{"id":12743,"date":"2009-06-18T02:22:45","date_gmt":"2009-06-18T02:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/"},"modified":"2016-11-28T10:40:00","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T15:40:00","slug":"masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Bava Metzia 55a-61b"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The Coming Week&#8217;s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 55a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> on our <em>daf<\/em> teaches that there are a number of laws that all have a similar rule attached to them &#8211; that when redeeming them or paying for them, aside from the value of the object itself, an additional one-fifth must be paid. These laws include cases when someone who is not a <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/jl.htm#kohen\">kohen<\/a><\/em> eats from the priestly tithes:<\/p>\n<p><em>HaOchel<\/em> &#8211; when someone eats:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Terumah<\/em> \u2013 tithes<\/li>\n<li><em>Terumat ma&#8217;aser<\/em> &#8211; tithes given by the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/jl.htm#levi\">Levi<\/a><\/em> who received <em>terumah<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Ma&#8217;aser shel demai<\/em> &#8211; tithes given when it was doubtful whether they had been given properly before<\/li>\n<li><em>Challah<\/em> &#8211; dough set aside for the <em>kohen<\/em> when baking bread<\/li>\n<li><i>Bikkurim<\/i>\u00a0&#8211; first fruits taken to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#beithamikdash\">Temple<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=5&amp;letter=R\">Rava<\/a> quotes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=134&amp;letter=E\">Rabbi Elazar<\/a> as questioning one of those cases. Regarding <em>ma&#8217;aser shel demai<\/em>, how can the sages require the same obligation on their rabbinic enactment as exists on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> laws? In response, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=27&amp;letter=N\">Rav Nachman<\/a> quotes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=204&amp;letter=S\">Shmuel<\/a> as saying that this Mishnah follows <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=343&amp;letter=M\">Rabbi Meir<\/a> who rules regarding a divorce case that the Sages can require that their enactments carry the same weight as Torah laws.<\/p>\n<p>In truth, the Gemara&#8217;s question is somewhat odd, since we find many places in the Talmud where rabbinic enactments are given the same status as Torah law, and occasionally even a higher status than Torah law.<\/p>\n<p>Some suggest that the question in this case stems from the unique situation of <em>demai<\/em>. The Rabbinic rule about <em>demai<\/em> is that we are concerned that farmers may choose to separate <em>terumah gedolah<\/em> &#8211; the basic tithe, which is a very small amount &#8211; but refrain from separating the other required tithes. Thus, the enactment is a very weak one, since it shows concern for the fact that a small minority of people may not be separating their tithes properly. The Gemara found it surprising that aside from creating this enactment, the Rabbis further ruled that if <em>demai<\/em> was eaten accidentally a penalty should be paid. The response of the Gemara is that in Rabbi Meir\u2019s case of divorce there is also a very unlikely situation, yet it is one that Rabbi Meir was very stringent about the rabbinic decree.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 56a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> focuses on four things that do not follow the same rules as most other objects with regard to business transactions and related issues. The four are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Avadim &#8211;<\/em> non-Jewish slaves<\/li>\n<li><em>Shetarot<\/em> &#8211; notes or contracts<\/li>\n<li><em>Karka&#8217;ot &#8211; <\/em>real estate<\/li>\n<li><em>Hekdeshot<\/em> &#8211; things that have been consecrated to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#beithamikdash\">Temple<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The first rule of the Mishnah is that the rules of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> &#8211; rules that forbid overcharging or undercharging at the time of sale &#8211; do not apply in any of these cases. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> explains that this is learned from the passage that is the source of the prohibition of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0325.htm#14\">25:14<\/a>), where the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> teaches that <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> is forbidden when something is sold or bought <em>me-yad amitechah<\/em> &#8211; from your fellow&#8217;s hand. This is understood to exclude real estate which does not transfer from hand to hand. The other cases are derived by the Gemara from the law about real estate.<\/p>\n<p>Although the source for this law is biblical, some suggest logical reasons that may be the foundation for these ideas. One idea is that real estate cannot be valued the same way moveable property can, and has greater importance than other things, since it lasts forever.<\/p>\n<p>Another set of laws that does not apply to these cases are the penalties that a thief must pay if the object is stolen over and above returning the value of the stolen object &#8211; usually <em>keifel<\/em> (double payment), and occasionally four or five times the object&#8217;s worth, if it was an ox or a sheep that was stolen and then killed or sold. A question that is raised by the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/r.htm#rishon\">rishonim<\/a><\/em> is how these rules can apply to real estate &#8211; how can immovable property be stolen? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#baaleitosafot\">Tosafot<\/a> in <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=1241\">Bava Kamma<\/a><\/em> offers two suggestions &#8211; either we are talking about a case of <em>masig gevul<\/em> &#8211; someone who tampers with the border markings between fields, or we are talking about a case of something that is <em>mechubar l&#8217;karka<\/em> &#8211; something that is connected to the ground, and therefore has the same rules as the land itself.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 57a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For the past several <em>dapim<\/em> (pages) the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> has been discussing the laws of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> &#8211; of sales or purchases where the agreed upon price differs from accepted cost by one-sixth or more.<\/p>\n<p>As we learned on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=1610\">yesterday&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em><\/a> the sages conclude from the <em>pasuk<\/em> in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0325.htm#14\">25:14<\/a>) &#8211; which is the source for the prohibition of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> &#8211; that <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> applies only when something is sold or bought <em>me-yad amitechah<\/em> &#8211; from your fellow&#8217;s hand. Thus we conclude that <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> does not apply in a number of cases, including the purchase of slaves, contracts, real estate and things consecrated to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#beithamikdash\">Temple<\/a>. The Gemara assumes that this means that purchase or sale differential of these things can be greater than one-sixth, and still the purchase or sale is valid.<\/p>\n<p>Our Gemara offers a different perspective, at least in the case of <em>hekdeshot<\/em> &#8211; things that have been consecrated to the Temple &#8211; by quoting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=801&amp;letter=H\">Rav Chisda<\/a> who believes that by saying <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> does not apply the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> means that the normal rules of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> does not apply, rather even more stringent rules of <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> apply. In the case of <em>hekdeshot<\/em>, Rav Chisda rules that even a minimal difference between the actual price and the price that is paid will invalidate the sale.<\/p>\n<p>Several explanations are offered for Rav Chisda&#8217;s position. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=420&amp;letter=A\">Ra&#8217;avad<\/a> suggests that since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> is very scrupulous about evaluating the worth of consecrated objects, we cannot allow even a small overpayment to be made by the Temple. According to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=1930&amp;letter=A\">Rosh<\/a>, in ordinary cases, less than one-sixth overpayment is not considered <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> because the owner &#8220;forgives&#8221; such a small error. With regard to property owned by the Temple, however, there is no one in a position to &#8220;forgive&#8221; a small overcharge, so even a small amount would be considered <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 58a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishna<\/a> on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> teaches that <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em> &#8211; a term that we have defined as &#8220;unfair business transactions&#8221; applies not only to buying and selling, but to other areas of personal interaction, as well. Thus, it is prohibited for a person to ask a shopkeeper for the price of an object that he has no interest in purchasing. This <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> applies in a range of other situations, as well &#8211; the Mishnah includes reminding a <em>ba&#8217;al teshuva<\/em> (a penitent) of his earlier sins, or the child of a convert of the sins of his parents.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Menachem_Meiri\">Me&#8217;iri<\/a>, the main concept of <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> is the emotional pain and suffering that one person causes to another, whose linguistic root can be found in a passage in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/yeshayahu.htm\">Yeshayahu<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt1049.htm#21\">49:21<\/a>). As we have seen, the Mishnah opens by describing a case of <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> that is connected with a commercial transaction, but then continues by including personal matters in this category, as well.<\/p>\n<p>The <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=247&amp;letter=B&amp;search=baraita\">baraita<\/a><\/em> quoted by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> assigns a passage in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0325.htm#14\">25:14<\/a>) as the source for ordinary, commercial, <em>ona&#8217;ah<\/em>, and a later <em>pasuk<\/em>, or verse (Vayikra <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0325.htm#17\">25:17<\/a>) as the source for <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=357&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi Yochanan<\/a> quotes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=774&amp;letter=S\">Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai<\/a> as teaching that <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> is the more severe of the two, since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> includes a comment that &#8220;you should fear God&#8221; in the passage from which we learn <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em>. