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Today's Daf Yomi

June 28, 2017 | ד׳ בתמוז תשע״ז

  • This month's learning is sponsored by the Hadran Women of Silver Spring in memory of Nicki Toys, Nechama bat Shmuel Tzadok.

  • This month’s learning is sponsored by Shlomo and Amalia Klapper in honor of the birth of Chiyenna Yochana, named after her great-great-grandmother, Chiyenna Kossovsky.

  • This month's learning is sponsored by Elaine Hochberg in honor of her husband, Arie Hochberg, who continues to journey through Daf Yomi with her. “And with thanks to Rabbanit Farber and Hadran who have made our learning possible.”

Bava Batra 157

If a father and a son die at around the same time and it is unclear who died first and there is not enough money to pay the ketuba and one who is owed money by the son, the creditors and the inheritors debate: the creditors claim the father died first and the son inherited the money and the inheritors claim the son died first and didn’t inherit the money to pay them back.  Beit Shamai said they split it 50/50 and Beit Hillel said the money remains in the hands of the inheritors.  The gemara raises a question about one who borrows money and subsequently possesses land and sells it.  If the creditor had included land that will be acquired by the borrower in the future, would that work to have a lien on the land that was acquired later and then sold or bequeathed.  This question is not asked according to Rabbi Meir who says one can acquire something not in existence at the time (because obviously this would work).  The question is according to the rabbis who think one can’t acquire something not in existence at the time – would it be different in this case?  Several sources are brought to attempt to answer the question but each is rejected as they can each be attributed to Rabbi Meir.


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אומר בחול אמרו וקל וחומר לשבת כיוצא בו זכין לגדול ואין זכין לקטן דברי רבי אליעזר רבי יהושע אומר בגדול אמרו קל וחומר לקטן

says: With regard to weekdays the Sages stated that the verbal instruction of person on his deathbed is valid, even though it is permitted to write. And one may infer a fortiori that the same applies with regard to Shabbat, when writing is prohibited. Similarly, one can acquire property on behalf of an adult, as he is able to effect acquisition himself, but one cannot acquire property on behalf of a minor; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Sages stated this halakha with regard to an adult, even though he can effect acquisition himself. One may infer a fortiori that this also applies with regard to a minor, who cannot effect acquisition himself.

רבי יהודה אומר רבי אליעזר אומר בשבת דבריו קיימין מפני שאינו יכול לכתוב אבל לא בחול רבי יהושע אומר בשבת אמרו קל וחומר בחול כיוצא בו זכין לקטן ואין זכין לגדול דברי רבי אליעזר רבי יהושע אומר לקטן אמרו קל וחומר לגדול

Rabbi Yehuda says that Rabbi Eliezer says: On Shabbat, the verbal statement of a person on his deathbed stands due to the fact that he cannot write. But a verbal instruction does not stand on a weekday. Rabbi Yehoshua says: With regard to Shabbat the Sages stated that his verbal instruction stands, even though writing is prohibited. One may infer a fortiori that the same applies with regard to a weekday, when writing is permitted. Similarly, one can acquire property on behalf of a minor, but one cannot acquire property on behalf of an adult, since he can effect the acquisition himself; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Sages stated this halakha with regard to a minor, and one may infer a fortiori that this also applies with regard to an adult.

מתני׳ נפל הבית עליו ועל אביו או עליו ועל מורישיו והיתה עליו כתובת אשה ובעל חוב יורשי האב אומרים הבן מת ראשון ואחר כך מת האב ובעלי החוב אומרים האב מת ראשון ואחר כך מת הבן

MISHNA: A house collapsed on a son and upon his father, or upon a certain person and upon those from whom he stands to inherit, and it is unknown who died first. If the son bore the responsibility to pay the marriage contract of his wife and to pay a creditor, and the son had no money with which to pay them except that which he might inherit from his father, and the father’s heirs say: The son died first and afterward the father died, and therefore the son did not inherit property from his father, and the creditors say: The father died first and afterward the son died, resulting in the son’s inheriting his father’s property, enabling the creditors to collect payment from the property even after the son’s death, there is a dispute with regard to how to rule.

בית שמאי אומרים יחלוקו ובית הלל אומרים נכסים בחזקתן

Since it cannot be determined who died first, Beit Shammai say: They divide the property between them so that the father’s heirs receive half of his property and the son’s creditors receive the other half. And Beit Hillel say: The property retains its previous ownership status. Since the last known owner of the property was the father, the property is given to the father’s heirs.

