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Today's Mishnah Yomi

Bava Metzia 2:4 - 2:5

The Mishnah Yomi for Sunday, September 22, 2024 is Bava Metzia 2:4 - 2:5

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Mishnah 1

Mishnayos Bava Metzia Perek 2 Mishnah 4

בבא מציעא פרק ב׳ משנה ד׳

4
If one found items without a distinguishing mark in a store, those items belong to him, as, since the store is frequented by the multitudes, the owner despairs of its recovery. If the items were found between the storekeeper’s counter and the storekeeper, the items belong to the storekeeper; since his customers do not typically have access to that area, presumably the items are his. If one found coins before a money changer, those coins belong to him. If the coins were found between the money changer’s chair and the money changer, those coins belong to the money changer, because his clients do not typically have access to that area. In the case of one who purchases produce from another or in a case where another sent him produce as a gift, and he found coins intermingled with the produce, those coins belong to him. If the coins were bundled, this serves as a distinguishing mark and the finder takes the coins and proclaims his find.
מָצָא בַחֲנוּת, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַתֵּבָה וְלַחֶנְוָנִי, שֶׁל חֶנְוָנִי. לִפְנֵי שֻׁלְחָנִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַכִּסֵּא וְלַשֻּׁלְחָנִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ לַשֻּׁלְחָנִי. הַלּוֹקֵחַ פֵּרוֹת מֵחֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁלַח לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ פֵּרוֹת, וּמָצָא בָהֶן מָעוֹת, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. אִם הָיוּ צְרוּרִין, נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז:
ד׳

If he found them in a store they're his. This is referring to something without a marker. The owner who dropped it has had despair, since everyone enters there [the store].

Between the counter. that the shopkeeper sits in front of, which he always takes from and places on to sell [things], and the money that he is given he places in it, and nothing ever falls except from the shopkeepers hand.

In front of of the money-changer, these belong to him [the finder]. Since we say that they fell from those who brought money to exchange. The table interrupts between the money-changer and the money that was found, and if they fell from the money-changer they should have found them between themselves and the seat the table is placed on.

Someone who purchases fruits from their friend etc. For example their friend is a merchant who purchased this produce or these fruits from many people, and he doesn't know who these belonged to, and since they don't have a marker the owner has despair. However, if the one who is selling the fruits took them himself from his land, then the money is definitely his, and there is a obligation to return them.

If they were tired. Their knot or their number is a marker.

מצא בחנות הרי אלו שלו. בדבר שאין בו סימן מיירי. דההוא דנפל מיניה מייאש שהכל נכנסים לשם:

בין תיבה. שהחנווני יושב לפניה, ותמיד נוטל ממנה, ונותן לפניו ומוכר, ומעות שנותנין לו נותן בתוכה, ולא נפל שום דבר אלא מיד חנוני:

לפני שולחני הרי אלו שלו. דאמרינן מן הבאים להחליף מעות נפלו, שהרי השלחן מפסיק בין שולחני למעות שנמצאו, ואם מן השולחני הם היה להם להמצא בינו ולכסא שהשלחן מונח עליו:

הלוקח פירות מחבירו וכו׳. וכגון שחבירו זה תגר שלקח תבואה זו או פירות הללו מאנשים הרבה ולא ידיע דמאן נינהו, וכיון דלית בהו סימן נתיאשו הבעלים. אבל אם זה שמכר את הפירות ליקטן הוא עצמו מן הקרקע שלו, שודאי המעות הללו שלו הן, חייב להחזיר:

ואם היו צרורים. הקשר או מנין שלהם הוי סימן:

Mishnah 2

Mishnayos Bava Metzia Perek 2 Mishnah 5

בבא מציעא פרק ב׳ משנה ה׳

5
This mishna is an excerpt from a halakhic midrash concerning lost items, based on the verse: “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep wandering, and disregard them; you shall return them to your brother…And so shall you do with his donkey; and so shall you do with his garment; and so shall you do with every lost item of your brother, which shall be lost from him, and you have found it; you may not disregard it” (Deuteronomy 22:1, 3). The garment was also included in the generalization that one must return all of these items. And why did it emerge from the generalization that is should be specified? To draw an analogy to it and to say to you: What is notable about a garment? It is notable in that there are distinguishing marks concerning it and it has claimants asserting ownership, and its finder is obligated to proclaim his find. So too with regard to any item concerning which there are distinguishing marks and it has claimants asserting ownership, its finder is obligated to proclaim his find.
אַף הַשִּׂמְלָה הָיְתָה בִכְלָל כָּל אֵלֶּה. לָמָּה יָצָאת. לְהָקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ, לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה שִּׂמְלָה מְיֻחֶדֶת שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ סִימָנִים וְיֶשׁ לָהּ תּוֹבְעִים, אַף כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ סִימָנִים וְיֶשׁ לוֹ תוֹבְעִים, חַיָּב לְהַכְרִיז:
ה׳

In the general rule of all of these. In the general category of "All the lost items of your brother".

Why was it specified. "And thus shall you do to his garment".

Just as a garment is special. An unspecified garment has a marker, and all garments have an owner that is claiming it, since it was made by someone and didn't come from nowhere.

So too anything that has claimants. This is to exclude something that was despaired upon. And despair is when you hear him say "Woe to my loss of purse".

בכלל כל אלה. בכלל כל אבדת אחיך:

ולמה יצאת. וכן תעשה לשמלתו:

מה שמלה מיוחדת. סתם שמלה יש בה סימן, וכל שמלה יש לה בעלים תובעים אותה, שנעשית בידי אדם ולא באת מן ההפקר:

אף כל שיש לו תובעים. למעוטי מידי דמייאש. ויאוש הוא, דשמעיניה דאמר וי ליה לחסרון כיס:

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