Study Nedarim folio 45A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
איבעית אימא: הא דאפקריה באנפי תרין, והא דאפקריה באפי תלתא. דאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יהוצדק: כל המפקיר בפני שלשה — הוי הפקר, בפני שנים — לא הוי הפקר.
If you wish, say instead: That baraita, in which it is taught that the item does not leave the possession of the owner until it enters the possession of another, is referring to a case where one declared it ownerless before two people; and this baraita, in which it is taught that the item is ownerless when it is declared ownerless, is referring to a case where one declared it ownerless before 3 people. As R' Yoḥanan said in the name of R' Shimon ben Yehotzadak: With regard to anyone who declares an item ownerless before 3 people, that item is ownerless; if he does so before two people, it is not ownerless.
ורבי יהושע בן לוי אמר: דבר תורה אפילו באחד — הוי הפקר, ומה טעם אמרו בשלשה, כדי שיהא אחד זוכה ושנים מעידין.
And R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: By Torah law, even with one person, the item is ownerless, and what is the reason that the rabbis said that ownerless status must be declared with 3 people? It is so that one will take possession of the item and two will testify that the item was declared ownerless and that it was acquired by that person. It is not a requirement fundamental to the declaration of ownerless status.