Study Bava Metzia folio 28B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
אתיא לאחלופי בראשון! הא קא אתי רגל שלישי.
because perhaps one who hears him will come to confuse it with the first pilgrimage Festival? The Talmud answers: Confusing the second Festival with the first is not a problem, as in any case, won’t the finder come on the third pilgrimage Festival, thereby giving the owner another opportunity to recover his lost item?
תנו רבנן: בראשונה, כל מי שמצא אבידה היה מכריז עליה שלשה רגלים, ואחר רגל אחרון שבעת ימים, כדי שילך שלשה ויחזור שלשה ויכריז יום אחד. משחרב בית המקדש, שיבנה במהרה בימינו, התקינו שיהו מכריזים בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות. ומשרבו האנסים התקינו שיהו מודיעין לשכיניו ולמיודעיו ודיו.
§ A baraita states: Initially, anyone who found a lost item would proclaim his find for 3 pilgrimage Festivals and for 7 days after the last of the 3 pilgrimage Festivals, so that its owner will go to his home, a trip lasting up to 3 days, and will return to Jerusalem, a trip lasting up to 3 days, and proclaim his loss for one day. But from the time that the Temple was destroyed, may it be rebuilt speedily in our days, the rabbis instituted that those who find lost items should proclaim their finds in synagogues and study halls. And from the time that the oppressors proliferated, the rabbis instituted an ordinance that one who finds a lost item should inform his neighbors and acquaintances, and that will suffice for him.
מאי משרבו האנסין? דאמרי אבידתא למלכא. רבי אמי אשכח אודייא דדינרי, חזייה ההוא רומאה דקא מירתת. אמר ליה: זיל שקול לנפשך, דלאו פרסאי אנן דאמרי אבידתא למלכא.
The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of: From the time that the oppressors proliferated? The Talmud answers: It is from the time that they say: A lost item belongs to the king. The rabbis were concerned that any public proclamation would result in confiscation of the lost item. The Talmud relates: R' Ami found a vessel full of dinars. A certain Roman saw that he was wary and hesitant to take it. The Roman said to him: Go, take it for yourself; as we are not Persians, who say that a lost item belongs to the king.
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.