** The Gemara answers: **No,** it is **necessary** to teach this only in a case **where the** hollow in the **wall is inclined toward one side** of the wall. **Lest you say** that all the items were initially on the elevated side, and due to the incline they **slipped** and filled the entire space, the *tanna* **teaches us** that the homeowner and the finder divide them.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:6
[Bava Metzia 26a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:6)

אִם הָיָה מַשְׂכִּירוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים, אֲפִילּוּ מָצָא בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. וְאַמַּאי? לֵיזִיל בָּתַר בָּתְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **If** the homeowner **would rent** the house **to others** on a regular basis and there was a steady turnover of residents, **even** if one found lost items **inside the house, these** belong **to him.** The Gemara asks: **And why** do they belong to the finder? **Let us follow the last** renter and determine that he is the owner of the items.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:7
[Bava Metzia 26a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:7)

מִי לָא תְּנַן: מָעוֹת שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ לִפְנֵי סוֹחֲרֵי בְּהֵמָה – לְעוֹלָם מַעֲשֵׂר, בְּהַר הַבַּיִת – חוּלִּין;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Didn’t we learn** in a mishna (*Shekalim* 7:2): With regard to **money that was found before animal merchants** in Jerusalem, it is **always** assumed to be money of the second **tithe,** as most of the animals purchased in Jerusalem were bought with second-tithe money. This *halakha* applies both during a Festival and throughout the year, as people would typically purchase animals for meat with their second-tithe money. If the money was found **on the Temple Mount** it is considered **non-sacred** money. This *halakha* applies even during a Festival, when people would come to Jerusalem with second-tithe money in hand, as it can be assumed that one who entered the Temple Mount had already spent that money and only non-sacred money is left in his possession.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:8
[Bava Metzia 26a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:8)

וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם, בִּשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה – חוּלִּין. בִּשְׁעַת הָרֶגֶל – הַכֹּל מַעֲשֵׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna continues: **And** if the coins were found elsewhere **in Jerusalem,** the following distinction applies: If it was found **during the rest of the days of the year,** it is considered **non-sacred** money. But if the money was found **during the Festival,** when many people would come to Jerusalem with their second-tithe money, **all** money is presumed to be second-**tithe** money.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:9
[Bava Metzia 26a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:9)

וְאָמַר רַב שְׁמַעְיָה בַּר זְעֵירָא: מַאי טַעְמָא? הוֹאִיל וְשׁוּקֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עֲשׂוּיִן לְהִתְכַּבֵּד בְּכׇל יוֹם. אַלְמָא אָמְרִינַן קַמָּאֵי קַמָּאֵי אֲזַלוּ, וְהָנֵי אַחֲרִינֵי נִינְהוּ. הָכָא נָמֵי: קַמָּא קַמָּא אֲזַל, וְהָנֵי דְּבָתְרָא הוּא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rav Shemaya bar Ze’eira says** in explanation of the mishna: **What is the reason** that during the rest of the year the money is considered non-sacred, even on the day after the Festival? **Since the markets of Jerusalem tend to be cleaned every day,** any money left there would already have been found by the street cleaners. Consequently, any money found there must have been left there recently. **Apparently, we say** that **each of the first** coins **is gone, and these** coins **are other** ones, i.e., they were left there after the conclusion of the Festival. **Here too,** with regard to lost items found in a rented house, why not say that the items belonging **to each of the first** renters **are gone and these** items belong **to the last** renter?


###### Bava Metzia 26a:10
[Bava Metzia 26a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:10)

אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם בַּר קַפָּרָא: כְּגוֹן שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ פּוּנְדָּק לִשְׁלֹשָׁה יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Reish Lakish said in the name of bar Kappara:** The mishna that states that the item belongs to the finder is referring to a case **where** the homeowner **rendered** his house **an inn [*pundak*] for three Jews.** Since it is unclear to which of them the item belonged, the owner despairs of its recovery.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:11
[Bava Metzia 26a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:11)

שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אֲפִילּוּ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara previously (see 24a) raised a dilemma with regard to the *halakha* stated by Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar that a lost item found in a location frequented by the multitudes belongs to the finder. Is the *halakha* in accordance with his ruling? Moreover, is his ruling specifically with regard to a location with a gentile majority, or is it even applicable in a location with a Jewish majority? Based on the opinion of bar Kappara, the Gemara suggests: **Conclude from it that** the ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar even in** a location with **a Jewish majority.**


###### Bava Metzia 26a:12
[Bava Metzia 26a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:12)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב מְנַשְּׁיָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: כְּגוֹן שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ פּוּנְדָּק לִשְׁלֹשָׁה נָכְרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this conclusion, and presents an alternative explanation of the latter clause of the mishna. **Rather, Rav Menashya bar Ya’akov said:** The mishna is referring to a case **where he rendered** his house **an inn for three gentiles.** According to that explanation, perhaps Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar issued his ruling specifically in a location with a gentile majority.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:13
[Bava Metzia 26a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:13)

רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא לִשְׁלֹשָׁה יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַאי טַעְמָא? הָהוּא דִּנְפַל מִינֵּיהּ מִיָּאַשׁ, מֵימָר אָמַר: מִכְּדֵי אִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא לָא הֲוָה בַּהֲדַי אֶלָּא הָנֵי, אֲמַרִי קַמַּיְיהוּ כַּמָּה זִמְנֵי לַיהְדְּרוּ לִי, וְלָא [אַ]הְדַּרוּ לִי, וְהַשְׁתָּא לַיהְדְּרוּ?! אִי דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ לְאַהְדּוֹרַהּ אַהְדְּרוּהָ נִיהֲלִי, וְהַאי דְּלָא אַהְדְּרוּהָ לִי בְּדַעְתַּיְיהוּ לְמִיגְזְלַהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman** said that **Rabba bar Avuh said: Even** if **you say** that the owner **rendered** his house **an inn for three Jews,** one cannot conclude that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar issued his ruling even in an area with a Jewish majority. **What is the reason** that the item belongs to the finder? It is because **the** person **from whom** the item **fell despairs** of its recovery. The one who lost the item **says: Now, no other person was with me** here, **only these** residents of the inn. **I said in their presence several times to return** the item **to me, and they did not return** it **to me; and** is it likely that **now** they are going **to return** it? **If their intention was to return** the item, **they would have** already **returned it to me, and** the fact **that they did not** yet **return it to me** indicates that it is **their intention to rob** me of the item.


###### Bava Metzia 26a:14
[Bava Metzia 26a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/26a:14)

וְאַזְדָּא רַב נַחְמָן לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: רָאָה סֶלַע

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rav Naḥman follows his** standard line of **reasoning, as Rav Naḥman says:** If one **saw a *sela*** coin