Study Bava Metzia folio 23A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
דמדרסא. ברשות היחיד – נוטל ומכריז, דלא מדרסא. והאלומות, בין ברשות הרבים ובין ברשות היחיד – נוטל ומכריז, כיון דגביהן לא מדרסא.
that they are trampled. Even if there had been a distinguishing mark on the bundles it would have been destroyed when it was trampled. If he finds them in a secluded area, the finder takes the sheaves and proclaims his find, as due to the absence of pedestrian traffic they are not trampled and the distinguishing mark remains intact. And with regard to the sheaves, whether he finds them in a public area or whether he finds them in a secluded area, the finder takes them and proclaims his find. Since they protrude high above the ground, they are not trampled.
ורבא מתרץ לטעמיה במקום: כריכות ברשות הרבים הרי אלו שלו – דמינשתפא. ברשות היחיד חייב להכריז – דלא מינשתפא. והאלומות, בין ברשות הרבים, ובין ברשות היחיד – נוטל ומכריז, כיון דיקירי לא מינשתפא.
And Rava explains, according to his line of reasoning, that the baraita is referring to bundles whose location is their distinguishing mark: If one finds bundles of grain in a public area, these belong to him due to the fact that they are kicked and they consequently roll to a different location than where they were placed. If he finds them in a secluded area, he is obligated to proclaim his find. Due to the absence of pedestrian traffic they are not kicked and do not roll, and they therefore remain in the location where they were placed. And with regard to the sheaves, whether he finds them in a public area or whether he finds them in a secluded area, the finder takes them and proclaims his find. Since they are heavy, they do not roll when kicked.
תא שמע: ככרות של נחתום – הרי אלו שלו. הא של בעל הבית חייב להכריז. של בעל הבית מאי טעמא? כיון דאית בהו סימן, דמידע ידיע רפתא דאיניש איניש הוא. ולא שנא רשות הרבים ולא שנא רשות היחיד – נוטל ומכריז, אלמא סימן העשוי לידרס הוי סימן, תיובתא דרבה!
The Talmud suggests: Come and hear a proof from the Mishnah: If one found baker’s loaves, these belong to him. The Talmud infers: But if one finds loaves of a homeowner, he is obligated to proclaim his find. What is the reason? When one finds loaves of a homeowner he is obligated to proclaim his find because there is a distinguishing mark on the loaves. As each person shapes his loaves in a unique manner, it is known that the loaves of a person belong to that person. And there is no difference if the loaves were found in a public area, and there is no difference if the loaves were found in a secluded area; the finder takes the item and proclaims his find. Apparently, the legal status of a distinguishing mark that is prone to be trampled is that of a distinguishing mark. This is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Rabba.