The lesson seems to be that we not only hold the lost item but, when that makes sense, increase its value. One could have reasonably argued that when the man showed up Chanina owed him a hen, but that's not what happened.I think there is a difference between trying to increase the value and not coopting the produced income for oneself. Chanina did not try to increase the value of the chicken. Rather, he refused to take the "revenue" from the chicken (the eggs) for his own benefit. Because the "revenue" continued to increase, Chanina was required to "reinvest" it to avoid a burden on himself
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I think there is a difference between trying to increase the value and not coopting the produced income for oneself.
Good point!
I believe (waves hands vaguely) that somewhere in talmud is the statement that you can deduct reasonable costs that you actually incurred as a result of holding onto the lost goods. That would seem to imply that any other resulting increase in value is not yours to keep.
There is also a possibility that Chanina's conduct is given as an example of one who goes beyond the strict duty of the law, rather than what the law requires.
True. This story is an "oh by the way" passage, not directly about this law, so more data would be needed.
Thanks for the point about signs. That makes more sense than identifying individual chickens.
I don't know if you have the world's laziest cats. You yourself have provided photographic evidence that they can, at least at some times, be ambulatory. Meet Baldur the Fairly Slow, who (slowly) computes the expected value before getting up to, say, chase a bug or jump on a lap. I've actually seen him stand in front of a couch with a willing human, size up the jump, and walk away. :-)
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Good point!
I believe (waves hands vaguely) that somewhere in talmud is the statement that you can deduct reasonable costs that you actually incurred as a result of holding onto the lost goods. That would seem to imply that any other resulting increase in value is not yours to keep.
There is also a possibility that Chanina's conduct is given as an example of one who goes beyond the strict duty of the law, rather than what the law requires.
True. This story is an "oh by the way" passage, not directly about this law, so more data would be needed.
Thanks for the point about signs. That makes more sense than identifying individual chickens.
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PS - The world's laziest cats say "hi."
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I don't know if you have the world's laziest cats. You yourself have provided photographic evidence that they can, at least at some times, be ambulatory. Meet Baldur the Fairly Slow, who (slowly) computes the expected value before getting up to, say, chase a bug or jump on a lap. I've actually seen him stand in front of a couch with a willing human, size up the jump, and walk away. :-)
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