## Bava Metzia Daf 26b

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

שֶׁנָּפַל מִשְּׁנַיִם חַיָּיב לְהַחְזִיר. מַאי טַעְמָא? הָהוּא דִּנְפַל מִינֵּיהּ לָא מִיָּאַשׁ, מֵימָר אָמַר: מִכְּדֵי אִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא לָא הֲוָה בַּהֲדַאי אֶלָּא הַאי, נָקֵיטְנָא לֵיהּ וְאָמֵינָא לֵיהּ: אַנְתְּ הוּא דִּשְׁקַלְתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**that fell from** one of **two** people, he is **obligated to return** it. **What is the reason? The** person **from whom** the *sela* **fell does not despair** of recovering it. **He says: After all, no other person was with me, only this** one who was with me, as he is unaware that the *sela* was found by a third party. He therefore thinks: **I will seize him and say to him:** It **is you who took it.**


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

בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לְהַחְזִיר. מַאי טַעְמָא? הָהוּא דִּנְפַל מִינֵּיהּ וַדַּאי מִיָּאַשׁ, מֵימָר אָמַר: מִכְּדֵי תְּרֵי הֲווֹ בַּהֲדַאי, אִי נָקֵיטְנָא לְהַאי אָמַר: ״לָא שְׁקַלְתֵּיהּ״, וְאִי נָקֵיטְנָא לְהַאי אָמַר: ״לָא שְׁקַלְתֵּיהּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**In** a case where the coin fell from one of **three** people, the finder **is not obligated to return** it. **What is the reason? The** person **from whom** the *sela* **fell certainly despairs** of recovering it. **He says: After all, two** other people **were with me. If I seize this** one, he will **say: I did not take it. And if I seize that** one, he will **say: I did not take it.** Since he cannot make a definitive claim, he despairs of recovering his coin.


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

אָמַר רָבָא: הַאי דְּאָמְרַתְּ בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לְהַחְזִיר – לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ שָׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה לְכׇל חַד וְחַד, אֲבָל אִית בֵּיהּ שָׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה לְכׇל חַד וְחַד – חַיָּיב לְהַחְזִיר. מַאי טַעְמָא? אֵימוֹר שׁוּתָּפֵי נִינְהוּ וְלָא מִיָּאֲשׁוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Based on the fact that by Torah law, one must return a lost item to its owner only if it is worth one *peruta*, **Rava said:** With regard to **that which you said,** that **in** a case where the coin fell from one of **three** people the finder **is not obligated to return** it, **we said** this **only** in a case **where** the total value of the lost coin, when divided by three, **does not** amount to the **value of one *peruta* for each and every one** of them; **but** if it amounts to the **value of one *peruta* for each and every one** of them, he is **obligated to return** it. **What is the reason? Say** that perhaps **they are partners,** i.e., they own the coin jointly; consequently, **they do not despair,** as each assumes that one of the other two found it and is holding it for the three of them.


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

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אָמַר רָבָא: אַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ אֶלָּא שָׁוֶה שְׁתֵּי פְרוּטוֹת – חַיָּיב לְהַחְזִיר, מַאי טַעְמָא? אֵימוֹר שׁוּתָּפֵי נִינְהוּ וְחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ אַחוֹלֵי אַחֲלֵיהּ לִמְנָתֵיהּ גַּבֵּי חַבְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are** those **who say** that **Rava said: Even if its** total **value is only two *perutot*,** which is insufficient to provide each of the three partners with one *peruta*, one is **obligated to return** it. **What is the reason? Say** that perhaps **they are partners and one relinquishes his share to another.** In that case, the remaining two partners each have a one *peruta* share, rendering the finder liable to return it.


