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Metzia

Metzia, commonly referred to as Bava Metzia, is a tractate of the Talmud. It is the second tractate in Seder Nezikin and deals primarily with civil law and monetary matters. The tractate lays foundations for Jewish law regarding property, commerce, and the ethical dimensions of business.

The Mishnah and Gemara in Metzia cover a range of topics, including ownership and transfer of property,

The tractate exists in both the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud, and its discussions contribute

Historical context places Metzia in late antiquity, reflecting the commercial and social life of Jewish communities

In modern study, Metzia remains a foundational text for understanding property rights, deposit and loan law,

the
acquisition
of
lost
or
found
items,
deposits
and
loans,
contracts,
and
the
rules
governing
exchange
and
value.
A
central
focus
is
the
responsibility
of
individuals
in
financial
transactions
and
the
prohibition
of
usury.
A
prominent
portion
of
Metzia
concerns
hashavat
aveidah,
the
obligation
to
return
lost
property
and
the
processes
by
which
items
should
be
identified
and
restored
to
their
rightful
owners.
extensively
to
the
Rabbinic
method
of
case
analysis
and
legal
reasoning.
Metzia
has
shaped
later
Jewish
legal
thought
and
informed
the
practical
codes
of
Jewish
law,
including
the
sections
of
Shulchan
Aruch
dealing
with
monetary
matters
(Choshen
Mishpat).
in
Palestine
and
Babylonia.
It
has
been
the
subject
of
substantial
commentary
by
medieval
authorities
such
as
Rashi
and
Tosafot,
whose
insights
illuminate
its
legal
methodologies.
and
ethical
conduct
in
business.
It
continues
to
be
studied
in
yeshivas
and
cited
in
discussions
of
monetary
disputes
and
commercial
ethics
within
Halakha.