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/rabbis\/maharsha.htm\">Maharsha<\/a> explains that this may stem from the fact that a person who is committing <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> will often deny the accusation, showing that he fears his fellow man &#8211; who cannot know his true intention &#8211; more than he fears God, who certainly knows what truly is his intent.<\/p>\n<p>Sages in the Gemara are quoted as pointing to a number of reasons that <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> is considered so severe &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=134&amp;letter=E\">Rabbi Elazar<\/a> suggests that it is the difference between making the individual suffer personally or making his money suffer; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=184&amp;letter=S\">Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani<\/a> argues that money can always be returned, but <em>ona&#8217;at devarim<\/em> cannot be undone.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 59a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the most famous stories in the Talmud appears on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> presents a fairly straightforward argument between the Sages. A question was raised about the status of an oven that was made of separate pieces and then placed together with sand between the pieces. Should this <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/content.php?pg=Snake%20oven&amp;ID=310\">tanur shel achnai<\/a><\/em> &#8211; this &#8220;snake oven&#8221; &#8211; be seen as having lost its status as an existing oven when taken apart and rebuilt, or is it considered an oven throughout, since it was made to be taken apart in this way? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=215&amp;letter=E\">Rabbi Eliezer<\/a> felt that it lost its status as an oven and therefore, had it become ritually defiled, it would lose that status, as well; the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#chacham\">Chachamim<\/a><\/em> ruled that it retained its status throughout.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than argue the case on its merits, the Gemara records that Rabbi Eliezer called on the carob tree to support him, the flowing water to support him, and the walls of the study hall to support him. In response to his call, the carob tree uprooted itself and moved 400 <em>amot<\/em> (cubits), the spring flowed backwards and the walls began to collapse &#8211; until <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=551&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi Yehoshua<\/a> stopped them. The Sages refused to be influenced by any of these miraculous occurrences. Finally Rabbi Eliezer asked the heavens to support his position, and a <em>bat kol<\/em> &#8211; a heavenly voice &#8211; was heard to say &#8220;Why are you arguing with Rabbi Eliezer, whose rulings are always correct?&#8221; In response the Sages said <em>lo ba&#8217;shamyim he<\/em> &#8211; since the Torah was given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, decisions are no longer made based on heavenly decisions, but on the decisions of the Rabbis who interpret it.<\/p>\n<p>While some <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/r.htm#rishon\">rishonim<\/a><\/em> take this story literally and explain that miracles were performed on behalf of the Talmudic sages, just as they were for the early prophets, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=210&amp;letter=H\">Rabbeinu Chananel<\/a> suggests another approach. He argues that this story was a dream &#8211; a vision at night &#8211; that seemed so real and significant that it was recorded for the message that it contains.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 60a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Who invented <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Loss_leader\">loss-leaders<\/a>? Free giveaways? Sales promotions are not modern inventions &#8211; they have been with us since time immemorial.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> discusses these kinds of promotions and the permissibility of their use. We find that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=632&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi Yehuda<\/a> forbids a storekeeper from giving out treats to small children, since that will give him an unfair advantage. Similarly, he forbids a storekeeper from lowering his prices to attract clients, since he is taking them from his competitors. The <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#chacham\">Chachamim<\/a><\/em> of the Mishnah disagree, arguing that someone who lowers prices should be praised rather than vilified. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> explains the reasoning of the <em>Chachamim<\/em> by saying that the storekeeper can argue that his competitor is welcome to offer similar &#8211; and even more generous promotions &#8211; if he wants to compete.<\/p>\n<p>One business practice that the Mishnah clearly forbids is &#8220;prettying up&#8221; merchandise in order to trick people when they are considering its purchase. To illustrate this ruling, the Gemara tells of a slave who dyed his hair and his beard black and approached <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=5&amp;letter=R\">Rava<\/a> and offered himself for sale. Rava responded by quoting the Mishnah in <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#masechet\">Masechet<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/np.htm#pirkei\">Avot<\/a><\/em> (1:5) that poor people should be members of your household. Since Rava fulfilled this dictum he had a lot of help at home and had no need for a slave. The man then approached Rav Papa bar Shmuel, who agreed to the purchase. When Rav Papa asked him to fetch water, he washed out the dye and responded &#8220;I am even older than your father&#8221; indicating that he could not be expected to draw water.