## Bava Metzia Daf 97b

###### Bava Metzia 97b:1
[Bava Metzia 97b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:1)

בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׁאוּלָה מֵתָה. וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – חַיָּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
or: **It died during the period in which it was** being **borrowed,** so that, according to his claim, the borrower is liable to pay for the cow, **and the other** one, the borrower, **says: I do not know** what happened, the borrower is **liable** to pay.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:2
[Bava Metzia 97b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:2)

הַשּׂוֹכֵר אוֹמֵר: שְׂכוּרָה מֵתָה, בְּיוֹם שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׂכוּרָה מֵתָה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׂכוּרָה מֵתָה. וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – פָּטוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **the renter says:** The **rented** cow is the one that **died;** or: **It died on the day that it was** being **rented;** or: **It died during the period in which it was** being **rented, and the other** one, the owner of the cow, **says: I do not know** what happened, the renter is **exempt.**


###### Bava Metzia 97b:3
[Bava Metzia 97b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:3)

זֶה אוֹמֵר: שְׁאוּלָה, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: שְׂכוּרָה – יִשָּׁבַע הַשּׂוֹכֵר שֶׁשְּׂכוּרָה מֵתָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **this** owner **says** with certitude: The **borrowed** cow is the one that died, **and that** renter **says** with certitude: The **rented** cow is the one that died, then **the renter takes an oath that the rented** cow is the one that **died,** and he is then exempt from liability.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:4
[Bava Metzia 97b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:4)

זֶה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – יַחְלוֹקוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **this** one **says: I do not know** what happened, **and that** one **says: I do not know** what happened, then **they divide** the disputed amount. The bailee is liable to pay for only half the value of the cow.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:5
[Bava Metzia 97b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:5)

**גְּמָ׳** שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ: מָנֶה לִי בְּיָדְךָ, וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – חַיָּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **Conclude from** the mishna that in a comparable situation, where one says to another: **I** have **one hundred dinars in your possession, and the other one says: I do not know** whether or not I have your money, that the defendant is **liable** to pay.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:6
[Bava Metzia 97b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:6)

לֵימָא תִּהְוֵי תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַב נַחְמָן, דְּאִיתְּמַר: ״מָנֶה לִי בְּיָדְךָ״, וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ. רַב הוּנָא וְרַב יְהוּדָה אָמְרִי: חַיָּיב. רַב נַחְמָן וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמְרִי: פָּטוּר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that it is a conclusive refutation** of the opinion **of Rav Naḥman. As it was stated** that the *amora’im* disagreed about the following case: With regard to one who approaches another and says: **I** have **one hundred dinars in your possession, and the other says: I do not know, Rav Huna and Rav Yehuda say:** The respondent is **liable** to pay, because he did not deny the claim. **Rav Naḥman and Rabbi Yoḥanan say:** He is **exempt** from payment.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:7
[Bava Metzia 97b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:7)

כִּדְאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: כְּגוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֵסֶק שְׁבוּעָה בֵּינֵיהֶן. הָכָא נָמֵי – כְּגוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֵסֶק שְׁבוּעָה בֵּינֵיהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara refutes this contention: Just **as Rav Naḥman says** in that context: He is liable to pay only in a case **where there is a matter of an oath between them, here too,** it is a case **where there is a matter of an oath between them.** In that case, Rav Naḥman rules that he is liable to pay only if he is already liable to take an oath concerning his denial of part of the claim. Since he does not know if he owes this sum, and he is therefore unable to take the oath he is liable to take, he must pay. In this case as well, since the bailee does not know what occurred, he cannot take an oath, and must pay.


###### Bava Metzia 97b:8
[Bava Metzia 97b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/97b:8)

הֵיכִי דָּמֵי עֵסֶק שְׁבוּעָה? כִּדְרָבָא,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What are the circumstances** of **a matter of an oath?** The Gemara explains: This **in accordance with** the statement **of Rava,**