Study Bava Metzia folio 99A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Talmud: The Mishnah states that if the borrower agrees to have the lender send the cow by the hand of the lender’s slave, and it died on the way, then the borrower is liable. The Talmud asks: But isn’t the hand of a slave legally like the hand of his master; as long as the cow is in the possessi
The Talmud presents two resolutions: Shmuel said: The Mishnah is referring to a Hebrew slave, whose master does not acquire his person. Therefore, property in the slave’s possession is not considered to be in his master’s possession. Rav said: You may even say that the Mishnah is referring to a Ca
The Talmud raises an objection from a baraita: If one borrows a cow; and, with the agreement of the borrower, the lender sends it to him by the hand of his son or by the hand of his agent; and it dies on the way, then the borrower is liable. If the lender sent it by the hand of his slave, then t
The Talmud elaborates: Granted, according to the resolution of Shmuel, one can explain that the Mishnah is referring to a Hebrew slave, whereas the baraita is referring to a Canaanite slave. But according to the resolution of Rav, who maintained that the Mishnah is referring to a Canaanite slave,
The Talmud presents a modified version of Rav’s resolution: Rav could say to you: Do not say in explanation of the Mishnah that the case may be considered like one in which the borrower said to the lender: Hit the cow with a stick and then it will come on its own. Rather, say that it is referring to