It’s not worth a peruta -lo shaveh peruta -לא שוה פרוטה.” TB Baba Kamma 105

According to Jewish law if something is worth less than one peruta, then is considered to have no value at all. This understanding gives rise to a Hebrew expression denoting something has no value, “it’s not worth a peruta -lo shaveh peruta -לא שוה פרוטה.” A thief has to return the item he stole. But what happens when the object he stole is no longer worth a peruta? That’s exactly Rava’s question on today’s daf TB Bab Kamma 105.

“Rava raises a dilemma: If one robbed another of two bundles of goods that were worth one peruta in total, and he returned one of them to the robbery victim, what is the halakha? Do we say that now there is no longer a stolen item in the possession of the robber, as the remaining bundle is worth less than one peruta, and he has therefore fulfilled his obligation to return the stolen item; or perhaps we say that since the robber did not return the stolen item that was in his possession in its entirety, he is obligated to return the second bundle?” (Sefaria.org translation)

He answers his own question, but it’s in the enigmatic and needs further explanation 

“Rava himself then resolves the dilemma: There is no stolen item here, as the remaining bundle is worth less than one peruta; there is no returning of a stolen item here. The Gemara expresses surprise at this expression: If there is no stolen item here, as what remains is insignificant, it follows that there is fulfillment of the mitzva of returning the stolen item here, and the robber ought to be exempt, as he is no longer considered to be in possession of a stolen item. The Gemara explains that this is what Rava is saying: Even though the robber is exempt from returning the second bundle, as there is no stolen item here, there is nevertheless no fulfillment of the mitzva of returning a stolen item here, since the returned bundle was worth less than one peruta as well.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Although the thief is no longer liable for his theft and he still wants to right the wrong he committed, he must return the stolen object even though it’s no longer worth a peruta.