Bava Metzia - Daf 46
- אין מטבע נקנה בחליפין, עומד בגורן ואין בידו מעות
Rav Pappa said on the previous Daf that even according to the opinion that a coin cannot effect חליפין, a coin can be acquired with חליפין. This is disproven from a Mishnah discussing one who wants to redeem his maaser sheni without paying the owner’s surcharge of an extra fifth, by giving money to his friend, who will redeem the produce and return it to him. If he is at his granary and does not have money with him, he can give the produce to his friend, and then redeem it with money he has at home (without paying the fifth, since the produce is not currently his). The Gemara asks, if money can be acquired with חליפין, ניקנו ליה מעות להיאך אגב סודר – let the money be transferred to [his friend] with חליפין through a kerchief, and he will redeem the produce (which is preferable, because it is redeemed by someone who never owned the produce). The Gemara suggests the case is where he does not have a kerchief, but eventually retracts and accepts proof: שמע מינה אין מטבע נקנה בחליפין – learn from this Mishnah that a coin cannot be acquired through חליפין. Tosafos adds that it also disproves the opinion that a coin can be used to effect חליפין.
- כל הנעשה דמים באחר
A Mishnah is quoted: כל הנעשה דמים באחר – anything which is used as payment for something else, כיון שזכה זה נתחייב זה בחליפין – once this [seller] acquires it, the [buyer] becomes responsible for the item given in exchange, because he owns it. This phrase presumably refers to coins, which are used as payment, and proves they can be used for חליפין!? Rav Yehudah reinterpreted the Mishnah: כל הנישום דמים באחר – anything assessed when used as payment for something else, i.e., all מטלטלין except for coins (whose value is known), can effect חליפין. This is supported by the Mishnah’s illustration of exchanging an ox for a cow, or a donkey for an ox. According the Gemara’s initial understanding, this “illustration” teaches another concept, that non-utensils may also be used for חליפין. These interpretations fit with Rav Sheishess, who holds non-utensils can effect חליפין, but Rav Nachman, who holds they cannot, must explain the Mishnah differently: יש דמים שהן כחליפין – There are some monetary transactions which are effective like חליפין, such as: החליף דמי שור בפרה – one who exchanged the value of an ox for a cow (i.e., a debt owed for the purchase of an ox was used to purchase the buyer’s cow). This follows Rebbe Yochanan, who holds that Biblically, money acquires movable items, but משיכה was required Rabbinically. Since this form of purchase is unusual, they allowed the Biblical method of money to take effect.
- חליפין with disqualified coins
A Mishnah states that all מטלטלין can acquire each other through חליפין, and Reish Lakish said: ואפילו כיס מלא מעות בכיס מלא מעות – even a purse of coins exchanged for a purse of coins is effective. This proves that coins can be used and acquired with חליפין!? Rav Acha interpreted Reish Lakish’s statement to refer to anka and anigra types of dinarim, אחד שפסלתו מלכות – one of which the government disqualified, ואחד שפסלתו מדינה – and one of which the people of the province disqualified (it is legally still valid, but people do not accept it). Neither is considered currency, and therefore the חליפין is effective. Each case teaches a novelty: even coins rejected by a particular province, which are accepted elsewhere, are not considered currency, and even coins disqualified by the government, which are still used secretly, are not considered currency.
