Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 2:5

משנה: מָצָא בַחֲנוּת הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַתֵּיבָה וְלַחֶנְװָנִי הֲרֵי הוּא שֶׁל חֶנְװָוִי. לִפְנֵי הַשּׁוּלְחָנִי הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. בֵּין הַכִּיסֵּא וְלַשּׁוּלְחָנִי הֲרֵי הוּא שֶׁל שּׁוּלְחָנִי. הַלּוֹקֵחַ פֵּירוֹת מֵחֲבֵירוֹ אוֹ שֶׁשִּׁילַּח לוֹ חֲבֵירוֹ פֵירוֹת וּמָצָא בְתוֹכוֹ מָעוֹת הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ. וְאִם הָיוּ צְרוּרִין נוֹטֵל וּמַכְרִיז. אַף הַשִּׂמְלָה הָֽיְתָה בִּכְלָל כָּל־אֵילּוּ וְלָמָּה יָצָאת. לְהַקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ לוֹמַר לָךְ מַה שִׂמְלָה מְיוּחֶדֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ סֵימָנִין וְיֵשׁ לָהּ תּוֹבְעִין אַף כָּל־דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ סֵימָנִין וְיֵשׁ לָהּ תּוֹבְעִין חַייָב לְהַכְרִיז. MISHNAH: What one found in a store is his⁵⁶Because most probably one of the previous customers lost the money which by its nature has no distinguishing marks.. Between the counter and the storekeeper it is the storekeeper’s. Before the moneychanger it is his⁵⁶Because most probably one of the previous customers lost the money which by its nature has no distinguishing marks.. Between the chair⁵⁷Where the customer sits who has his money exchanged. and the moneychanger it is the moneychanger’s. If one bought produce from another person or another person sent him produce and he found coins in it, they are his⁵⁸The coins probably were lost by a person engaged in harvest or transport, not the seller of the produce.. But if they were bundled⁵⁹Where the number of coins, their value, and the way they were tied together are distinguishing marks., he takes them and makes it public.
The garment⁶⁰Deuteronomy.22.3">Deut. 22:3: “So you shall treat his donkey, so you shall treat his garment, so you shall treat anything lost by your fellow man, which is lost by him but you found it; you are not allowed to disregard it.” was subsumed under “anything”; why was it mentioned separately? To bracket with it and tell you, just as a garment is special in that it has distinguishing marks and claimants, so about everything which has distinguishing marks and claimants you have to give public notice⁶¹Sifry Deut. 224. This justifies the arguments in Halakhah 4 that even if there are distinguishing marks, one does not have to advertise if there are no claimants..

הלכה: מָצָא בַחֲנוּת הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ שֶׁלּוֹ כול׳. אָמַר רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר. כֵּינִי מַתְנִיתָא. עַל גַּבֵּי כִסֵּא שֶׁלּוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי תֵיבָה שֶׁלּוֹ. HALAKHAH: “What one found in a store is his,” etc. Rebbi Eleazar said, so is the Mishnah: On his chair, on his counter⁶²The Babli, 26b, in the name of R. Eleazar infers from the Mishnah that forgotten coins on the counter of store or bank are the finder’s. The language of the Yerushalmi rather points to the opposite conclusion, viz., that they are the storekeeper’s or the banker’s..

שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח הֲוָה עֲסִיק בְּהָדָא כִיתְנָא. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ תַּלְמִידוֹי. רִבִּי. אַרְפֵּי מִינָּךְ וַאֲנָן זְבַנִּין לָךְ חָדָא חֲמָר וְלֵית אַתְּ לָעֵי סוֹגִּין. אַזְלוֹן זְבַנּוֹן לֵיהּ חָדָא חֲמָר מֵחַד סִירְקַאי וּתְלִי בֵיהּ חָדָא מַרְגְּלִי. אֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. מִן כְּדוֹן לֵית אַתְּ צְרִיךְ לָעֵי תוּבָן. אֲמַר לוֹן. לָמָּה. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. זְבָנִינָן לָךְ חַד חֲמָר מֵחַד סִירְקַיי וּתְלִי בֵיהּ חָדָא מַרְגְּלִי. אֲמַר לוֹן. וְיָדַע בָּהּ מָרָהּ. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. לָא. אֲמַר לוֹן. אֵיזַל חֲזַר. לֹא כֵן אָמַר רַב חוּנָא בֵּיבַי בַּר גּוֹזְלוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַב. הָתִיבוֹן קוֹמֵי רִבִּי. אֲפִילוּ כְּמָאן דָּמַר. גְּזֵילוֹ שֶׁלְּגוֹי אֲסוּר. כָּל עַמָא מוֹדֵיי שֶׁאֲבֵידָתוֹ מוּתֶּרֶת. מַה אַתּוֹן סָֽבְּרִין שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח בַּרְבְּרוֹן הֲוָה. בְּעֵי הֲוָה שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח מַשְׁמַע בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֵהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי מֵאַגַר כָּל־הָדֵין עָֽלְמָא. ⁶³An abbreviated Hebrew version of this story is in Deut. rabba 3(5). Simeon ben Shetaḥ⁶⁴The head of the Synhedrion in Alexander Yannai’s time. was working with linen. His students said to him, Rabbi, in order to make it easier for you we want to buy a donkey, then you will not have to work so hard. They went and bought a donkey from a Saracen; a pearl was hanging on its neck. They came to him saying, because of this you will not have to work anymore. He said to them, why? They told him, we bought for you a donkey from a Saracen and a pearl is hanging on its neck. He asked them, does its owner know about this? They answered, no. He told them, go and return it. But did not Rav Huna, Bevay bar Gozlan, in the name of Rav say, they objected before Rebbi: Even according to him who says that an object robbed from a Gentile is forbidden, everybody agrees that what he lost is permitted⁶⁵Bava qama 113b.. Do you think that Simeon ben Shetaḥ was a barbarian⁶⁶Greek βάρβαρος, “barbarous, foreign”.? Simeon ben Shetaḥ wanted to hear: Praised be the God of the Jews, more than any gain in this world.

וְיֵידָא אָֽמְרָה דָא. רִבִּי חֲנִינָה מִשְׁתָּעֵי הָדֵין עוֹבְדָא. רַבָּנִין סַבַּייָא זְבָנִין חַד כְּרִי דְחִיטִּין מֵאִילֵּין דְּאיסרטוס וְאַשְׁכְּחוֹן בֵּיהּ חָדָא צְרָרָא דְדֵינָרֵי וַחֲזְרוֹנֵיהּ לְהוֹן. אָֽמְרִין. בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֵהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי. The following implies the same. Rebbi Ḥanina reports the following case: The elder rabbis bought a heap of wheat from the household of the general and found in it a bundle of denars. They returned it to them. They said, praised be the God of the Jews.

אַבָּא אוֹשַׁעְיָה אִישׁ טוֹרִייָא [הֲוָה קַצָּר. עֲלַת מַלְכְּתָא מַסְחֵי גַּו מְגִירָה דְמַייָא וְאוֹבְדָת בינדילנין דִידָהּ וְאַשְׁכְּחָהּ. מִי נַפְקָא אוֹשְׁטֵיהּ לָיהּ. אָֽמְרָה. אֲהֵין לָהֶן. לִי אֲהֵן מַהוּ חָשׁוּב עָלַי אִית לִי טָבִין מִינֵּיהּ אִית לִי סוֹגִין מִינֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לָיהּ. אוֹרַיְתָא גָֽזְרַת דְּנַחְזוֹר. אָֽמְרָה. בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֵהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי. Abba Oshaia from Tireh [was a washer. The queen came to bathe in a water pond. She lost her בינדילנין⁶⁸Lieberman suggests Greek δεράνιον, Byzantine δεράιον “necklace”.; he found it. When she left, he handed it to her.]⁶⁹From E, missing in L and editio princeps, but already noted in the 17th Cent. by R. Menaḥem di Lonzano in his textual notes on the Yerushalmi. She said, this is for you; it is not important for me and I have more of this. He told her, the Torah decided that we have to return it. She said, praised be the God of the Jews.

רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַר סוֹסַרְטַיי סְלַק לְרוֹמֵי. אוֹבְדָת מַלְכְּתָא דילניה דִידָהּ וְאַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ. אַפְקַת כְּרוּז בַּמְּדִינְתָא. מָאן דִּמְחַזַּר לָהּ בְּגַו ל̇ יוֹמִין יְסַב אָכֵן וְאָכֵן. בָּתָר ל̇ יוֹמִין אִיתְרִים רֵישֵׁיהּ. לָא חֲזָרֵיהּ גַּו ל̇ יוֹמִין. בָּתָר ל̇ יוֹמִין חֲזָרֵיהּ. אָֽמְרָה לֵיהּ. לָא הֲוֵית בִּמְדִינְתָא. אֲמַר לָהּ. אִין. אָֽמְרָה לֵיהּ. וְלָא שְׁמָעַת קָלָא דִכְרוּזָא. אֲמַר לָהּ. אִין. אָֽמְרָה לֵיהּ. וּמַה מַר. אֲמַר לָהּ. מָאן דִּמְחַזַּר לָהּ גַו ל̇ יוֹמִין יְסַב אָכֵן וְאָכֵן. בָּתָר ל̇ יוֹמִין יִתְרִים רֵישֵׁיהּ. אָֽמְרָה לֵיהּ. וְלָמָּה לָא חֲזַרְתִּינֵיהּ גַּו ל̇ יוֹמִין. אֲמַר לָהּ. דְּלָא תֵימְרוֹן בְּגִין דַּחַלְתִּיךְ עָֽבְדִית אֶלָּא בְגִין דַּחַלְתֵּיהּ דְּרַחֲמָנָא. אָֽמרָה לֵיהּ. בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֵהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי. Rebbi Samuel bar Sosarṭai went to Rome. The queen had lost her דילניה but he found it. A herold went through the city: One who will return it within 30 days will receive such and such; after 30 days his head will be lifted from him. He did not return it within 30 days. After 30 days he returned it. She asked him, had you not been in the city? He answered, yes. She asked him, had you not heard the voice of the herold? He answered, yes. She asked him, what did he say? He answered, one who will return it within 30 days will receive such and such; after 30 days his head will be lifted from him. She asked him, why did you not return it within 30 days? He answered, one should not say that I acted out of fear of you, but out of fear of the Merciful. She said to him, praised be the God of the Jews.