גמ׳ תנן התם המלוה את חבירו בשטר גובה מנכסים משועבדים על ידי עדים גובה מנכסים בני חורין

GEMARA: We learned in a mishna elsewhere (175a): One who lends money to another with a promissory note can collect the debt even from liened property that has been sold. If one lends money only with witnesses, he can collect the debt only from unsold property.

בעי שמואל דאיקני וקנה מהו אליבא דרבי מאיר דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם לא תיבעי לך דודאי קנה אלא כי תיבעי לך אליבא דרבנן דאמרי אין אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

Shmuel raises a dilemma: If the borrower wrote in the promissory note: The property that I will acquire in the future shall be liened to this debt, and he subsequently acquired property, what is the halakha? Is the property liened or not? The Gemara clarifies the dilemma: According to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world, you should not raise the dilemma, as the lender certainly acquires, i.e., places a lien, on the property. Rather, when should you raise the dilemma? Raise it according to the opinion of the Rabbis, who say: A person cannot transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world.

אמר רב יוסף תא שמע וחכמים אומרים זה היה פיקח שמכר לו את הקרקע מפני שהוא יכול למשכנו עליו

Rav Yosef said: Come and hear proof from a mishna (Ketubot 110a): If one produces a promissory note against another, and the borrower produced a bill of sale dated after the promissory note that states that the lender sold him a field of his, Admon says that the borrower can say: Were I really indebted to you, you should have collected the loan when you sold me the field. And the Rabbis say: This does not prove anything. It is possible that this lender was perspicacious, as he sold the borrower the land for a good reason, because now he can take the field as collateral from him in lieu of the outstanding loan. This mishna indicates that even property acquired by the borrower after the promissory note is written is liened.

אמר ליה רבא מיניה קאמר מיניה אפילו מגלימא דעל כתפיה כי קא מיבעיא לן דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש מאי

Rava said to Rav Yosef: Do you speak of a case where the debt is collected from the debtor? With regard to collecting the debt from him, the debt is collected from any property currently in his possession, even from the cloak that is upon his shoulders. When the dilemma was raised to us, it was with regard to a case where the borrower wrote: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he subsequently acquired property and sold it to others. The dilemma also pertains to a case where the borrower wrote: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he subsequently acquired property and bequeathed it to his heirs. In these cases, what is the halakha? Can the lender repossess the property from the buyer or heir?

אמר רב חנא תא שמע נפל הבית עליו ועל אביו עליו ועל מורישיו והיתה עליו כתובת אשה ובעל חוב יורשי האב אומרים הבן מת ראשון ואחר כך מת האב ובעלי חובות אומרים האב מת ראשון כו׳

Rav Ḥana said: Come and hear a proof from the mishna: In a case where the house collapsed on a son and upon his father, or upon a certain person and upon those from whom he stands to inherit, and it is unknown who died first, the halakha depends on the circumstances. If the son bore the responsibility to pay the marriage contract of his wife and to pay a creditor, and the son had no money with which to pay them except that which he might inherit from his father, and the father’s heirs say: The son died first and afterward the father died, and therefore the son did not inherit property from his father, and the creditors say: The father died first and afterward the son died, there is a dispute with regard to how to rule. In this case, the creditors claim that the son inherited his father’s property, and therefore they have a lien upon the property.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד נהי נמי דאב מית ברישא דאיקני הוא

The Gemara explains: And if it enters your mind to say that when the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, it is not liened, and that when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, it is not liened, then the mishna is difficult. Although the father indeed died first, this case is comparable to one where the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, as the son acquired the property after receiving the loan. This indicates that a lien can be placed upon property that one will acquire in the future.

אמר להו רב נחמן זעירא חברין תרגמה מצוה על היתומים לפרוע חובת אביהן מתקיף לה רב אשי מלוה על פה הוא ורב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו מלוה על פה אינו גובה לא מן היורשין ולא מן הלקוחות

Rav Naḥman said to the Sages: Rabbi Zeira, our colleague, interpreted the mishna as follows: In this case, the creditors do not claim the property because it is liened. Rather, they claim it because it is a mitzva incumbent upon the orphans to repay their father’s debt. Rav Ashi objects to this: If the promissory note does not place a lien on the property, this is considered a loan by oral agreement, and Rav and Shmuel both say: A loan by oral agreement cannot be collected, neither from the heirs nor from the buyers.

אלא הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

Rather, in accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world. Similarly, Rabbi Meir maintains that one can place a lien on property that the borrower will subsequently acquire.

