## Bava Metzia Daf 77a

###### Bava Metzia 77a:1
[Bava Metzia 77a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:1)

פְּסֵידָא דְפוֹעֲלִים, לָא סַיְּירַהּ לְאַרְעֵיהּ מֵאוּרְתָּא – פְּסֵידָא דְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת וְיָהֵיב לְהוּ כְּפוֹעֵל בָּטֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
this is **the laborers’ loss,** as it is a consequence of their misfortune. But if **he did not survey his land the night before,** it is **the employer’s loss, and he gives them** the wages **of an idle laborer.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:2
[Bava Metzia 77a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:2)

וְאָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מַאן דְּאוֹגַיר אֲגִירֵי לְדַוְולָא, וַאֲתָא מִטְרָא – פְּסֵידָא דְפוֹעֲלִים. אֲתָא נַהֲרָא – פְּסֵידָא דְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, וְיָהֵיב לְהוּ כְּפוֹעֵל בָּטֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava** further **said:** With regard to **this one who hires laborers to draw water** from a river or a trench to irrigate his field, **and rain fell,** so that he no longer needs laborers, this is **the laborers’ loss.** The employer does not need to pay them, as he could not have known ahead of time that this would happen. But if **the river comes** up and irrigates the field, this is **the employer’s loss,** as he should have taken this possibility into consideration. **And** therefore **he gives them** the wages **of an idle laborer.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:3
[Bava Metzia 77a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:3)

וְאָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מַאן דְּאוֹגַיר אֲגִירֵי לְדַוְולָא, וּפְסַק נַהֲרָא בְּפַלְגָא דְיוֹמָא, אִי לָא עֲבִיד דְּפָסֵיק – פְּסֵידָא דְפוֹעֲלִים. עֲבִיד דְּפָסֵיק – אִי בְּנֵי מָתָא, פְּסֵידָא דְפוֹעֲלִים. לָאו בְּנֵי מָתָא – פְּסֵידָא דְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava says:** With regard to **this one who hires laborers to draw water** from a river or a trench to irrigate his field, **and** the flow of the part of **the river** used to irrigate the field **stopped midday,** the *halakha* depends on the circumstance. **If it is not prone to stopping,** this is **the laborers’ loss,** a consequence of their misfortune. If **it is prone to stopping,** then one acts in accordance with this consideration: **If** the workers are residents **of that city** and know that this might happen, it is **the laborers’ loss;** if the laborers are **not** residents **of that city** and are not aware that this is a likely occurrence, it is **the employer’s loss.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:4
[Bava Metzia 77a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:4)

וְאָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מַאן דַּאֲגַר אֲגִירֵי לַעֲבִידְתָּא, וּשְׁלִים עֲבִידְתָּא בְּפַלְגָא דְיוֹמָא, אִי אִית לֵיהּ עֲבִידְתָּא דְּנִיחָא מִינַּהּ – יָהֵיב לְהוּ, אִי נָמֵי דִּכְוָתַהּ – מְפַקֵּד לְהוּ, (דקשה) [דְּקַשְׁיָא] מִינַּהּ – לָא מְפַקֵּד לְהוּ, וְנוֹתֵן לָהֶם שְׂכָרָן מִשָּׁלֵם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava says:** With regard to **this one who hires laborers to** perform a specific **task and the task is completed by midday, if he has** another **task that is easier than** the first one, **he** may **give it to them. Alternatively,** if he has other work that is **similar to** the first one in difficulty, **he** may **assign it to them.** But if he has other work that is **more difficult than it, he may not assign** it **to them, and he gives them their full wages.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:5
[Bava Metzia 77a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:5)

אַמַּאי? וְלִיתֵּיב לְהוּ כְּפוֹעֵל בָּטֵל! כִּי קָאָמַר רָבָא, בְּאַכְלוֹשֵׁי דְמָחוֹזָא, דְּאִי לָא עָבְדִי – חָלְשִׁי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Why** must he pay them their full wages? **Let him pay them** for the additional time at most **as an idle laborer.** The Gemara answers: **When Rava said** his ruling in this case, he was referring **to workers [*be’akhlushei*] of Meḥoza, who become weak if they do not work.** These laborers were accustomed to steady, strenuous work, and therefore sitting idle was difficult, not enjoyable, for them.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:6
[Bava Metzia 77a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:6)

