## Bava Metzia Daf 9a

###### Bava Metzia 9a:1
[Bava Metzia 9a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:1)

בְּמִדָּה זֹאת קָנוּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: לְעוֹלָם לֹא קָנָה עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא מְשִׁיכָה בְּגָמָל וְהַנְהָגָה בַּחֲמוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**they** have both **acquired** the animal **in that manner. Rabbi Yehuda says: Actually,** one **acquires** an animal **only** through **pulling in** the case of **a camel or driving in** the case of **a donkey,** as that is the manner in which they are normally directed.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:2
[Bava Metzia 9a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:2)

קָתָנֵי מִיהַת: אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מוֹשֵׁךְ וְאֶחָד מַנְהִיג, מוֹשֵׁךְ וּמַנְהִיג – אִין. אֲבָל רָכוּב לָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**In any event, it is taught** in the *baraita*: **Or one who was pulling and one** who was **driving,** which indicates that **pulling and driving** are **indeed** effective modes of acquisition, **but sitting** in a riding position on an animal is **not.**


###### Bava Metzia 9a:3
[Bava Metzia 9a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:3)

הוּא הַדִּין דַּאֲפִילּוּ רָכוּב, וְהָא דְּקָתָנֵי מוֹשֵׁךְ וּמַנְהִיג – לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִדְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה דְּאָמַר: עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא מְשִׁיכָה בְּגָמָל וְהַנְהָגָה בַּחֲמוֹר, קָמַשְׁמַע לַן דַּאֲפִילּוּ אִיפְּכָא נָמֵי קָנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this inference: **The same is true** with regard to **even sitting** in a riding position on an animal; it is an effective mode of acquisition. **And** the reason **that** the *baraita* **teaches** specifically the modes of **pulling and driving** is only **to exclude** the opinion **of Rabbi Yehuda, who says** that one acquires an animal **only** through **pulling in** the case of **a camel or driving in** the case of **a donkey.** Therefore, the first *tanna* **teaches us that even** in **the opposite** manner, i.e., pulling a donkey or driving a camel, one **acquires** the animal.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:4
[Bava Metzia 9a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:4)

אִי הָכִי, לִיעָרְבִינְהוּ וְלִתְנִינְהוּ: שְׁנַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ מוֹשְׁכִין וּמַנְהִיגִין בֵּין בְּגָמָל בֵּין בַּחֲמוֹר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If that is so,** then **let** the first *tanna* **combine** the cases **and teach them** as follows: With regard to **two** people **who were pulling or driving either a camel or a donkey,** they each acquire the respective animal. The fact that this wording is not used indicates that the first *tanna* does not entirely disagree with Rabbi Yehuda.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:5
[Bava Metzia 9a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:5)

אִיכָּא חַד צַד דְּלָא קָנֵי: אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי מְשִׁיכָה בַּחֲמוֹר, וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי הַנְהָגָה בְּגָמָל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara modifies its response: **There is one manner** of acquisition by which the first *tanna* concedes to Rabbi Yehuda **that** one **does not acquire** the animal if one employs it, and it is unclear what manner that is. **Some say** that by **pulling a donkey** one does not acquire it, as donkeys tend to not move at all when being pulled, **and some say** that by **driving a camel** one does not acquire it, as that is not the common way to move it.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:6
[Bava Metzia 9a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:6)

וְאִית דְּמוֹתֵיב מִסֵּיפָא: בְּמִדָּה זוֹ קָנָה. ״בְּמִדָּה זוֹ״ לְמַעוֹטֵי מַאי? לָאו לְמַעוֹטֵי רָכוּב?! לָא, לְמַעוֹטֵי אִיפְּכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** according to an alternative version of this discussion, **there are those who raise an objection** to the opinion that one can acquire an animal by sitting on it in a riding position **from the latter clause** of the statement of the first *tanna* in the *baraita*: They **acquire** the animal **in that manner.** The phrase **in that manner** is stated **to exclude what? Is it not to exclude** one who **sits** in a riding position on the animal? The Gemara answers: **No,** it is stated **to exclude the opposite** cases: One who drives a camel or pulls a donkey does not acquire the animal.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:7
[Bava Metzia 9a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:7)

אִי הָכִי, הַיְינוּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה! אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ צַד אֶחָד דְּלֹא קָנָה: אִית דְּאָמְרִי מְשִׁיכָה בַּחֲמוֹר, וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי הַנְהָגָה בְּגָמָל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If so, that is** identical to the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda.** The Gemara answers: **There is** a practical difference **between them** with regard to **one manner** of acquisition in **which** one **does not acquire** the animal. **Some say** that according to the first *tanna*, by **pulling a donkey** one does not acquire it, **and some say** that by **driving a camel** one does not acquire it.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:8
[Bava Metzia 9a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:8)