אמר רב יעקב מנהר פקוד משמיה דרבינא תא שמע שטרי חוב המוקדמין פסולין והמאוחרין כשרין

Rav Yaakov from Nehar Pekod says in the name of Ravina: Come and hear proof from a mishna (Shevi’it 10:5): Promissory notes that are antedated, i.e., that are dated prior to the date on which the loan actually was given, are invalid. This is because the promissory note places a lien on the borrower’s property. By dating the document earlier than the loan itself, the lender appears to have a lien on property that the borrower sold prior to taking out the loan, enabling the lender to fraudulently repossess it from the buyer. But promissory notes that are postdated are valid, as this does not enable the lender to defraud a buyer.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד מאוחרין אמאי כשרין דאיקני הוא

The Gemara explains: And if it enters your mind to say that property that the borrower acquires after receiving the loan is not liened even when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, or when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, why, then, are postdated promissory notes valid? They should be invalid, as in some instances they enable the creditor to fraudulently repossess property that is not liened, e.g., if the borrower acquires property after receiving the loan but before the date on the promissory note, and he sells it after that date. This case is comparable to one where the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened.

הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

The Gemara answers: In accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world.

אמר רב משרשיא משמיה דרבא תא שמע לשבח קרקעות כיצד הרי שמכר שדה לחבירו והשביחה ובא בעל חוב וטרפה כשהוא גובה גובה את הקרן מנכסין משועבדין ואת השבח מנכסין בני חורין

Rav Mesharshiyya says in the name of Rava: Come and hear proof from a baraita: With regard to collecting a debt in a case of enhancement of land, how does it happen that the debt cannot be collected from liened property that has been sold? This question arises in a case where a debtor sold a field to another and the buyer enhanced it, and a creditor came and repossessed it from the buyer. When the buyer collects the value of the land from the seller, he collects the principal even from liened property that was sold to others, but he collects the value of the enhancement only from unsold property.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד בעל חוב אמאי גובה שבחא

And if it enters your mind to say that property that the borrower acquires after receiving the loan is not liened even when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, or when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, why does the creditor collect his debt by repossessing the enhancement from the buyer? Since the enhancement was not extant at the time of the loan, it is not liened.

הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

The Gemara answers: In accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world. The dilemma of Shmuel is raised according to the opinion of the Rabbis.

אם תמצא לומר דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד הא לא משתעבד אם תמצא לומר משתעבד לוה ולוה וחזר וקנה מהו לקמא משתעבד או לבתרא משתעבד

The Gemara comments: If you say that when the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, it is not liened, and that when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, it is not liened, then it is not liened and the following question will not arise. If you say that it is liened, what is the halakha with regard to one who borrowed money from one lender and then borrowed money from another lender, stating in both cases that the property that he will acquire shall be liened, and he then acquired land? Does the first lender have a lien upon the property or does the last lender have a lien upon the property?

אמר רב נחמן הא מילתא איבעיא לן ושלחו מתם ראשון קנה רב הונא אמר יחלוקו וכן תני רבה בר אבוה יחלוקו אמר רבינא מהדורא קמא דרב אשי אמר לן ראשון קנה מהדורא בתרא דרב אשי אמר לן יחלוקו והלכתא יחלוקו

Rav Naḥman said: This matter was raised before us, and the Sages sent a response from there, from Eretz Yisrael: The first lender acquires the property, since his lien came first. Rav Huna says: The lenders divide the property between them. And so teaches Rabba bar Avuh: The lenders divide the property between them. Ravina said: The first time Rav Ashi taught this matter he said to us: The first lender acquires the property. The last time Rav Ashi taught this matter he said to us: The lenders divide the property between them. And the halakha is that they divide the property between them.

מיתיבי לשבח קרקעות כיצד הרי שמכר שדה לחבירו והשביחה ובא בעל חוב וטרפה כשהוא גובה גובה את הקרן מנכסין משועבדין ואת השבח מנכסין בני חורין ואם איתא חצי שבח מבעי ליה

The Gemara raises an objection from the aforementioned baraita: With regard to collecting a debt in a case of enhancement of land, how does it occur that the debt cannot be collected from liened property that has been sold? This question arises in a case where one sold a field to another, and the buyer enhanced it, and a creditor came and repossessed it from the buyer. When the buyer collects the value of the land from the seller, he collects the principal even from liened property that was sold to others, but he collects the value of the enhancement only from unsold property. And if it is so that in general, the property is divided between the creditors, then, since both the creditor and the buyer have a lien upon the enhancement of the property, the buyer should collect only half of the value of the enhancement.

