Bava Basra 11a

בבא בתרא י״א ע״א

Bava Batra 11a

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Topic

The power of צדקה (בנימין הצדיק and מונבז המלך), then the rules for dividing shared property such as a courtyard, field or garden

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the story of רבא and רב אמי: רב אמי was upset only because nobody told him how the story ended. Two ברייתות then show the power of צדקה. בנימין הצדיק fed a starving woman and her seven sons from his own money, and twenty-two years were added to his life. מונבז המלך gave away his family's treasures in a drought, and he answered his protesting relatives with six contrasts, each backed by a פסוק. The גמרא then returns to the earlier משנה. Buying a house makes a person a resident right away, and the גמרא brings two reports of what רבן שמעון בן גמליאל held. A new משנה follows: shared property is split against one partner's will only if each part keeps its name. If both partners agree, they may split anything except holy writings. The גמרא explains that the four אמות of a courtyard do not count the space in front of the doors. It then brings רב הונא and רב חסדא on dividing a courtyard by doorways, and a ברייתא that supports רב חסדא. It ends with אמימר's rule about a feeding pit, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ResolutionWhy רב אמי was upset: he never heard the ending
2. Statementבנימין הצדיק feeds a starving family from his own money
3. StatementThe angels plead for בנימין הצדיק and his death decree is torn up
4. StatementTwenty-two years were added to his life
5. Statementמונבז המלך gives away his treasures and his family protests
6. Statementמונבז answers: I stored above, where no hand can reach
7. StatementTreasure that grows, and treasure of souls
8. StatementStored for myself and for the World to Come
9. StatementBuying a home makes you a resident right away
10. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבן שמעון בן גמליאל
11. ChallengeA second ברייתא quotes him differently
12. ResolutionTwo תנאים disagree about his opinion
13. StatementNew משנה: a courtyard needs four אמות for each partner
14. StatementA field: nine קבין each, or nine half-קבין according to רבי יהודה
15. StatementA garden: half a קב each, or a quarter according to רבי עקיבא
16. StatementBuildings and other items: enough for each to use
17. ConclusionThe general rule: split only if each part keeps its name
18. StatementThe size rules apply only when one partner refuses
19. StatementHoly books are never cut up
20. StatementThe four אמות are on top of the doorway space
21. ProofA ברייתא says eight אמות
22. ChallengeBut the משנה says four
23. ConclusionSo the ברייתא follows רבי אסי
24. ChallengeAnother version: the משנה and ברייתא contradict
25. Resolutionרבי אסי's rule answers the contradiction
26. Statementרב הונא: split the חצר by number of doors
27. Statementרב חסדא: four אמות per door, then split the rest equally
28. ProofA ברייתא supports רב חסדא
29. StatementThe ברייתא adds the case of a very wide doorway
30. QuestionWhat do the four אמות in the חצר mean?
31. Responseאביי: eight אמות long and four אמות deep
32. Statementאמימר: A feeding pit gets four אמות on every side
33. StatementThe rule applies only when the pit has no set entrance