Study Bava Metzia folio 48B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
But this baraita is difficult according to Reish Lakish. The Talmud answers: Reish Lakish could have said to you: In accordance with whose opinion is this baraita? It is in accordance with the opinion of R' Shimon, not that of the Rabbis.
§ The Mishnah teaches with regard to one who reneges on a transaction after the money was paid: But the rabbis said: He Who exacted payment from the people of the Generation of the Flood, and from the Generation of the Dispersion, will in the future exact payment from whoever does not stand by his s
The Talmud elaborates: Abaye said that we inform him, as it is written: “Nor curse a ruler among your people” (Exodus 22:27), from which it is derived that it is prohibited to curse a ruler or any other member of the Jewish people. Rava said that we curse him, and the prohibition against cursing is
Rava said: From where do I say this halakha? I learned it from the incident where buyers gave R' Ḥiyya bar Yosef money to purchase salt from him. Ultimately the price of salt increased, and R' Ḥiyya bar Yosef sought to renege on the deal. He came before R' Yoḥanan to ask his opinion. R' Yoḥanan sai
Rather, the details of the incident were different. It is a down payment that buyers gave R' Ḥiyya bar Yosef. The money was paid merely to bolster the commitment to complete the transaction. R' Ḥiyya bar Yosef held that the down payment effects acquisition of salt commensurate with its value, and