אֲלֶכְסַנְדְּרוֹס מָֽקְדוֹן סְלִיק גַּבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַצָייָא. חֲמָא לֵיהּ דְּהַב סַגִּין כְּסַף סַגִּין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. לָא דְהָבָךְ וְלָא כַסְפָּךְ אֲנָא צָרִיךְ. לָא אֲתִית אֶלָּא מֵיחְמֵי פְּרוֹכְסִין דִּידְכוֹן הֵיךְ אַתּוּן יְהָבִין הֵיךְ אַתּוּן דַּייָנִין. עַד דּוּ עֲסוּק עִימֵּיהּ אֲתַא בַּר נַשׁ חַד דְּאִין עִם חַבְרֵיהּ דִּזְבַן חָדָא (חֶלְקָה וַחַסְפְּתָהּ) [קִיקְלָה וַחַפְרוֹנָהּ] וָאַשְׁכְּחוֹן בָּהּ סִימָא דְדֵינָרֵי. אָהֵן דִּזְבַן הֲוָא מַר. קִיקִילְתָא זְבָנִית סִימָא לָא זְבָנִית. אָהֵן דְּזַבִּין הֲוָא מַר. קִיקִלְתָא וְכָל־דְּאִית בָּהּ זַבִּינִית. עַד דְּאִינּוּן עֲסִיקִין דֵּין עַם דֵּין אֲמַר מַלְכָּא לְחַד מִינַּייהוּ. אִית לָךְ בַּר דָכָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לְחַבְרֵיהּ. אִית לָךְ בְּרַת נוּקְבָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לוֹן. אַסְבּוֹן דֵּין לְדֵין וְסִימָא יְהַוֵּי לִתְרַוֵּיהוֹן. שָׁרֵי גְחִיךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. לָמָּה אַתְּ גְּחִיךְ. לָא דָנִית טַבָּאוּת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הֲוָה הָדֵין דִּינָא גַבְּכוֹן הֵיךְ הֲוִיתוֹן דָּנִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. קָֽטְלִין דֵּין וְדֵין וְסִימָא עֲלַת לְמַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. כָּל־הָכִי אַתּוֹן רָחֲמִין דְּהַב סוֹגִי. עֲבַד לֵיהּ אֲרִיסְטוֹן. אֲפִיק קוֹמֵי קוֹפָּד דִּדְהַב תַּרְנוֹגַלִּין דִּדְהַב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. דְּהַב אֲנָא אָכִל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא. דְּהַב לֵית אַתּוּן אָֽכְלִין וְלָמָּה אַתּוּן רָֽחֲמִין דְּהַב סוֹגִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. דַּנְחָא עֲלֵיכוֹן שִׁמְשָׁא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. נְחִית עֲלֵיכוֹן מִיטְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. דִּילְמָא אִית גַּבֵּיכוֹן בְּעִיר דָּקִיק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא. לֵית אַתּוּן חַיִין אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת בְּעִירָא דָּקִיקָא. דִּכְתִיב אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תוֹשִׁיעַ י֙י. ⁷⁰Parallel versions of this story are in Gen. rabba 33(1), Lev. rabba27(1). Alexander the Macedonian went to the king of Cassia⁷¹In the Midrashim: Behind the Mountains of Darkness.. He saw that he had much gold, much silver. He told him, I do not need your gold nor your silver; I came only so see your practice⁷²Greek πρᾶξις., how you are dealing, how you are judging. While he was still discussing with him, there came a man having a dispute with another, for he bought (a plot, entered it) [a garbage heap, dug in it]⁷³The text in parentheses is the L text, the one in brackets is the text of E and the Midrashim. The sequel shows that the latter text is original. and found a treasure trove of denars. The buyer said, I bought a garbage heap, I did not buy a treasure. The seller said, I sold a garbage heap and all it contains. While they still were arguing with one another, the king asked one of them, do you have a male son? He answered, yes. He asked the other one, do you have a female daughter? He answered, yes. He told them, marry them to each other and the treasure should belong to both. He⁷⁴Alexander. started to laugh. He⁷⁵The savage king. asked him, why are you laughing? Did I not judge correctly? He asked him, if the case came before you, how would you have judged? He⁷⁴Alexander. told him, one kills both of them and the treasure falls to the king. He⁷⁵The savage king. told him, do you love gold so much? He⁷⁵The savage king. made him a meal and brought before him golden meat, golden chicken. He⁷⁴Alexander. asked him, can I eat gold? He⁷⁵The savage king. told him, the spirit of this person should be wiped out. You cannot eat gold, why do you love gold so much? He⁷⁵The savage king. asked him, does the sun shine upon you? He⁷⁴Alexander. answered, yes. Does rain fall on you? He⁷⁴Alexander. answered, yes. He⁷⁵The savage king. asked him, do you have small animals? He⁷⁴Alexander. answered, yes. The spirit of this person should be wiped out; you live only by the merit of the small animals, as it is written⁷⁶Psalms.36.7">Ps. 36:7.: “Man and animal You are saving, o Eternal!”