## Bava Metzia Daf 99a

###### Bava Metzia 99a:1
[Bava Metzia 99a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:1)

**גְּמָ׳** בְּיַד עַבְדּוֹ – חַיָּיב, יַד עֶבֶד כְּיַד רַבּוֹ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna states that if the borrower agrees to have the lender send the cow **by the hand of** the lender’s **slave,** and it died on the way, then the borrower is **liable.** The Gemara asks: But isn’t the **hand of a slave** legally **like** the **hand of his master;** as long as the cow is in the possession of the lender’s slave, it is not considered to have left the lender’s possession. Why, then, is the borrower liable?


###### Bava Metzia 99a:2
[Bava Metzia 99a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:2)

אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: בְּעֶבֶד עִבְרִי, דְּלָא קְנֵי לֵיהּ גּוּפֵיהּ. רַב אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי, נַעֲשֶׂה כְּאוֹמֵר לֵיהּ: הַכִּישָׁהּ בְּמַקֵּל וְהִיא תָּבֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara presents two resolutions: **Shmuel said:** The mishna is referring **to a Hebrew slave, whose** master **does not acquire** his **person.** Therefore, property in the slave’s possession is not considered to be in his master’s possession. **Rav said: You** may **even say** that the mishna is referring **to a Canaanite slave,** as this case may be **considered like** one in which the borrower **said to** the lender: **Hit** the cow **with a stick and** then **it will come** on its own to me. Just as in that case the borrower is liable once the cow leaves the lender’s domain, so too in this case he is liable once the cow leaves the lender’s domain, irrespective of the fact it was brought by the lender’s slave.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:3
[Bava Metzia 99a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:3)

מֵיתִיבִי: הַשּׁוֹאֵל הַפָּרָה וְשִׁלְּחָהּ לוֹ בְּיַד בְּנוֹ, בְּיַד שְׁלוּחוֹ – חַיָּיב. בְּיַד עַבְדּוֹ – פָּטוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** from a *baraita*: If **one borrows a cow; and,** with the agreement of the borrower, the lender **sends it to** him **by the hand of his son** or **by the hand of his agent;** and it dies on the way, then the borrower is **liable.** If the lender sent it **by the hand of his slave,** then the borrower is **exempt.** The final clause appears to contradict the mishna’s ruling.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:4
[Bava Metzia 99a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:4)

בִּשְׁלָמָא לִשְׁמוּאֵל: מַתְנִיתִין בְּעֶבֶד עִבְרִי, בָּרַיְיתָא בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי. אֶלָּא לְרַב קַשְׁיָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: **Granted, according to** the resolution of **Shmuel,** one can explain that **the mishna** is referring **to a Hebrew slave,** whereas **the *baraita*** is referring **to a Canaanite slave. But according to** the resolution of **Rav,** who maintained that the mishna is referring to a Canaanite slave, the contradiction is **difficult.**


###### Bava Metzia 99a:5
[Bava Metzia 99a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:5)

אָמַר לְךָ רַב: לָא תֵּימָא נַעֲשָׂה כְּאָמַר לוֹ, אֶלָּא אֵימָא: בְּאָמַר לוֹ הַכִּישָׁהּ בְּמַקֵּל וְהִיא תָּבֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara presents a modified version of Rav’s resolution: **Rav** could **say to you: Do not say** in explanation of the mishna that the case may be **considered like** one in which the borrower **said to** the lender: Hit the cow with a stick and then it will come on its own. **Rather, say** that it **is referring to** a case where the borrower actually **said to** the lender: **Hit** the cow **with a stick and** then **it will come** to me on its own. Accordingly, one can explain that the *baraita* is referring to a case where he did not say this, and therefore, as long as the cow is still in the possession of the slave, the borrower is not liable.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:6
[Bava Metzia 99a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:6)

