Talmud for Bava Batra 3:2

שָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת לַחֲזָקָה, יְהוּדָה וְעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְהַגָּלִיל. הָיָה בִיהוּדָה וְהֶחֱזִיק בַּגָּלִיל, בַּגָּלִיל וְהֶחֱזִיק בִּיהוּדָה, אֵינָהּ חֲזָקָה, עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא עִמּוֹ בַמְּדִינָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, לֹא אָמְרוּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים אֶלָּא כְדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא בְאַסְפַּמְיָא, וְיַחֲזִיק שָׁנָה, וְיֵלְכוּ וְיוֹדִיעוּהוּ שָׁנָה, וְיָבֹא לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת:

There are three lands for chazakah: Judah, Trans-Jordan, and the Galil. [Three lands in Eretz Yisrael are separate from each other vis-à-vis chazakah, so that if one held one of these lands and the owner were in a different land, his chazakah is no chazakah, for caravans are not frequent from one to the other. And even a time which is not one of danger or war is regarded as such a time relative to them, (i.e., It is assumed that) if the owner protested, no one could apprise the holder of the land thereof. Therefore, the holder of the land should have held on to his bill(of purchase), and since he failed to do so, the loss is his.] If he (the owner) were in Judah and he (the other) held (land) in the Galil — if he were in the Galil, and he held in Judah, it is not a chazakah; but he must be with him in the same land, [e.g., both in Judah or both in Trans-Jordan, even if one were in one city, and one in another. For caravans being frequent, he should have protested; and since he did not protest, he is the loser.] R. Yehudah said: They posited three years only, in consideration of: one year for his (the owner's) being in Spain, and his (the other's) holding it, one year for their (messengers') going and apprising him (the owner), and the next year for his (the owner's) coming (and protesting). [R. Yehudah holds that the rationale for chazakah is not that one guards a bill (of purchase) for three years but not longer. For a man does not allow his land to be eaten even for one hour without protesting. Rather, the reason three years were posited is that if the owner were in Spain, etc. But if he (the owner) were with him (the holder) in the same city, then it is a chazakah immediately. And in these three lands between which caravans are not frequent, three years are a chazakah. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]

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