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Bava Basra 122a

בבא בתרא קכ״ב ע״א

Bava Batra 122a

Learn Bava Basra 122a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How ארץ ישראל was divided among the שבטים: equal portions per שבט, money payments to even out land values, and the use of a גורל together with the אורים ותומים.

Overview

The גמרא wants to prove that ארץ ישראל was divided by שבטים. It brings the פסוק 'בין רב למעט' and then a long ברייתא. The ברייתא says the first division was among twelve שבטים and the future one will be among thirteen. It says money was used to even out the value of the portions, and that a גורל and the אורים ותומים worked together: אלעזר announced the result, and the lottery boxes confirmed it. It also says that in the future everyone will get every kind of land, and הקדוש ברוך הוא will divide it Himself. From the line 'twelve שבטים' the גמרא concludes that the land was divided by שבטים. The גמרא then explains parts of the ברייתא. The thirteenth share is real land for the נשיא. The money made up for land that was near or far from ירושלים, and תנאים argue whether that was paid in money or in land. Finally, 'אך בגורל' teaches that יהושע and כלב got their land by the word of ה׳ and not by lottery. The proof for יהושע is brought here, and the proof for כלב comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

תָּא שְׁמַע:

Come and hear a proof:

״בֵּין רַב לִמְעָט״.

"Between the more and the fewer."

וְעוֹד, תַּנְיָא:

And also, it was taught in a ברייתא:

עֲתִידָה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

Eretz Yisrael is destined

The steps (22)

  1. ProofA proof from the verse 'between the more and the fewer'
  2. ProofA ברייתא: twelve שבטים then, thirteen in the future
  3. StatementLand values were evened out with money
  4. StatementDivided by lottery and by the אורים ותומים
  5. QuestionHow can both methods be true?
  6. ResponseThe scene: אלעזר with the אורים ותומים and two lottery boxes
  7. Responseאלעזר announces זבולן and עכו, and the lottery confirms it
  8. ResponseThe same process repeats for נפתלי and every other שבט
  9. StatementIn the future, everyone will get every kind of land
  10. StatementGod Himself will divide the land in the future
  11. ConclusionProof: the land was divided by tribes
  12. QuestionWho gets the thirteenth portion?
  13. Responseרב חסדא: the extra share is for the king
  14. ChallengeMaybe the king just gets wages
  15. ResolutionA second פסוק shows it is real land
  16. QuestionMoney was used in the division, but for what?
  17. RejectionNot for good land versus bad land
  18. ResponseThe money was for near versus far land
  19. StatementA מחלוקת: even out with money or with land
  20. StatementDivided by lottery, except for יהושע and כלב
  21. RejectionThey surely did get their own land
  22. ResponseThey got land by God's word, not by lottery