דְּאִיתְּמַר: הַשְׁאִילֵנִי פָּרָתְךָ, וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּיַד מִי? וְאָמַר לוֹ: הַכִּישָׁהּ בְּמַקֵּל וְתָבֹא. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ אָמַר רַב: כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָאת מֵרְשׁוּת מַשְׁאִיל וּמֵתָה – חַיָּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As** it **was stated:** One said to another: **Lend me your cow. And** the lender **said to** the borrower: **By whose hand** shall I send it? **And** the borrower **said to him: Hit** the cow **with a stick and** then **it will come** on its own to me. **Rav Naḥman says** that **Rabba bar Avuh says** that **Rav says:** In this case, the *halakha* is that **once** the cow **left the domain of the lender and** then **it died,** the borrower is **liable.**


###### Bava Metzia 99a:7
[Bava Metzia 99a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:7)

נֵימָא מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ: הַשְׁאִילֵנִי פָּרָתְךָ, וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּיַד מִי? וְאָמַר לוֹ: הַכִּישָׁהּ בְּמַקֵּל וְהִיא תָּבֹא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָאת מֵרְשׁוּת מַשְׁאִיל וּמֵתָה – חַיָּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say** that the following *baraita* **supports** this opinion of Rav: One said to another: **Lend me your cow. And** the lender **said to** the borrower: **By whose hand** shall I send it? **And** the borrower **said to him: Hit** the cow **with a stick and** then **it will come** on its own to me. The *halakha* is that **once** the cow **left the domain of the lender and** then **it died,** the borrower is **liable.**


###### Bava Metzia 99a:8
[Bava Metzia 99a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:8)

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: הָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן – כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיְתָה חֲצֵרוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹאֵל לִפְנִים מֵחֲצֵרוֹ שֶׁל מַשְׁאִיל, דְּכִי מְשַׁלְּחָהּ לַהּ – וַדַּאי לְהָתָם אָזְלָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said** that the *baraita* is not a conclusive proof of Rav’s opinion. It is possible to say: **With what are we dealing here;** with a case **where** the **courtyard of** the **borrower** is situated **further in** from the public domain **than** the **courtyard of** the **lender,** such **that when** the lender **sends** the cow to him, **it will certainly go to there.** Consequently, the borrower is willing to accept liability from the moment the lender sends it.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:9
[Bava Metzia 99a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:9)

אִי הָכִי, מַאי לְמֵימְרָא?! לָא צְרִיכָא דְּאִיכָּא גַּזְיָיתָא. מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: לָא סָמְכָא דַּעְתֵּיהּ דִּלְמָא קָיְימָא הָתָם וְלָא אָתְיָא אָזְלָא לְהֶדְיָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּסָמְכָא דַּעְתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If so,** if that is the case addressed in the *baraita*, **what** is the purpose **of stating** this *halakha*? It is obvious. The Gemara explains: **No,** it is **necessary** for the case of a courtyard in **which there are corners. Lest you say:** The borrower **does not rely** on the possibility that the animal will come to him, as **perhaps** the animal will go and **stand there** in one of the corners **and not come straight** to the borrower’s courtyard, the *baraita* therefore **teaches us** that even in such a case **he relies** on the assumption that the cow will nevertheless come to him, and so he accepts liability.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:10
[Bava Metzia 99a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:10)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הַשּׁוֹאֵל קַרְדּוֹם מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, בִּקַּע בּוֹ – קְנָאוֹ, לֹא בִּקַּע בּוֹ – לֹא קְנָאוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Huna says:** In the case of **one who borrows an ax from another,** once **he has chopped** wood **with it, he has acquired it,** but as long as **he has not chopped** wood **with it, he has not acquired it.**