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

וְאָמַר רָבָא: רָאָה סֶלַע שֶׁנָּפְלָה, נְטָלָהּ לִפְנֵי יֵאוּשׁ עַל מְנָת לְגוֹזְלָהּ – עוֹבֵר בְּכוּלָּן: מִשּׁוּם ״לֹא תִגְזוֹל״, וּמִשּׁוּם ״הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם״, וּמִשּׁוּם ״לֹא תוּכַל לְהִתְעַלֵּם״. וְאַף עַל גַּב (דַּחֲזָרָה) [דְּאַהְדְּרַהּ] לְאַחַר יֵאוּשׁ, מַתָּנָה הוּא דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ, וְאִיסּוּרָא דַּעֲבַד – עֲבַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **And Rava says:** In a case where **one saw a *sela*** coin **that fell** from another, if **he took** the coin **in order to steal it, before** the **despair** of the owner, **he violates all of** the following mitzvot: He is liable **due to** the prohibition: **“You shall not…rob”** (Leviticus 19:13); **and due to** the positive mitzva, stated with regard to found items, of: **“You shall return** them to your brother” (Deuteronomy 22:1), **and due to** the prohibition, stated with regard to one who finds an item: **“You may not disregard”** (Deuteronomy 22:3). **And even if he returned it after** the **despair** of the owner, it is merely **a gift that he gave him; and the transgression that he performed, he performed,** and he remains in violation of these mitzvot.


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

נְטָלָהּ לִפְנֵי יֵאוּשׁ עַל מְנָת לְהַחְזִירָהּ, וּלְאַחַר יֵאוּשׁ נִתְכַּוֵּין לְגוֹזְלָהּ – עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם ״הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rava continues: If **he took** the coin **in order to return it, before** the **despair** of the owner, **and** then, **after** the **despair** of the owner, **he intended to steal it; he violates** a commandment, due to his failure to fulfill the positive mitzva of: **“You shall return** them to your brother.” He does not violate the prohibition: “You shall not…rob,” because at the time he took the coin he did not intend to keep it. And he does not violate the prohibition: “You may not disregard,” because he did not disregard the lost item. He took it with the intention of returning it.


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

הִמְתִּין לָהּ עַד שֶׁנִּתְיָאֲשׁוּ הַבְּעָלִים וּנְטָלָהּ, אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם ״לֹא תוּכַל לְהִתְעַלֵּם״ בִּלְבָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **he waited until the owner despaired** of recovering the lost item **and** only then **took it, he violates** a commandment, but **only** due to his failure to fulfill the positive mitzva of: **“You may not disregard,”** as he took no action to return the lost item to its owner.


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

אָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מַאן דְּחָזֵי דִּנְפוּל זוּזֵי מֵחַבְרֵיהּ בֵּי חָלָתָא וְאַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ וְשַׁקְלֵיהּ – לָא מִיחַיַּיב לְאַהְדּוֹרֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי טַעְמָא? הָהוּא דִּנְפַל מִינֵּיהּ מִיָּאַשׁ הוּא. אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַזְיֵיהּ דְּאַיְיתִי אַרְבְּלָא וְקָא מְרַבֵּל, מֵימָר אָמַר: כִּי הֵיכִי דִּנְפוּל מִינַּאי דִּידִי הָכִי נְפוּל מֵאִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא וּמַשְׁכַּחְנָא מִידֵּי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says:** In the case of **this** person **who saw that a dinar** coin **fell from another into the sand, and** then he **found it and took it,** he **is not obligated to return it to** its owner. **What is the reason?** The reason is that **the one from whom the money fell despairs** of finding it. **Even if** the finder **sees that** the owner **brought a sifter and is sifting** through the sand, ostensibly indicating that he did not despair of finding his coin, perhaps the owner **is saying: Just as** a coin **fell from me** in the sand, **so too,** a coin **fell from another person and I will find some item** to offset my loss.


