Talmud - Bava Batra 70a בבא בתרא ע׳ א׳

But the judges of the exile, Shmuel and Karna, say: Any tree that is bent back by the yoke of oxen as the animals plow the ground under the tree, and in this way the tree does not impede the plowing, is not retained by the seller, as it is not a significant tree. Any tree that is not bent back by the yoke of the oxen is retained by the seller and not included in the sale. The Gemara comments: And these amora’im do not disagree with regard to the halakha: That which Rav said, that the only trees that the seller retains for himself and excludes from the sale are those that must be climbed by means of a rope, was said with regard to palm trees, while that which the judges of the exile said, that the only trees that are retained are those that are not bent back by the yoke of the oxen, was said with regard to other types of trees.

§ The Gemara cites a discussion related to the mishna’s ruling that a grafted carob tree and a sycamore trunk are not included in the sale of the field: Rav Aḥa bar Huna raised a dilemma before Rav Sheshet: If one selling a field said to the buyer: I am selling you the entire field except for such and such grafted carob tree, or except for such and such sycamore trunk, and there were other grafted carob trees or sycamore trunks in the field, what is the halakha? The Gemara explains the two sides of the question: Does the seller mean to say that it is this carob tree that the buyer does not acquire, but he does acquire the other carob trees, or perhaps he means that he also does not acquire the rest of the carob trees? Rav Sheshet said to him in response: The buyer does not acquire any of them.

Rav Aḥa raised an objection to Rav Sheshet from a baraita that states: If the seller said to the buyer: I am selling you this field except for such and such carob tree, or except for such and such sycamore trunk, the buyer does not acquire it. What, is it not that it is this carob tree that he does not acquire, but he does acquire the other carob trees?

Rav Sheshet said to him: No, what this means is that he does not acquire even the other carob trees. Know that this is correct, as if a person selling a field said to the buyer: My field is sold to you except for such and such field that is adjacent to it, would you say that it is only that adjacent field that he does not acquire, but he acquires all the other fields owned by the seller? This is clearly not the case, as the seller explicitly stated that he is selling a certain field, not all of his fields. Rather, everyone would agree that the buyer does not acquire the other fields. Therefore, here too, the buyer does not acquire the other carob trees.

And there are those who say that the discussion took place as follows: Rav Aḥa bar Huna raised a dilemma before Rav Sheshet: If one selling a field said to the buyer: I am selling you the entire field except for half of such and such carob tree, or except for half of such and such sycamore trunk, what is the halakha? The Gemara explains the two sides of the question: Do we say that the buyer certainly does not acquire the other carob trees, but he does acquire what remains from that carob tree that was mentioned, that is, the half of the carob tree that the seller did not specifically retain for himself? Or perhaps he does not acquire even what remains from that carob tree? Rav Sheshet said to him: Even what remains from that carob tree the buyer does not acquire.

Rav Aḥa raised an objection to Rav Sheshet from a baraita that states: If the seller said to the buyer: I am selling you the entire field except for half of such and such carob tree, or except for half of such and such sycamore trunk, the buyer does not acquire the other carob trees. What, is it not that it is the other carob trees that he does not acquire, but what remains of that carob tree he does acquire?

Rav Sheshet said to him: No, what this means is that he does not acquire even what remains of that carob tree. Know that this is correct, as if a person selling a field said to the buyer: My field is sold to you except for half of such and such field that is adjacent to it, would you say that it is only that half of the field that he does not acquire, but he acquires the other half of the field? This is clearly not the case, as the seller explicitly stated that he is selling a certain field and nothing else. Rather, everyone would agree that the buyer does not acquire the other half of the field. Therefore, here too, the buyer does not acquire what remains of the carob tree.

§ Rav Amram raised a dilemma before Rav Ḥisda: If one deposits certain items with another and receives a document signed by witnesses testifying that he deposited these items with this individual, and the bailee later says to him: I returned the items to you, but the document is still in the hands of the depositor, what is the halakha? Do we say that since if the bailee wanted to lie he could have said that the items were taken from him under circumstances beyond his control, and he would have been deemed credible; therefore now too, when he claims that he returned the items, he is deemed credible as well? Or perhaps, the one who deposited the items can say to him: If you returned the items, what is your document doing in my possession? Upon return of the deposit, you should have retrieved the document. Rav Ḥisda said to him: The bailee is deemed credible.

Rav Amram asked: But let the depositor say to the bailee: If you returned the items, what is your document doing in my possession? Rav Ḥisda said to him: And according to your reasoning, if the bailee had said to him that the items were taken from him under circumstances beyond his control, would he be able to say to him: What is your document doing in my possession? Since this claim could not have been stated had the bailee stated the alternative claim, it can also not be stated when the bailee claims that the items were returned. Rav Amram said to him:

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

BavaBatra 70a examines which trees a seller retains when selling a field, contrasting criteria for palm trees versus other species and disputed carob exclusions.