Related%20passage for Bava Batra 3:1

חֶזְקַת הַבָּתִּים וְהַבּוֹרוֹת וְהַשִּׁיחִין וְהַמְּעָרוֹת וְהַשּׁוֹבָכוֹת וְהַמֶּרְחֲצָאוֹת וּבֵית הַבַּדִּין וּבֵית הַשְּׁלָחִין וְהָעֲבָדִים וְכָל שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת תָּדִיר, חֶזְקָתָן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם. שְׂדֵה הַבַּעַל, חֶזְקָתָהּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, וְאֵינָהּ מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בָאֶמְצַע, הֲרֵי שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, חֹדֶשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וְחֹדֶשׁ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בָּאֶמְצַע, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בִּשְׂדֵה לָבָן. אֲבָל בִּשְׂדֵה אִילָן, כָּנַס אֶת תְּבוּאָתוֹ, מָסַק אֶת זֵיתָיו, כָּנַס אֶת קֵיצוֹ, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים:

The chazakah (possession period regarded as evidence of ownership) for houses, boroth, shichin, and ma'aroth (see 2:1), dove-cotes, bath-houses, an olive-press, an irrigated field, bondsmen, and all things which produce fruit constantly — their chazakah is three years, from day to day. [If one lost his bill (of purchase), and he brought witnesses that he was in possession in each of the instances adduced in our Mishnah, he is believed to state that he is the purchaser, and he is not told: "Bring your bill of purchase." For up to three years one takes care of his bill (of purchase), but not longer than that. And the claimant is told: If you had not sold it to him, you should have protested before two (witnesses): "Know that that man is 'eating' my land in theft," and the matter would have come to his ears, and he would have been heedful with his bill (of purchase). For "Your friend has a friend, and your friend's friend has a friend." And since you did not protest, it is your loss. ("an irrigated field":) Since it is constantly superintended for purposes of irrigation, it is constantly productive. And the chazakah of something which is constantly productive is three years from day to day. ("bondsmen":) And though we rule: "Godroth (sheep, as in Numbers 32:16: 'gidroth tzon,' (i.e., sheepfolds) have no chazakah," and the same applies to all living things — it is an immediate chazakah that they do not have. That is, if the sheep or the bondsman were known to belong to one man and they entered the house of another, and the second claimed that he had bought them and was in possession of them, this is no chazakah, for they are accustomed to go from house to house. But if he held a bondsman for three years, this is a chazakah and he needs no bill of purchase.] The chazakah of a rain-fed field, [which is productive only once a year] is three years, [not requiring "from day to day."] R. Yishmael says: Three months the first (year), three months the last, and twelve months in the middle — eighteen months. [For there is produce which grows in three months, such as barley, oats, and lentils — so that one may eat three crops in eighteen months.] R. Akiva says: One month in the first, one month in the last, and twelve months in the middle — fourteen months. [Some things grow in thirty days, such as young corn and greens. Therefore, if he ate from it fourteen months, it is a chazakah.] R. Yishmael said: [(R. Yishmael holds that the eating of young corn and greens does not establish a chazakah, but only the eating of real grain and fruit.)] When is this so? [that eighteen months are needed for a rain-fed field?] With a grain field, [all of whose produce is picked in one period, for which reason three years are required.]; but with a tree field, [whose fruits are picked in different periods: grapes, in one period; olives in another; and figs, in another], if he gathered in his produce [grape-wine], harvested his olives, and gathered in his figs [i.e., If he harvested them, dried them, and brought them into his house], this is [a chazakah, as if it were] three years. [The halachah is neither in accordance with R. Akiva nor with R. Yishmael.]

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