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

**מַתְנִי׳** מָצָא בַּחֲנוּת – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַתֵּיבָה וְלַחֶנְוָנִי – שֶׁל חֶנְוָנִי. לִפְנֵי שׁוּלְחָנִי – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַכִּסֵּא וְלַשּׁוּלְחָנִי – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁל שׁוּלְחָנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** If one **found** items without a distinguishing mark **in a store, those** items belong **to him,** as, since the store is frequented by the multitudes, the owner despairs of its recovery. If the items were found **between the** storekeeper’s **counter and the storekeeper,** the items belong **to the storekeeper;** since his customers do not typically have access to that area, presumably the items are his. If one found coins **before a money changer, those** coins belong **to him.** If the coins were found **between the** money changer’s **chair and the money changer, those** coins belong **to the money changer,** because his clients do not typically have access to that area.


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

הַלּוֹקֵחַ פֵּירוֹת מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁשִּׁילַּח לוֹ חֲבֵירוֹ פֵּירוֹת, וּמָצָא בָּהֶן מָעוֹת – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. אִם הָיוּ צְרוּרִין – נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In the case of **one who purchases produce from another or** in a case **where another sent him produce** as a gift, **and he found coins** intermingled **with** the produce, **those** coins belong to **him. If** the coins **were bundled,** this serves as a distinguishing mark and the finder **takes** the coins **and proclaims** his find.


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

**גְּמָ׳** אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֲפִילּוּ מוּנָּחִין עַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּלְחָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna teaches that if one found coins before a money changer, those coins belong to him. **Rabbi Elazar says: Even** if the coins were found **placed upon** the **table** itself they belong to the finder.


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

תְּנַן: לִפְנֵי שׁוּלְחָנִי – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. הָא, עַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּלְחָן – דְּשׁוּלְחָנִי! אֵימָא סֵיפָא: בֵּין הַכִּסֵּא וְלַשּׁוּלְחָנִי – שֶׁל שׁוּלְחָנִי! הָא, עַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּלְחָן שֶׁלּוֹ. אֶלָּא מֵהָא לֵיכָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **We learned** in the mishna: If one found coins **before a money changer, those** coins **belong to him;** this indicates by inference **that** if they were found **upon the table,** the coins belong **to the money changer.** The Gemara responds: **Say the latter clause** of the mishna: If the coins were found **between the** money changer’s **chair and the money changer, those** coins belong **to the money changer;** this indicates by inference **that** if they were found **upon the table,** the coins belong **to** the finder. The Gemara concludes: **Rather,** due to the contradictory inferences from the first and the latter clauses, **no** inference is **to be learned from this** mishna.


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

וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הָא מְנָא לֵיהּ? אָמַר רָבָא: מַתְנִיתִין קְשִׁיתֵיהּ. מַאי אִרְיָא דְּתָנֵי ״בֵּין הַכִּסֵּא לַשּׁוּלְחָנִי שֶׁל שׁוּלְחָנִי״? לִיתְנֵי ״עַל שׁוּלְחָן״, אִי נָמֵי: ״מָצָא בַּשּׁוּלְחָנוּת״ כִּדְקָתָנֵי רֵישָׁא ״מָצָא בַּחֲנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ״. אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: אֲפִילּוּ מוּנָּחִין עַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּלְחָן – הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And Rabbi Elazar** himself, **from where** does he derive **this** *halakha* that coins found on the table belong to the finder, given that apparently one cannot infer this ruling from the mishna? **Rava said: The mishna is difficult** for **him: Why** did the *tanna* **teach specifically** that when the coins are found **between the** money changer’s **chair and the money changer,** those coins belong **to the money changer? Let** the *tanna* **teach** instead: If the coins were found **on** the **table, or:** If the coins were found **in the money-changing establishment, as** it **is taught** in **the first clause** of the mishna: If one **found** items without a distinguishing mark **in a store,** those items belong **to him. Rather, learn from it** that since the money changer typically places his money in his drawer, **even** if the coins were found **placed upon** the **table** itself **these** coins belong **to him.**


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

הַלּוֹקֵחַ פֵּירוֹת מֵחֲבֵירוֹ וְכוּ׳. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יַנַּאי: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: In the case of **one who purchases produce from another,** and he found coins intermingled with the produce, those coins belong to him. **Reish Lakish says in the name of Rabbi Yannai:** The Sages **taught** this **only**