מאי גובה נמי דקתני חצי שבח

The Gemara answers: What does the baraita mean, as well, when it teaches that the buyer collects the enhancement? The baraita means that he collects half of the value of the enhancement.

  • This month's learning is sponsored by the Hadran Women of Silver Spring in memory of Nicki Toys, Nechama bat Shmuel Tzadok.

  • This month’s learning is sponsored by Shlomo and Amalia Klapper in honor of the birth of Chiyenna Yochana, named after her great-great-grandmother, Chiyenna Kossovsky.

  • This month's learning is sponsored by Elaine Hochberg in honor of her husband, Arie Hochberg, who continues to journey through Daf Yomi with her. “And with thanks to Rabbanit Farber and Hadran who have made our learning possible.”

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Bava Batra 157

The William Davidson Talmud | Powered by Sefaria

Bava Batra 157

אומר בחול אמרו וקל וחומר לשבת כיוצא בו זכין לגדול ואין זכין לקטן דברי רבי אליעזר רבי יהושע אומר בגדול אמרו קל וחומר לקטן

says: With regard to weekdays the Sages stated that the verbal instruction of person on his deathbed is valid, even though it is permitted to write. And one may infer a fortiori that the same applies with regard to Shabbat, when writing is prohibited. Similarly, one can acquire property on behalf of an adult, as he is able to effect acquisition himself, but one cannot acquire property on behalf of a minor; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Sages stated this halakha with regard to an adult, even though he can effect acquisition himself. One may infer a fortiori that this also applies with regard to a minor, who cannot effect acquisition himself.

רבי יהודה אומר רבי אליעזר אומר בשבת דבריו קיימין מפני שאינו יכול לכתוב אבל לא בחול רבי יהושע אומר בשבת אמרו קל וחומר בחול כיוצא בו זכין לקטן ואין זכין לגדול דברי רבי אליעזר רבי יהושע אומר לקטן אמרו קל וחומר לגדול

Rabbi Yehuda says that Rabbi Eliezer says: On Shabbat, the verbal statement of a person on his deathbed stands due to the fact that he cannot write. But a verbal instruction does not stand on a weekday. Rabbi Yehoshua says: With regard to Shabbat the Sages stated that his verbal instruction stands, even though writing is prohibited. One may infer a fortiori that the same applies with regard to a weekday, when writing is permitted. Similarly, one can acquire property on behalf of a minor, but one cannot acquire property on behalf of an adult, since he can effect the acquisition himself; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Sages stated this halakha with regard to a minor, and one may infer a fortiori that this also applies with regard to an adult.

מתני׳ נפל הבית עליו ועל אביו או עליו ועל מורישיו והיתה עליו כתובת אשה ובעל חוב יורשי האב אומרים הבן מת ראשון ואחר כך מת האב ובעלי החוב אומרים האב מת ראשון ואחר כך מת הבן

MISHNA: A house collapsed on a son and upon his father, or upon a certain person and upon those from whom he stands to inherit, and it is unknown who died first. If the son bore the responsibility to pay the marriage contract of his wife and to pay a creditor, and the son had no money with which to pay them except that which he might inherit from his father, and the father’s heirs say: The son died first and afterward the father died, and therefore the son did not inherit property from his father, and the creditors say: The father died first and afterward the son died, resulting in the son’s inheriting his father’s property, enabling the creditors to collect payment from the property even after the son’s death, there is a dispute with regard to how to rule.

בית שמאי אומרים יחלוקו ובית הלל אומרים נכסים בחזקתן

Since it cannot be determined who died first, Beit Shammai say: They divide the property between them so that the father’s heirs receive half of his property and the son’s creditors receive the other half. And Beit Hillel say: The property retains its previous ownership status. Since the last known owner of the property was the father, the property is given to the father’s heirs.

גמ׳ תנן התם המלוה את חבירו בשטר גובה מנכסים משועבדים על ידי עדים גובה מנכסים בני חורין

GEMARA: We learned in a mishna elsewhere (175a): One who lends money to another with a promissory note can collect the debt even from liened property that has been sold. If one lends money only with witnesses, he can collect the debt only from unsold property.