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=859&amp;letter=A\">Rashba<\/a> explains that this slave was a Jewish man who wanted to work in a Jewish home, and therefore offered himself for &#8220;sale,&#8221; but <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/rashi.htm\">Rashi<\/a> suggests that this was a case of an <em>eved Kena&#8217;ani<\/em> &#8211; a non-Jewish slave who had been partially set free by his original master.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><u>Bava Metzia 61a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the context of discussing forbidden loans, i.e. loans that charge interest, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=5&amp;letter=R\">Rava<\/a> asks the following question \u2013<\/p>\n<p>Why does the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> juxtapose the Exodus from Egypt with:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Charging interest on loans (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0325.htm#37\">25:37-38<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Weights and measures (Vayikra <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0319.htm#36\">19:36-37<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><em>Tzitzit<\/em> &#8211; the fringes placed on four-cornered garments (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#bamidbar\">Bamidbar<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0415.htm#37\">15:37-41<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=5&amp;letter=R\">Rava<\/a> explains that God is teaching that just as He distinguished between the firstborn and ordinary Egyptian child at the time of the final plague, similarly He is able to \u2013<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Recognize the individual who gives his money to a non-Jew in order to charge interest on a loan to Jews<\/li>\n<li>Know who buried his weights in salt in order to change their weight<\/li>\n<li>Recognize the difference between dye from the true-blue <em>chilazon<\/em> and <em>kela ilan<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The consensus of most opinions is that the <em>chilazon<\/em> is the snail <em>Murex trunculus<\/em> that is found on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the north of Israel. This creature has a unique liquid dye (that is not the animal\u2019s blood), which, when mixed with other materials, produces the blue <em>tekhelet<\/em> color described in the Torah. Already during <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/dynamic\/content.asp?id=50\">Talmudic<\/a> times the use of <em>tekhelet<\/em> became a rarity, and within a short time its true source was forgotten.<\/p>\n<p><em>Kela ilan<\/em> is apparently a plant &#8211; <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indigofera_tinctoria\">Indigofera tinctora<\/a><\/em> &#8211; a legume with red, purple or white flowers. True indigo dye was extracted from its leaves in Talmudic times and until recently. Today it has largely been replaced with synthetic dyes. It would appear that this plant dye was very similar in its appearance to the <em>tekhelet<\/em> of the <em>hilazon<\/em>, but was a much cheaper alternative. Only through complicated examinations could the two dyes be told apart. The <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/r.htm#rishon\">rishonim<\/a><\/em> explain that Rava in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> is not talking about someone who mistakenly wore <em>tzitzit<\/em> with <em>kela ilan<\/em>, but someone who offers the dye for sale, claiming that it is the real <em>tekhelet<\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>In addition to his monumental translation and commentary on the Talmud, Rabbi Steinsaltz has authored dozens of books and hundreds of articles on a variety of topics, both Jewish and secular. For more information about Rabbi Steinsaltz&#8217;s groundbreaking work in Jewish education, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/\">www.steinsaltz.org<\/a> or contact the Aleph Society at 212-840-1166.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Coming Week&#8217;s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud. Bava Metzia 55a-b The Mishnah on our daf teaches that there are a number of laws<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":46020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-torah","series-steinsaltz-daf-yomi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Masechet Bava Metzia 55a-61b - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Coming Week&#039;s Daf Yomi (Bava Metzia 55a-61b) by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, based upon insights &amp; chidushim published in the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Masechet Bava Metzia 55a-61b - OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Coming Week&#039;s Daf Yomi (Bava Metzia 55a-61b) by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, based upon insights &amp; chidushim published in the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2009-06-18T02:22:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-11-28T15:40:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/Special-Offer.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"250\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_bava_metzia_55a61b\/\",\"name\":\"Masechet Bava Metzia 55a-61b - 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