Study Bava Metzia folio 51A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
it is due to this reason that they reverted to following the statement of the Rabbis, as the sellers were in any event able to renege at any point, while R' Tarfon extended the period during which the buyers could renege on the transaction.
But if you say that the legal status of a seller is also limited like that of a buyer in terms of the period of time during which he may renege, what difference is there to the merchants? Just as the rabbis instituted an ordinance on behalf of a buyer enabling him to renege on the transaction, so to
The Talmud answers: With regard to the merchants of Lod, it is rare for them to err, and therefore they preferred limiting the period during which the buyer could renege over extending the period during which they themselves could renege.
The Talmud relates: The landlord of Rami bar Ḥama sold a donkey and erred in fixing its price. Rami bar Ḥama encountered him and noticed that he was sad. Rami bar Ḥama said to him: Why are you sad? The landlord said to him: I sold a donkey and I erred in fixing its price. Rami bar Ḥama said to him
The Talmud asks: What is the reason for this? The Talmud explains: A buyer has his merchandise in his possession; therefore, anywhere that he goes he shows it to those familiar with the market price and they tell him whether he erred or whether he did not err. A seller, who does not have his mercha