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Bava Basra 103b

בבא בתרא ק״ג ע״ב

Bava Batra 103b

Learn Bava Basra 103b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Rocks inside a field being sold, the new משנה on selling land 'measured with a rope' versus 'more or less', and the גמרא's question about a plain 'בית כור'

Overview

This amud first finishes the discussion about rocks in a field sold as a בית כור. The גמרא asks whether the shape of the rocks matters (a ring, a row, an angle, a crooked path), and each question ends in תיקו. A ברייתא teaches that a lone rock, or a rock next to the border, is never measured with the field. רב פפא and רב אשי ask follow-up questions about earth between the rock and the border, and about layers of earth and rock, and these also end in תיקו. Then a new משנה begins. If the seller promised a בית כור 'measured with a rope', any difference must be corrected. If he said 'more or less', a difference of up to a רובע per סאה is allowed. Extra land is normally paid back with money to protect the seller, but a piece big enough to be its own plot is returned as land, and once payback is owed, all the extra is returned. The גמרא then asks what the law is when the seller just said 'a בית כור', and starts a proof from the משנה's wording that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כְּשִׁיר מַהוּ?

If the rocks are arranged like a ring, what is the law?

כְּשׁוּרָה מַהוּ?

If they stand in a row, what is the law?

אִיצְטְדִינִין מַהוּ?

If they form an angle, what is the law?

דֶּרֶךְ עֲקַלָּתוֹן מַהוּ?

If they form a crooked path, what is the law?

The steps (11)

  1. QuestionQuestions about how the rocks are arranged
  2. StatementA lone rock or a rock by the border is not measured
  3. QuestionWhat if some earth separates the rock from the border?
  4. QuestionWhat about layers of earth and rock?
  5. Statementמשנה: Land sold 'measured with a rope' must be exact
  6. Statementמשנה: Land sold 'more or less' allows a small margin
  7. StatementThe buyer pays back the extra with money, or with land if the seller wants
  8. StatementMoney protects the seller, but a usable plot is returned as land
  9. StatementOnce payback is owed, all the extra is returned
  10. QuestionWhat if the seller just said 'a בית כור'?
  11. ProofStarting a proof from the wording of the משנה