אָמַר מָר: שָׁמִין לָהֶם אֶת מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ, כֵּיצַד? הָיָה יָפֶה שִׁשָּׁה דִּינָרִים – נוֹתֵן לָהֶם סֶלַע. קָא סָבְרִי רַבָּנַן: יַד פּוֹעֵל עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Master said** in the *baraita*: The court **appraises for them that which they have done. How so? If** the current wage for the part of the task they have done **was** now **worth six dinars,** a *sela* and a half, as the price for this assignment increased, there are two possibilities: One is that **he gives them a *sela*,** as originally agreed upon, since they do not forfeit their stipulated wages. The Gemara explains: **The Rabbis hold** that **the laborer is at an advantage,** and therefore even if the laborer reneges on the assignment, he does not lose everything.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:7
[Bava Metzia 77a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:7)

אוֹ יִגְמְרוּ מְלַאכְתָּן וְיִטְּלוּ שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים. פְּשִׁיטָא! לָא צְרִיכָא: דְּאִיַּיקַּר עֲבִידְתָּא וְאִימְּרוּ פּוֹעֲלִים וַאֲזַל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וּפַיְּיסִינְהוּ. מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא, מָצוּ אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: כִּי מְפַיְּיסִינַן – אַדַּעְתָּא דְּטָפֵית לַן אַאַגְרָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּאָמַר לְהוּ: אַדַּעְתָּא דְּטָרַחְנָא לְכוּ בַּאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* states the second possibility: **Or they finish their work and take two *sela*.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t it **obvious** that this is the case? That is the sum they agreed on at the outset. The Gemara responds: **No,** it is **necessary** to state this *halakha* in a case **where the price of labor increased** during the day **and the laborers rebelled** and did not want to work anymore, **and the employer went and appeased them** and they agreed to finish their task. **Lest you say** that **they can say to him: When we were appeased,** it was **with the intent that you would increase our wage,** the *baraita* **teaches us that** the employer can **say to them:** I appeased you **with the intent that I would trouble myself for you** by providing you **with** superior **food and drink,** not that I would increase your wages.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:8
[Bava Metzia 77a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:8)

סֶלַע נוֹתֵן לָהֶם סֶלַע. פְּשִׁיטָא! לָא צְרִיכָא – דְּזַל עֲבִידְתָּא מֵעִיקָּרָא, וְאַגְרִינְהוּ בִּטְפֵי זוּזָא, וּלְסוֹף אִיַּיקַּר עֲבִידְתָּא וְקָם בִּטְפֵי זוּזָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* further teaches that if they performed work worth **a *sela*, he gives them a *sela*.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t that **obvious?** The Gemara explains: **No,** it is **necessary** in a case **where** the price of **labor was inexpensive at the outset and he hired them for one dinar more** than accepted, **and ultimately the price of labor increased and** the going wage now **stands at** that rate of **one more dinar.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:9
[Bava Metzia 77a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:9)

מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: טְפֵי זוּזָא אֲמַרְתְּ לַן – טְפֵי זוּזָא הַב לַן, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דַּאֲמַר לְהוּ, כִּי אֲמַרִי לְכוּ טְפֵי זוּזָא: דְּלָא הֲוָה קִים לְכוּ, הַשְׁתָּא קִים לְכוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: **Lest you say** that **they** can **say to him:** You **offered us a dinar above** the going rate, so now too, **give us one more dinar** than the current rate, to counter this, the *baraita* **teaches us that he** can **say to them: When I said to you** that I would add **one more dinar,** the reason was **that it was not clear with regard to you** that you would be willing to work for the lower wage, so I increased it. **Now it is clear with regard to you,** i.e., you agreed to a wage that was acceptable to you, and I do not intend to increase it further.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:10
[Bava Metzia 77a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:10)

רַבִּי דּוֹסָא אוֹמֵר: שָׁמִין לָהֶן אֶת מַה שֶּׁעָתִיד לְהֵיעָשׂוֹת, הָיָה יָפֶה שִׁשָּׁה דִּינָרִים נוֹתֵן לָהֶם שֶׁקֶל. קָסָבַר יַד פּוֹעֵל עַל הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* further teaches that **Rabbi Dosa says:** The court **appraises for them that which must** still **be done.** If the current wage for the part of the task they had not done **was worth six dinars,** i.e., he can find laborers who will complete it only for six dinars, which is equivalent to one and a half *sela*, there are two possibilities: One is that **he gives** the first laborers **a shekel,** which is equivalent to half a *sela*. The Gemara explains that Rabbi Dosa **holds** that the **laborer is at a disadvantage,** in accordance with the principle that whoever reneges is at a disadvantage.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:11
[Bava Metzia 77a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:11)

