Bava Batra

AND LEFT FOR HIMSELF SOME [PIECE OF] LAND, HIS GIFT IS VALID. And how much is SOME? — Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Land sufficient for his maintenance, while R. Jeremiah b. Abba said [even if only] movables [that are] sufficient for his maintenance. R. Zera exclaimed: 'How accurate are the reported traditions of the elders!  What is the reason [in the case of the reservation of] land?  [Because] he depended on it [for his maintenance] if he should recover; [in the case of] movables also [it may be assumed that] he depended on them if he were to recover'. R. Joseph demurred: Where is the accuracy? [Against him] who said, 'movables',  [it may be objected that] we learned, land; [while against him] who said, 'sufficient for his maintenance', [it may be objected that] we learnt, 'whatsoever'!  — Abaye replied to him: [Do you suggest that] wherever 'land' is stated, land only [is meant]? Surely we learnt: If one gave all his property to his slave, in writing, [the latter] goes forth [as] a free man.  [If] he left [for himself] any land whatsoever,  [the slave] does not go forth [as] a free man.  R. Simeon said: [The slave] is always  free  unless [the master] said, 'All my possessions are given to my slave X, except a ten thousandth part of them'.