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Talmud Study - Lesson 3

Guardianship: A Gamble for Whom?

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Talmud Study - Lesson 3: Guardianship: A Gamble for Whom?

What are a guardian's responsibilities? When is a guardian rewarded for going beyond his call of duty? Are there any legal differences between the types of item one is safeguarding? And a lesson in time management.

Handouts:	Lesson 3 Handout Lesson 3: Talmud Text in English Lesson 3: Talmud Text
Audio:	Listen to Audio \| Download this MP3
Topics:	Tractate Bava Metziah, Talmud

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By Eliezer Wolf

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55 Comments

Rachel McMillan Colorado via jewish-discovery.com January 11, 2020

Shalom. I love these classes! I live isolated from other Jews, in a small town in Colorado. I have been reading the Talmud alone. With these lessons I feel I have a partner. Thank you so very much, Toda raba, Rabbi Wolf.
You are amazing. Reply

Mim alberta Canada August 8, 2019

Thank you for these Lessons. So clear, and easy to understand for a beginner such as myself. It has so blessed me. Reply

Anonymous September 15, 2018

Unpaid guarding The unpaid guarding decides to pay the owner for a watch that he was holding. The item is stolen. He is not negligent. The unpaid guarding takes the oaths and decides to pay. The original owner excepts the $100. The thief is found. The new owner (the unpaid guarding) owns all responsibility now. The thief is found with the watch, but the new owner (the unpaid guarding now) decides not to take the additional $100. The extra amount. The new owner only wants the Watch not the extra $100.

The unpaid guarding decides the thief is poor and he don't want an additional hardship on the thief. He has rachmones for the thief. So the unpaid guarding (the new owner now) can dissolve the stated law in the mishnah. The person has final judge over the law, yes or no? (He is bigger than the law so to speak.)

So not only does all responsibility fall on the unpaid guarding when he pays the original owner but also he has final judgement beyond the mishnah's edicts if and when the thief is found. Reply

Chananaya March 11, 2018

Where do I get the hand outs for the class can't seem to find it ? Reply

Chabad.org Staff March 12, 2018

in response to Chananaya :

The handouts are available in PDF format under the player window. Do you not see them? Reply

Malka Israel November 27, 2017

Thanks for your lessons that allow to study in any place and any time . A lot of blessings ! Reply

Luis Funza, Colombia August 7, 2017

Is there in the tanak any situation related with guardians, thief, and owners? Reply

Mendel Adelman August 10, 2017

in response to Luis:

Hello Luis,

Yep. There most definitely is. Torah addresses basically all parts of law, including financial and criminal.

The chapters of 21-22 in Exodus deal a lot with these subjects.

The entire Tractate Baba Metzia talks about them. Reply

LaDonna Washington March 21, 2017

Reimbursing the Guardian I would argue that it is also unjust gain for the owner to keep the additional compensation when the thief is found. The guardian was honorable and performed a mitvah by paying for the item lost or stolen through negligence. Negligence is accidental, not something done out of malice. So, since he honored HaShem as well as the owner, it is only right to repay the guardian. Reply

Jenifer houston USA March 1, 2017

Joyful! Many thanks for a great class. You are so easy to listen to. Reply

Anonymous london August 26, 2015

how to learn how to translate the gemara and the rashi Shalom Aleichem Rav

I am wondering how we could learn to translate late the gemara and rashi. As i know already the Mishnah is written in biblical hebrew which is fine but how could we learn the aramaic in the gemara and how could we learn to translate the rashi as well since that is a key part of talmud study. Reply

Chabad.org Staff via chabadone.org August 5, 2015

Copy of Notes Click on 'class handouts' under the player window to download the notes. Reply

Anonymous Illinois August 5, 2015

How do I get a copy of the notes? Reply

Anonymous November 4, 2013

I have someone else's watch that I found in the side of a chair. I let owner know I had found . if they attempt to pick it up just one time that is not convenient to me and never attempt to get it again I should not be responsible to get it back to him it would be a great mitzvah to go out of my way but I should not feel guilty if the item gets lost after a while because I am not a storage unit! lol I do believe in Karma and it would not be nice but feel there is a time that the owner of the watch should step up to the plate! if someone takes it from me steels it I should not be at fault if owner is not doing their part! believe me that darn watch is on my mind I just don't have to go out of my way to get it to the owner! Reply

Dante Damiani chicago November 3, 2013

These classes are great! I'm only on #3 but I am really enjoying them... I like how the "handouts" are included... Well done! Reply

Joe Nashville February 11, 2013

Shalom I am not yet a Jew. My family is Catholic. I secretely watched these videos as well as study Hebrew. Thank you :) I plan to be a chemical enginner as well as a Rabbi when I get older. Reply

Yosef Yitzak Vancouver July 12, 2012

gracias Thanks Rabbi Wolf and team for the opportunity you give me to learn, i am constantly traveling and these classes make me connect. Until the next class. Reply

Ben Arlington, VA October 19, 2011

Thanks! Thanks for a most excellent class. It's a joy to follow along with. Reply

Albert Hern Mexico City, D.F. July 27, 2011

Fantastic It reminds me of the times when I studied at the synagogue. We studied Berakhot, and when we finished the book we thanked Ha-shem for giving us the time to study his words. Now, I thank him because as the rabbi said, I feel the time I have spent has made me closer to him, Thanks Reply

kameo the netherlands October 28, 2010

the watch and the ox and sheep Funny, by the way, that you mention the watch, since in that time of the misnah there was no watch. Reply

Kameo October 28, 2010

different gardians? First off all, your lectures help me think!
And it is very interesting and also spiritual! thank you for that.

I am a bit late in following the classes, you started already in april, anyhow,

I was wondering is there a different approach to a gardian if the guardian himor herself would offer to be a guardian or if the owner asked someone to be the gardian?

And secondly what type of question is my above question?

Hope to go to lesson 4 soon! Reply

Anonymous July 3, 2010

Ch 3 Study of the Talmud Thank you again for the knowledge. I loved your story of the Rabbi and the clock.
I can add to the story as well; with every tick tick tick of the clock, I get closer to learning Talmud from a very wonderful source as well, Rabbi Eliezer Wolf.
a quick story to add, I was a Flight Attendant and on my flight I found a Gold Rolex watch in the Blue room (bathroom) and made an announcement on the intercom of my find. A man came and asked for the watch, but did not even thank me for finding it and returning it. My payment was from my Mitzvah, but a thank you would have been nice:):) Reply

Talmud for Beginners

These Talmud classes will be studying and analyzing the third chapter of tractate Bava Metzia, which presents the Jewish approach in many matters of civil law, particularly vis-à-vis the different degrees of liability assumed by guardians, renters and borrowers.

Talmud Study - Lesson 3: Guardianship: A Gamble for Whom?

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