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Bava Basra 107b

בבא בתרא ק״ז ע״ב

Bava Batra 107b

Learn Bava Basra 107b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Valuing land when appraisers disagree, and selling half a field

Overview

Three appraisers valued the same land at 80, 100, and 120 dinars. The first view in the ברייתא says it is worth 90. The גמרא challenges this with 'אדרבה': why not 110? It answers that the first two appraisers both keep the value at or below a hundred. אחרים divide the full range by three and get 93⅓, and the same challenge and the same answer follow. רב הונא rules like אחרים, and later like דייני גולה, who teach the same method. Each time, רב אשי objects that we don't understand the reasoning. A new משנה then teaches that when someone sells half a field, or the southern half, the halves are appraised. The buyer also gives up land for the fence and ditches. רבי יוחנן says the buyer takes the poorer half, and he proves from the southern-half case that the appraisal is about money. The גמרא then starts explaining how the two ditches are laid out, and this continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

תִּשְׁעִין שָׁוְיָא;

is worth ninety;

וְהַאי דְּקָאָמַר עֶשְׂרִים,

and this one who says twenty

דְּקָא טָעֵי עַשְׂרָה לַאֲחוֹרֵיהּ;

is mistaken by ten behind;

וְהַאי דְּקָא אָמַר מָנֶה,

and this one who says a maneh

The steps (21)

  1. StatementThe first view explained: the land is worth ninety
  2. ChallengeChallenge: maybe the land is worth one hundred and ten
  3. ResolutionAnswer: two appraisers keep the value at most a hundred
  4. StatementThe view of אחרים: divide the range by three
  5. StatementWhy the hundred-appraiser didn't say more
  6. ChallengeChallenge: maybe the land is worth one hundred thirteen and a third
  7. ResolutionAnswer: again, two appraisers keep it at most a hundred
  8. Statementרב הונא rules like אחרים
  9. Challengeרב אשי objects to ruling like אחרים
  10. StatementThe judges of the Diaspora teach the same method
  11. Statementרב הונא rules like the judges of the Diaspora
  12. Challengeרב אשי objects again
  13. Statementמשנה: selling half a field, or the southern half
  14. Statementמשנה: the buyer gives up room for the fence and ditches
  15. Statementרבי יוחנן: the buyer takes the poorer half
  16. ChallengeChallenge: the משנה says they appraise
  17. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: we explained it from the second case
  18. ProofProof: in the southern-half case the appraisal must be for money
  19. ConclusionSo in the first case too, the appraisal is for money
  20. StatementQuoting the next clause of the משנה about the fence space
  21. StatementA ברייתא explains how the two ditches are arranged