תָּא שְׁמַע: אֶחָד רָכוּב חֲמוֹר וְאֶחָד תָּפוּס בְּמוֹסֵירָה – זֶה קָנָה חֲמוֹר, וְזֶה קָנָה מוֹסֵירָה. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: רָכוּב קָנֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Come** and **hear** proof from a *baraita* that one can acquire an animal by sitting on it in a riding position: If **one** person **is sitting** in a riding position on **a donkey and one** other person **is holding the reins, this** one, the one sitting on the donkey, **acquires** the **donkey, and that** one, who is holding the reins, **acquires the reins. Learn from it** that one who **sits** in a riding position on an animal **acquires** it.


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

הָכָא נָמֵי בְּמַנְהִיג בְּרַגְלָיו. אִי הָכִי, נִקְנֵי נָמֵי רָכוּב בְּמוֹסֵירָה! אֵימָא: זֶה קָנָה חֲמוֹר וַחֲצִי מוֹסֵירָה, וְזֶה קָנָה חֲצִי מוֹסֵירָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this: **Here too,** the reference is **to** one who is not only sitting on the donkey but who is also **driving** it **with his feet** by squeezing or kicking it. The Gemara asks: **If so,** the **one who is sitting should acquire** part **of the reins too.** The fact that he does not acquire the reins indicates that his acquisition of the donkey is imperfect, which would not be the case if he were driving it. The Gemara answers: Emend the text and **say: This** one **acquires** the **donkey and half of** the **reins, and that** one **acquires half of** the **reins.**


###### Bava Metzia 9a:10
[Bava Metzia 9a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:10)

בִּשְׁלָמָא רָכוּב קָנֵי, דְּקָמַגְבַּהּ לֵיהּ בֶּן דַּעַת. אֶלָּא תָּפוּס בְּמוֹסֵירָה בְּמַאי קָנֵי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Granted,** the one **sitting** on the donkey **acquires** half of the reins **because a mentally competent** person, the one holding the reins, **has lifted it for him, but in what** manner **does the one holding the reins acquire** half the reins? The other end of the reins is attached to the donkey, and because he does not acquire the donkey he cannot acquire the reins.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:11
[Bava Metzia 9a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:11)

אֵימָא: זֶה קָנָה חֲמוֹר וְכוּלֵּיהּ מוֹסֵירָה, וְזֶה קָנָה מַה שֶּׁתָּפוּס בְּיָדוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: Emend the text and **say: This** one, the one sitting on the donkey, **acquires the donkey and** almost **the entire reins, and that** one, who is holding the reins, **acquires** only the part of the reins **that** is actually **held in his hand.**


###### Bava Metzia 9a:12
[Bava Metzia 9a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:12)

הַאי מַאי?! אִם תִּימְצֵי לוֹמַר הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ מְצִיאָה לַחֲבֵירוֹ קָנָה חֲבֵירוֹ – הָנֵי מִילֵּי הֵיכָא דְּקָא מַגְבַּהּ לֵיהּ אַדַּעְתָּא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ. הַאי אַדַּעְתָּא דִּידֵיהּ קָא מַגְבַּהּ לֵיהּ: אִיהוּ לָא קָנֵי, לְאַחֲרִינֵי מַקְנֵי?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What** is the basis for **this** understanding? Even **if you say** that in a case of **one who** performs an act of acquisition by **lifting a found item on behalf of another, the other** person, i.e., the latter, **acquires** ownership of the item, **that statement** applies only in a case **where** one **lifts** an item **with the intention that another** person will acquire it. In the case here, **this** person who is holding the reins **is lifting** them **with the intention of** acquiring them for **himself.** Since **he** himself **does not acquire** them, how **can he acquire** them **for others?**


###### Bava Metzia 9a:13
[Bava Metzia 9a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:13)

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: זֶה קָנָה חֲמוֹר וּבֵית פַּגֶּיהָ, וְזֶה קָנָה מַה שֶׁתָּפוּס בְּיָדוֹ – וְהַשְּׁאָר לֹא קָנָה, לֹא זֶה וְלֹא זֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said:** Emend the *baraita* and say: **This** one, who is sitting on the donkey and driving it, **acquires** the **donkey and its halter,** which is attached to its head; **and that** one, who is holding the reins, **acquires** only the part **that is held in his hand. And** with regard to **the rest,** the part of the reins that is neither attached to the donkey’s head nor held in the person’s hand, **neither this** one **nor that** one has **acquired** it.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:14
[Bava Metzia 9a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:14)

רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם כִּדְקָתָנֵי – הוֹאִיל וְיָכוֹל לְנַתְּקָהּ וְלַהֲבִיאָהּ אֶצְלוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Abbahu said: Actually,** do not emend the *baraita*; leave it **as it is taught.** The one holding the reins acquires them **because he can detach them** from the donkey **and bring them toward himself.** Since he is able to pull the reins into his possession, they are considered his even though he does not lift them.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:15
[Bava Metzia 9a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:15)

וְהָא דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ בְּרוּתָא הִיא, דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי: טַלִּית שֶׁהִיא מוּנַּחַת חֶצְיָהּ עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע וְחֶצְיָהּ עַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּד, וּבָא אֶחָד וְהִגְבִּיהַּ חֶצְיָהּ מֵעַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע וּבָא אַחֵר וְהִגְבִּיהַּ חֶצְיָהּ מֵעַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּד, הָכִי נָמֵי דְּקַמָּא קָנֵי וּבָתְרָא לָא קָנֵי, הוֹאִיל וְיָכוֹל לְנַתְּקָ[הּ] וְלַהֲבִיאָ[הּ] אֶצְלוֹ?! אֶלָּא הָא דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ בְּרוּתָא הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And this** statement **of Rabbi Abbahu is an error. As, if you do not say so,** but instead accept Rabbi Abbahu’s opinion, that would result in an incorrect halakhic ruling in the case of **a garment, half of which** was **lying on the ground and half of which** was lying **on a pillar, and one came and lifted** the **half of it** that was on the ground **off the ground, and another** person **came and lifted** the other **half of it off the pillar.** In that case, should one **also** rule **that the first** one **acquires** the garment **and the latter** one **does not acquire** it, **since** the first one was **able to detach** it from the pillar **and bring** the entire garment **toward him?** That is certainly not the *halakha*. **Rather,** clearly **this** statement **of Rabbi Abbahu is an error.** In any event, the question of whether one can acquire an animal by sitting on it in a riding position remains unresolved.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:16
[Bava Metzia 9a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:16)

תָּא שְׁמַע, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: רָכוּב בַּשָּׂדֶה וּמַנְהִיג בָּעִיר – קָנָה! הָכָא נָמֵי מַנְהִיג בְּרַגְלָיו. אִי הָכִי, הַיְינוּ מַנְהִיג! תְּרֵי גַּוְונֵי מַנְהִיג.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** an additional proof from a *baraita*: **Rabbi Eliezer says:** If one **sits** on an animal **in the field or leads** an animal **in the city,** he **acquires** it. This proves that one can acquire an animal by sitting on it. The Gemara rejects this proof: **Here too,** the reference is to one who **leads,** i.e., drives, the animal **with his feet.** The Gemara asks: **If so, that is** the same as **leading** the animal. Why would the *baraita* mention the same case twice? The Gemara answers: The *baraita* is discussing **two types of leading.**


###### Bava Metzia 9a:17
[Bava Metzia 9a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:17)

אִי הָכִי, רָכוּב בָּעִיר מַאי טַעְמָא לָא קָנֵי? אָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא: לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם לִרְכּוֹב בָּעִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If that is so, what is the reason** that one who **sits** on an animal **in the city does not acquire** it? **Rav Kahana said:** It is **because people do not normally ride in the city,** as it is crowded.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:18
[Bava Metzia 9a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:18)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי לְרַב כָּהֲנָא: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, הִגְבִּיהַּ אַרְנָקִי בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם לְהַגְבִּיהַּ אַרְנָקִי בְּשַׁבָּת, הָכִי נָמֵי דְּלָא קָנֵי? אֶלָּא מַאי דַּעֲבַד – עֲבַד, וְקָנֵי, הָכָא נָמֵי מַאי דַּעֲבַד – עֲבַד, וּקְנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said to Rav Kahana: If that is so,** that by means of an unusual action one cannot effect an acquisition, then if one **lifted a purse** that he found **on Shabbat, has he also not acquired** it, **since people do not normally lift a purse on Shabbat** due to the prohibition of set-aside [*muktze*]? That is clearly not the *halakha*. **Rather,** how should one rule in that case? **What he did, he did, and he acquires** the purse. **Here too,** if one sat on an animal in the city, **what he did, he did, and he acquires** the animal.


###### Bava Metzia 9a:19
[Bava Metzia 9a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Metzia/r/9a:19)

אֶלָּא בְּמִקָּח וּמִמְכָּר עָסְקִינַן, דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: קְנֵי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קוֹנִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** the *baraita* is not referring to the case of a found animal, which one can acquire even by sitting on it in the city. In fact, **we are dealing with** a case of **buying and selling** an animal, **where** the seller **said to** the buyer: **Acquire** the animal **the way that people** normally **acquire** an animal. Therefore, the buyer cannot acquire it in the city by sitting on it.