Why does the Mishnah list both scattered fruits and coins. Is it not possible to learn fruit as a kal vchaomer from coins. If the coins, which are not perishable, can be kept, kal vachomer fruit which is also perishable can be kept?
M Avishur, Houston, TX
According to the Sugya, scattered fruit is speaking about a Kav of corn that is scattered around an area of four Amos in the threshing-floor, and the Chidush is that the owner is Meya'esh even though he knows full well that the corn is there.
Money, on the other hand is speaking (according to Abaye) about a case where the owner did not know when the money fell, but he did get to know about it before it was found, taking it outside the realm of Yi'ush she'Lo mi'Da'as'.
So you see, each case is quite different than the other, and each one comes to teach us an independent Chidush.
be'Virchas Kol Tuv
Eliezer Chrysler