אוֹ יִגְמְרוּ מְלַאכְתָּן וְיִטְּלוּ שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים. פְּשִׁיטָא! לָא צְרִיכָא דְּזַל עֲבִידְתָּא וְאִימַּר בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, וַאֲזוּל פּוֹעֲלִים וּפַיְּיסוּהּ. מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא, מָצֵי אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַדַּעְתָּא דְּבָצְרִיתוּ לִי מֵאַגְרַיי. קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּאָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַדַּעְתָּא דְּעָבְדִינַן לָךְ עֲבִידְתָּא שַׁפִּירְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The *baraita* states the second possibility: **Or they finish their work and take two *sela*.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t this **obvious?** The Gemara explains: **No,** it is **necessary** in a case **where** the price of **labor decreased** midday **and the employer rebelled,** seeking to cancel the agreement, **and** the **laborers went and appeased him** so that he would let them continue their work. **Lest you say** that the employer **can say to them:** When I was appeased, that was **with the intent that you would decrease your wages for me,** therefore, the *baraita* **teaches us that** the laborers can **say to him:** When we spoke it was **with the intent that we will do improved work for you.**


###### Bava Metzia 77a:12
[Bava Metzia 77a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:12)

סֶלַע נוֹתֵן לָהֶם סֶלַע. פְּשִׁיטָא! אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב נָתָן: לָא צְרִיכָא דְּאוֹזִילוּ אִינְהוּ גַּבֵּיהּ זוּזָא מֵעִיקָּרָא, וּלְסוֹף זַל עֲבִידְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* further teaches that Rabbi Dosa said: And if the current wage for the part of the task they had not done was worth **a *sela*, he gives them a *sela*.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t that **obvious? Rav Huna, son of Rav Natan, said: No,** it is **necessary** in a case **where they reduced for him** the accepted price **by a dinar at the outset, and ultimately** the price of **labor decreased,** so that the standard wage became equal to the price they had agreed on.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:13
[Bava Metzia 77a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:13)

מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: בְּצִיר זוּזָא אַמְרִיתוּ לִי – בְּצִיר זוּזָא יָהֵיבְנָא לְכוּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּאָמְרִי לֵיהּ: כִּי אֲמַרְנָא לָךְ בִּבְצִיר זוּזָא – דְּלָא הֲוָה קִים לָךְ, הַשְׁתָּא קִים לָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Huna, son of Rav Natan, elaborates: **Lest you say** that the employer can say to them: **You said to me** that you would accept wages of **a dinar less** than the market value, and therefore **a dinar less** that the standard wage is what **I will give you.** Consequently, Rabbi Dosa **teaches us that** the laborers can **say to him: When we said to you** that we would agree to **a dinar less,** that was when **it was not clear that you** would be willing to pay the higher wage, but **now it is clear that you** will agree, and therefore you cannot reduce our wages.


###### Bava Metzia 77a:14
[Bava Metzia 77a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/77a:14)

אָמַר רַב: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי דּוֹסָא. וּמִי אָמַר רַב הָכִי? וְהָאָמַר רַב: פּוֹעֵל יָכוֹל לַחֲזוֹר בּוֹ אֲפִילּוּ בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם! וְכִי תֵּימָא שָׁאנֵי לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי דּוֹסָא בֵּין שְׂכִירוּת לְקַבְּלָנוּת, וּמִי שָׁאנֵי לֵיהּ? וְהָתַנְיָא: הַשּׂוֹכֵר אֶת הַפּוֹעֵל, וְלַחֲצִי הַיּוֹם שָׁמַע שֶׁמֵּת לוֹ מֵת, אוֹ שֶׁאֲחָזַתּוּ חַמָּה, אִם שָׂכִיר הוּא –

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to that same dispute in the *baraita*, **Rav said:** The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Dosa.** The Gemara asks: **And did Rav** really **say that? But doesn’t Rav say** that **a laborer can renege from** his commitment **even at midday? And if you would say** that **there is a difference for Rabbi Dosa between hired** work **and contracted** work, as a hired laborer can renege but a contracted laborer cannot, **is there** really **a difference for him? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: With regard to **one who hires a laborer, and at midday** the laborer **heard that** a relative **of his died** and he has to tend to the burial, **or if** the laborer **was gripped with fever** and could not continue to work, **if he is a hired laborer,**