###### Bava Metzia 99a:11
[Bava Metzia 99a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:11)

לְמַאי? אִילֵימָא לׇאוֹנָסִין – מַאי שְׁנָא פָּרָה דְּמִשְּׁעַת שְׁאֵילָה? אֶלָּא לַחֲזָרָה, בִּקַּע בּוֹ – לָא מָצֵי הָדַר בֵּיהּ מַשְׁאִיל, לֹא בִּקַּע בּוֹ – מָצֵי מַשְׁאִיל הָדַר בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara clarifies: With regard **to what** matter does one acquire the ax? **If we say** he has acquired it **for** the purpose of being liable for **unavoidable mishaps,** i.e., his liability as a borrower begins once he uses the ax, then one could ask: **What is different** when one borrows **a cow, that** one is liable as a borrower **from the moment of borrowing,** even before one makes use of it? **Rather,** Rav Huna refers **to** one’s right of **retraction,** as follows: Once the borrower **has chopped** wood **with it,** the **lender cannot renege on** his commitment to lend the item, but as long as the borrower **has not chopped** wood **with it,** the **lender can renege on** his commitment to lend the item and prevent the borrower from borrowing the item.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:12
[Bava Metzia 99a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:12)

וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי אַמֵּי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: הַמַּשְׁאִיל קַרְדּוֹם שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ – מָעַל לְפִי טוֹבַת הֲנָאָה שֶׁבּוֹ, וַחֲבֵירוֹ מוּתָּר לְבַקֵּעַ בּוֹ לְכַתְּחִילָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** with this opinion, Rav Huna **disagrees with** the opinion of **Rabbi Ami, as Rabbi Ami says: One who lends** another **an ax** that is **of** property **consecrated** to the Temple treasury **has** there by **misused** consecrated property. He is liable to pay the Temple treasury **according to the financial advantage** he received from lending the ax. **And** despite this, that **other** person, i.e., the borrower, is **permitted to chop** wood **with it *ab initio*.**


###### Bava Metzia 99a:13
[Bava Metzia 99a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:13)

וְאִי לֹא קְנָאוֹ – אַמַּאי מָעַל? וְאַמַּאי חֲבֵירוֹ מוּתָּר לְבַקֵּעַ בּוֹ לְכַתְּחִילָּה? נַיהְדְּרֵיהּ וְלֹא לִיקְנְיֵיהּ וְלָא לִימְעוֹל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains how it is apparent that Rabbi Ami disagrees with Rav Huna: **And if** one holds that the borrower **does not acquire** the ax from the moment of borrowing, **why has** the lender **misused** consecrated property? To be liable for misuse of consecrated property, one must acquire the item, thereby removing it from the Temple treasury. **And** furthermore, **why is** that **other** person **permitted to chop** wood **with it *ab initio*?** If the borrower does not acquire the ax from the moment of borrowing, **let** the borrower **return** the ax **and not acquire it, and** consequently the lender **will not have misused** consecrated property, as it will have turned out that nothing significant occurred. Rather, it is evident that Rabbi Ami holds that the act of lending is fully completed as soon as the borrower takes the ax, even before he has used it.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:14
[Bava Metzia 99a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:14)

וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ מְשִׁיכָה בַּלָּקוֹחוֹת, כָּךְ תִּקְנוּ מְשִׁיכָה בַּשּׁוֹמְרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** furthermore, with this opinion, Rav Huna **disagrees with** the opinion **of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar says:** In the **same way in which** the Sages **instituted for buyers** that they can acquire an item by **pulling** it, and from that point the transaction is completed, **so** too **they instituted for bailees** that their rights and responsibilities are initiated by their **pulling** the item they agreed to safeguard, and from that point the transfer of the item to the bailee is completed.


###### Bava Metzia 99a:15
[Bava Metzia 99a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/99a:15)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ מְשִׁיכָה בַּלָּקוֹחוֹת – כָּךְ תִּקְנוּ מְשִׁיכָה בַּשּׁוֹמְרִים, וּכְשֵׁם

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** opinion of Rabbi Elazar **is also taught** in a *baraita*: **Just as** the Sages **instituted for buyers** that they can acquire an item by **pulling** it, **so** too **they instituted for bailees** that their rights and responsibilities are initiated by them **pulling** the item they agreed to safeguard. **And just as**