1)

BUYING 'MONEY' WITH 'MONEY' (Yerushalmi Halachah 1 Daf 13b)

משנה הכסף קונה את הזהב

(a)

(Mishnah): (When acquiring an object, even if the money has been given, acquisition only takes effect when the item is taken. When one is acquiring money, in order to know when the acquisition takes effect, one needs to identify which of the two is the 'money' and which is the 'object'. This is the subject of our Mishnah.) If one took the silver coins, there has been an acquisition on the gold coins (as soon as he takes the silver coins, he can no longer retract since the acquisition has already taken place - because the silver coins are considered to be the object and the gold coins are the money.)

והזהב אינו קונה את הכסף

1.

However, if one took the gold coins, there has been no acquisition on the silver coins, since only the money was taken but not the object.

הנחושת קונה את הכסף

(b)

If one took the copper coins, there has been an acquisition on the silver coins.

והכסף אינו קונה את הנחושת

1.

However, if one took the silver coins, there has been no acquisition on the copper coins.

מעות הרעות קונות את היפות

(c)

If one took the inferior coins, there has been an acquisition on the superior coins.

והיפות אינן קונות את הרעות

1.

However, if one took the superior coins, there has been no acquisition on the inferior coins.

אסימון קונה את המטבע

(d)

If one took tokens, there has been an acquisition on the coins.

והמטבע אינו קונה את אסימון

1.

However, if one took the coins, there has been no acquisition on the tokens.

המטלטלין קונין את המטבע והמטבע אינו קונין את המיטלטלין

(e)

If one took the objects, there has been an acquisition on the coins.

זה הכלל כל המיטלטלין קונין זה את זה:

(f)

The rule is that all objects can acquire each other. (This is known as a Kinyan Chalifin.)

גמרא זה כללו של דבר כל הירוד מחבירו קונה את חבירו.

(g)

(Gemara): The general rule (of our Mishnah) is that the inferior acquires the superior (as the inferior acts as the object and the superior acts as the money.

א''ר חייה בר אשי מאן תניתה ר''ש ברבי

(h)

R. Chiya bar Ashi: Who authored our Mishnah (that follows this rule)? Rabban Shimon son of Rebbi.

א''ל אבוי חזור בך ותני כהדא הזהב קונה את הכסף.

(i)

Rabban Shimon's father said to him - retract (as I did) and teach the following (opposite) text - If one took the gold coins, there has been an acquisition on the silver coins.

א''ל לינא חזור בי דעד הוא חילך עליך אתניתני הכסף קונה את הזהב.

(j)

Rabban Shimon to Rebbi: I do not which to retract as you taught us the original way when you were younger.

מילתיה דרבי אמר זהב כפירות מתני' אמרה כסף כפירות.

(k)

From the teaching of Rebbi when he was older, we learn that the gold is like produce. The Mishnah however taught that the silver is like produce.

ברת ר' חייה רובה אוזפת לרב דינרין אתת שאלת לאבוה אמר לה שקילי מיניה דינרין טבין ותקילין.

(l)

R. Chiya Rabah's daughter lent Rav gold dinars. She asked her father what to do (as the one would not be allowed to return gold dinars unless they were acting like money rather than an 'object' i.e. a commodity). He told her, "Take from him gold dinars that are superior and pure (and there will be no problem).''

מברת ר' חייה ילפין

(m)

Question: Can we learn this from R. Chiya's daughter? (Maybe there were more details that allowed this.)

א''ר אידי אוף אבה אבוי דשמואל בעא קומי רבי מהו ללות דינרין בדינרין א''ל מותר.

(n)

R. Idi: I will bring a different proof, from Aba, Shmuel's father, who asked Rebbi when he was older, "Can one lend dinars and be repaid with dinars?'' and Rebbi permitted it.

א''ר יעקב בר אחא אוף ר' יוחנן וריש לקיש תריהון מרין מותר ללות דינרין בדינרין.

(o)

R. Yaakov bar Acha: Even R. Yochanan and R. Shimon ben Lakish agree that one can lend dinars for dinars.

[דף יד עמוד א] קרט בקרט שרי לקן [דף יב עמוד ב (עוז והדר)] בלקן אסור.

1.

One can lend a keret (coin) for a keret but a lakan (a coin worth 32 perutos) for a lakan is prohibited (since the price fluctuates greatly, causing issues of taking interest).