Study Bava Batra folio 32B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
אמר ליה: שטרא זייפא הוא! גחין לחיש ליה לרבה: אין, שטרא זייפא הוא; מיהו שטרא מעליא הוה לי, ואירכס, ואמינא: אינקיט האי בידאי כל דהו.
The first said to him in response: It is a forged bill of sale. The possessor leaned over and whispered to Rabba: Yes, it is a forged bill. But I had a proper bill of sale and it was lost, and I said to myself: I will hold this bill of sale in my possession, such as it is.
אמר רבה: מה לו לשקר? אי בעי, אמר ליה: שטרא מעליא הוא. אמר ליה רב יוסף: אמאי סמכת – אהאי שטרא; האי שטרא חספא בעלמא הוא.
Rabba said: Why would he lie and state this claim? If he wants to lie, he can say to him that it is a proper bill of sale, and he would have been deemed credible and awarded the field. Rav Yosef said to Rabba: In the final analysis, on what are you relying to award him the land? On this bill of sale? This admittedly forged bill is merely a worthless shard, and cannot be used in court as evidence.
ההוא דאמר לחבריה: הב לי מאה זוזי דמסיקנא בך, והא שטרא. אמר ליה: שטרא זייפא הוא. גחין לחיש ליה לרבא: אין, שטרא זייפא; מיהו שטרא מעליא הוה לי, ואירכס, ואמינא: אינקוט האי בידאי כל דהו.
The Talmud relates a similar incident: There was a certain person who said to another: Give me 100 dinars that I am attempting to collect from you, and this is the promissory note that attests to the debt. The latter said to him in response: It is a forged promissory note. The first person leaned over and whispered to Rava: Yes, it is a forged promissory note. But I had a proper promissory note and it was lost, and I said to myself: I will hold this promissory note in my possession, such as it is.
אמר רבה: מה לו לשקר? אי בעי, אמר ליה: שטרא מעליא הוא. אמר ליה רב יוסף: אמאי קא סמכת – אהאי שטרא; האי שטרא חספא בעלמא הוא.
Rabba said: Why would he lie and state this claim? If he wants to lie, he can say to him that it is a proper promissory note, and he will be deemed credible and awarded the money. Rav Yosef said to Rabba: In the final analysis, on what are you relying to award him the money? On this promissory note? This document is merely a shard, and cannot be used in court as evidence.
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.