Study Keritot folio 24B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מאי לאו ״דבריו קיימין״ – דהדרא למרה? לא, דבריו קיימין – והוא נמי לא קני לה, וכל המחזיק בה זכה בה.
What, is it not that when the baraita states: His statement is effective, this means that the gift returns to its previous owner? This ruling contradicts the opinion of Reish Lakish, who holds that in such a case anyone who takes possession of the item acquires it. The Talmud answers: No, the phrase: His statement is effective, means that the previous owner also does not acquire the item; and as the item is not in the possession of either the giver or receiver of the gift, anyone who takes possession of it acquires it.
מיתיבי: האומר לחבירו: ״דין ודברים אין לי על שדה זו״, ״אין לי עסק בה״, ו״ידי מסולקת הימנה״ – לא אמר כלום. והא ״ידי מסולקת הימנה״ כאי אפשי דמי, וקתני: לא אמר כלום!
The Talmud raises an objection to the statement of Reish Lakish from a baraita: With regard to one who says to another person with whom he shares property: I have no legal dealings or involvement with this field, or: I have no business with it, or: My hand is removed from it, he has not said anything of consequence, i.e., he does not relinquish his ownership of the property. But the phrase: My hand is removed from it, is like the phrase: I do not want it, and yet it is taught in the baraita that he has not said anything. This ruling apparently contradicts the opinion of Reish Lakish, who holds that in such a case anyone who takes possession of the item acquires it.
שאני התם, דאמר: כי סליק נפשיה מדין ודברים, מגופה דשדה לא סליק נפשיה.
The Talmud responds: That case in the baraita there is different, as when he says that he is removing himself, he is referring to removal from legal dealings or involvement. He is not removing himself from the field itself.