Bava Basra 128a

בבא בתרא קכ״ח ע״א

Bava Batra 128a

Learn Bava Basra 128a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבי אבא's rulings to רב יוסף בר חמא: retracting an offered oath, collecting debts from slaves, testimony of relatives, and a witness who went blind

Overview

This amud is a series of rulings that רבי אבא sent to רב יוסף בר חמא. First, if someone holding a slave tells the claimant 'swear and take him' and the claimant swears, the holder cannot back out. The גמרא asks why this is new, since a משנה in סנהדרין already teaches this about accepting unfit judges. It answers that the dispute in that משנה covers even an 'I will give you' case, and that the הלכה follows the חכמים. Next, רבי אבא rules that creditors collect from slaves, and רב נחמן disagrees. Then he rules that a third-generation relative may testify about a second-generation one. רבא extends this to third with first, and the הלכה rejects מר בר רב אשי's ruling allowing testimony about a grandfather. Finally, רבי אבא disqualifies a witness who went blind from testifying about land. שמואל, רב ששת and רב פפא allow him for land, a cloak and even silver, and the גמרא challenges them with a ברייתא saying a witness must be fit both when he sees the event and when he testifies. The answer to this challenge comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. StatementOnce the claimant swears, the holder cannot back out
2. ChallengeWhy teach this? A משנה already says it
3. ResolutionThe dispute covers 'I will give you,' and the הלכה follows the חכמים
4. Statementרבי אבא rules that creditors collect from slaves
5. Statementרב נחמן says creditors do not collect from slaves
6. StatementThird generation testifying about second generation is valid
7. Statementרבא allows third generation about first generation
8. Statementמר בר רב אשי allows testimony about a grandfather
9. ConclusionThe הלכה does not follow מר בר רב אשי
10. StatementA witness to land who became blind is disqualified
11. Statementשמואל allows a blind witness for land boundaries
12. Statementרב ששת allows a blind witness even for a cloak
13. Statementרב פפא allows a blind witness even for silver
14. ChallengeA ברייתא says a witness who went blind is disqualified
15. ChallengeThe ברייתא continues: if the problem went away, he is fit
16. ChallengeThe ברייתא's rule: fit at the start and at the end