בעי שמואל דאיקני וקנה מהו אליבא דרבי מאיר דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם לא תיבעי לך דודאי קנה אלא כי תיבעי לך אליבא דרבנן דאמרי אין אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

Shmuel raises a dilemma: If the borrower wrote in the promissory note: The property that I will acquire in the future shall be liened to this debt, and he subsequently acquired property, what is the halakha? Is the property liened or not? The Gemara clarifies the dilemma: According to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world, you should not raise the dilemma, as the lender certainly acquires, i.e., places a lien, on the property. Rather, when should you raise the dilemma? Raise it according to the opinion of the Rabbis, who say: A person cannot transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world.

אמר רב יוסף תא שמע וחכמים אומרים זה היה פיקח שמכר לו את הקרקע מפני שהוא יכול למשכנו עליו

Rav Yosef said: Come and hear proof from a mishna (Ketubot 110a): If one produces a promissory note against another, and the borrower produced a bill of sale dated after the promissory note that states that the lender sold him a field of his, Admon says that the borrower can say: Were I really indebted to you, you should have collected the loan when you sold me the field. And the Rabbis say: This does not prove anything. It is possible that this lender was perspicacious, as he sold the borrower the land for a good reason, because now he can take the field as collateral from him in lieu of the outstanding loan. This mishna indicates that even property acquired by the borrower after the promissory note is written is liened.

אמר ליה רבא מיניה קאמר מיניה אפילו מגלימא דעל כתפיה כי קא מיבעיא לן דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש מאי

Rava said to Rav Yosef: Do you speak of a case where the debt is collected from the debtor? With regard to collecting the debt from him, the debt is collected from any property currently in his possession, even from the cloak that is upon his shoulders. When the dilemma was raised to us, it was with regard to a case where the borrower wrote: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he subsequently acquired property and sold it to others. The dilemma also pertains to a case where the borrower wrote: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he subsequently acquired property and bequeathed it to his heirs. In these cases, what is the halakha? Can the lender repossess the property from the buyer or heir?

אמר רב חנא תא שמע נפל הבית עליו ועל אביו עליו ועל מורישיו והיתה עליו כתובת אשה ובעל חוב יורשי האב אומרים הבן מת ראשון ואחר כך מת האב ובעלי חובות אומרים האב מת ראשון כו׳

Rav Ḥana said: Come and hear a proof from the mishna: In a case where the house collapsed on a son and upon his father, or upon a certain person and upon those from whom he stands to inherit, and it is unknown who died first, the halakha depends on the circumstances. If the son bore the responsibility to pay the marriage contract of his wife and to pay a creditor, and the son had no money with which to pay them except that which he might inherit from his father, and the father’s heirs say: The son died first and afterward the father died, and therefore the son did not inherit property from his father, and the creditors say: The father died first and afterward the son died, there is a dispute with regard to how to rule. In this case, the creditors claim that the son inherited his father’s property, and therefore they have a lien upon the property.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד נהי נמי דאב מית ברישא דאיקני הוא

The Gemara explains: And if it enters your mind to say that when the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, it is not liened, and that when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, it is not liened, then the mishna is difficult. Although the father indeed died first, this case is comparable to one where the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, as the son acquired the property after receiving the loan. This indicates that a lien can be placed upon property that one will acquire in the future.

אמר להו רב נחמן זעירא חברין תרגמה מצוה על היתומים לפרוע חובת אביהן מתקיף לה רב אשי מלוה על פה הוא ורב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו מלוה על פה אינו גובה לא מן היורשין ולא מן הלקוחות

Rav Naḥman said to the Sages: Rabbi Zeira, our colleague, interpreted the mishna as follows: In this case, the creditors do not claim the property because it is liened. Rather, they claim it because it is a mitzva incumbent upon the orphans to repay their father’s debt. Rav Ashi objects to this: If the promissory note does not place a lien on the property, this is considered a loan by oral agreement, and Rav and Shmuel both say: A loan by oral agreement cannot be collected, neither from the heirs nor from the buyers.

אלא הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

Rather, in accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world. Similarly, Rabbi Meir maintains that one can place a lien on property that the borrower will subsequently acquire.

אמר רב יעקב מנהר פקוד משמיה דרבינא תא שמע שטרי חוב המוקדמין פסולין והמאוחרין כשרין

Rav Yaakov from Nehar Pekod says in the name of Ravina: Come and hear proof from a mishna (Shevi’it 10:5): Promissory notes that are antedated, i.e., that are dated prior to the date on which the loan actually was given, are invalid. This is because the promissory note places a lien on the borrower’s property. By dating the document earlier than the loan itself, the lender appears to have a lien on property that the borrower sold prior to taking out the loan, enabling the lender to fraudulently repossess it from the buyer. But promissory notes that are postdated are valid, as this does not enable the lender to defraud a buyer.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד מאוחרין אמאי כשרין דאיקני הוא

The Gemara explains: And if it enters your mind to say that property that the borrower acquires after receiving the loan is not liened even when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, or when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, why, then, are postdated promissory notes valid? They should be invalid, as in some instances they enable the creditor to fraudulently repossess property that is not liened, e.g., if the borrower acquires property after receiving the loan but before the date on the promissory note, and he sells it after that date. This case is comparable to one where the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened.

הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

The Gemara answers: In accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world.

אמר רב משרשיא משמיה דרבא תא שמע לשבח קרקעות כיצד הרי שמכר שדה לחבירו והשביחה ובא בעל חוב וטרפה כשהוא גובה גובה את הקרן מנכסין משועבדין ואת השבח מנכסין בני חורין

Rav Mesharshiyya says in the name of Rava: Come and hear proof from a baraita: With regard to collecting a debt in a case of enhancement of land, how does it happen that the debt cannot be collected from liened property that has been sold? This question arises in a case where a debtor sold a field to another and the buyer enhanced it, and a creditor came and repossessed it from the buyer. When the buyer collects the value of the land from the seller, he collects the principal even from liened property that was sold to others, but he collects the value of the enhancement only from unsold property.

ואי סלקא דעתך דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד בעל חוב אמאי גובה שבחא

And if it enters your mind to say that property that the borrower acquires after receiving the loan is not liened even when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, or when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, why does the creditor collect his debt by repossessing the enhancement from the buyer? Since the enhancement was not extant at the time of the loan, it is not liened.

הא מני רבי מאיר היא דאמר אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם

The Gemara answers: In accordance with whose opinion is this mishna? This mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says: A person can transfer ownership of an entity that has not yet come into the world. The dilemma of Shmuel is raised according to the opinion of the Rabbis.

אם תמצא לומר דאיקני קנה ומכר דאיקני קנה והוריש לא משתעבד הא לא משתעבד אם תמצא לומר משתעבד לוה ולוה וחזר וקנה מהו לקמא משתעבד או לבתרא משתעבד

The Gemara comments: If you say that when the borrower writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and sells it to others, it is not liened, and that when he writes: The property that I will acquire shall be liened, and he acquires property and bequeaths it to his heirs, it is not liened, then it is not liened and the following question will not arise. If you say that it is liened, what is the halakha with regard to one who borrowed money from one lender and then borrowed money from another lender, stating in both cases that the property that he will acquire shall be liened, and he then acquired land? Does the first lender have a lien upon the property or does the last lender have a lien upon the property?

אמר רב נחמן הא מילתא איבעיא לן ושלחו מתם ראשון קנה רב הונא אמר יחלוקו וכן תני רבה בר אבוה יחלוקו אמר רבינא מהדורא קמא דרב אשי אמר לן ראשון קנה מהדורא בתרא דרב אשי אמר לן יחלוקו והלכתא יחלוקו

Rav Naḥman said: This matter was raised before us, and the Sages sent a response from there, from Eretz Yisrael: The first lender acquires the property, since his lien came first. Rav Huna says: The lenders divide the property between them. And so teaches Rabba bar Avuh: The lenders divide the property between them. Ravina said: The first time Rav Ashi taught this matter he said to us: The first lender acquires the property. The last time Rav Ashi taught this matter he said to us: The lenders divide the property between them. And the halakha is that they divide the property between them.

מיתיבי לשבח קרקעות כיצד הרי שמכר שדה לחבירו והשביחה ובא בעל חוב וטרפה כשהוא גובה גובה את הקרן מנכסין משועבדין ואת השבח מנכסין בני חורין ואם איתא חצי שבח מבעי ליה

The Gemara raises an objection from the aforementioned baraita: With regard to collecting a debt in a case of enhancement of land, how does it occur that the debt cannot be collected from liened property that has been sold? This question arises in a case where one sold a field to another, and the buyer enhanced it, and a creditor came and repossessed it from the buyer. When the buyer collects the value of the land from the seller, he collects the principal even from liened property that was sold to others, but he collects the value of the enhancement only from unsold property. And if it is so that in general, the property is divided between the creditors, then, since both the creditor and the buyer have a lien upon the enhancement of the property, the buyer should collect only half of the value of the enhancement.

מאי גובה נמי דקתני חצי שבח

The Gemara answers: What does the baraita mean, as well, when it teaches that the buyer collects the enhancement? The baraita means that he collects half of the value of the enhancement.

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