Mishnayos Bava Metzia Perek 2 Mishnah 9
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בבא מציעא פרק ב׳ משנה ט׳
Which is the item that is considered lost property? If one found a donkey or a cow grazing on the path, that is not lost property, as presumably the owners are nearby and are aware of the animals’ whereabouts. If one found a donkey with its accoutrements overturned, or a cow that ran through the vineyards, that is lost property. In a case where one returned the lost animal and it fled, and he again returned it and it fled, even if this scenario repeats itself four or five times, he is obligated to return it each time, as it is stated: “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep wandering and disregard them; you shall return them to your brother” (Deuteronomy 22:1). If in the course of tending to and returning the lost item, the finder was idle from labor that would have earned him a sela, he shall not say to the owner of the item: Give me a sela to compensate me for my lost income. Rather, the owner gives him his wage as if he were a laborer, a payment that is considerably smaller. If there are three men there who can convene as a court, he may stipulate before the court that he will undertake to return the item provided that he receives full compensation for lost income. If there is no court there before whom can he stipulate his condition, his financial interests take precedence and he need not return the lost item.
אֵיזוֹ הִיא אֲבֵדָה, מָצָא חֲמוֹר אוֹ פָרָה רוֹעִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ, אֵין זוֹ אֲבֵדָה. חֲמוֹר וְכֵלָיו הֲפוּכִין, פָּרָה רָצָה בֵּין הַכְּרָמִים, הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲבֵדָה. הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה, הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה, אֲפִילוּ אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים, חַיָּב לְהַחֲזִירָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב) הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם. הָיָה בָטֵל מִסֶּלַע, לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ תֶּן לִי סֶלַע, אֶלָּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ כְּפוֹעֵל בָּטֵל. אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם בֵּית דִּין, מַתְנֶה בִּפְנֵי בֵית דִּין. אִם אֵין שָׁם בֵּית דִּין, בִּפְנֵי מִי יַתְנֶה, שֶׁלּוֹ קוֹדֵם:
Bartenura
איזו היא אבדה. שניכר בה שאין הבעלים יודעים שהיא שם:
אין זו אבדה. ואינו חייב להחזיר, שמדעת הניחוה שם:
רצה בין הכרמים. שמתקלקלים רגליה:
השב תשיבם. התורה ריבתה השבות הרבה:
לא יאמר לו תן לי סלע. שזה אומר לו אם עשית מלאכתך, היית מרבה טורח, עכשיו לפי מה שטרחת טול:
כפועל בטל. כמה אדם רוצה ליטול ולפחות משכרו ליבטל ממלאכה זו כבדה שהוא עוסק בה ולעשות במלאכה קלה כזו:
אם יש שם בית דין. אם אינו רוצה ליבטל ממלאכתו. ששכרה מרובה, מה יעשה. אם יש שם שלשה בני אדם מתנה בפניהם ואומר ראו שאני משתכר כך וכך. ואי אפשי ליבטל ליטול שכר מועט, אם תאמרו שאטול שכרי משלם. אטפל בהשבת אבדה זו:
שלו קודם. ומניח את האבדה:
What is considered a lost item. That it is apparent that the owner isn't aware that the item is there.
This is not a lost item. You are not obligated to return it, since it was intentionally placed there.
Running between the vineyards. It's legs are being destructive.
You shall surely return them. The torah included [in this statement] many returnings.
Don't say to him [the owner] give me a sela. Since this one [the owner] says to him [the finder] "If you had done your normal work, you would have been very burdened, now [that you instead took care of this item] take according to what you actually were burdened."
Like an idle laborer. How much a person would be willing to reduce his wage to avoid this difficult work that he is doing and do this light work [taking care of the item].
If there is a court there. If he doesn't want to be idle from his work. Since his wages are high, what can he do? If there are three men there, he stipulates in front of them and says "See that I am paid such and such. It is not possible [for me] to be idle and take a small wage, if you will tell me that I will take and be paid my [normal] wages. I will then take care of this lost item."
His own takes precedence. And he leaves the lost item.