Bava Basra 12b

בבא בתרא י״ב ע״ב

Bava Batra 12b

Learn Bava Basra 12b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

נבואה after the חורבן (חכמים, שוטים, תינוקות), sayings on the root נבב, and dividing an estate: joined shares for a בכור or יבם, and כופין על מדת סדום.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a proof that the חכמים still have a kind of נבואה after the חורבן. רב אשי rejects the proof from matching רבי עקיבא בר יוסף, since the two might share a מזל. He proves it instead from a חכם whose words match a הלכה למשה מסיני and who gives a reason for them. רבי יוחנן then teaches that נבואה also went to שוטים and תינוקות. Two stories show this: a שוטה's words lead to מר בר רב אשי becoming ראש מתיבתא, and רב חסדא's young daughter says she will marry both רבא and רמי בר חמא. Next come teachings on the root נבב: hunger splits a person's mind, and wine opens a closed mind. The גמרא then returns to dividing an estate. A בכור gets his two shares side by side, and אביי and רבא argue whether a יבם does too. Last, three cases ask when the court forces brothers to give a share next to a brother's own land under כופין על מדת סדום, and each time the הלכה follows רב יוסף.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ProofFinishing the proof: the same idea appears in the name of רבי עקיבא בר יוסף
2. Rejectionרב אשי rejects the proof: maybe they share the same מזל
3. Proofרב אשי's better proof: a חכם's words match a הלכה למשה מסיני
4. ChallengeChallenge: maybe he got it right by luck, like a blind man finding a skylight
5. ResolutionAnswer: he gives a reason, so it is not luck
6. Statementרבי יוחנן: after the חורבן, נבואה went to שוטים and תינוקות
7. QuestionHow was נבואה given to fools?
8. ResponseA fool in מחוזא announces the next ראש מתיבתא
9. Responseמר בר רב אשי realizes it is him and goes
10. ConclusionThe pairs of רבנן reach ten, and מר בר רב אשי gives the דרשה
11. Conclusionרב אחא accepts that he was passed over
12. QuestionWhat is an example of prophecy through children?
13. Responseרב חסדא's young daughter says she wants both students
14. StatementA hungry person has two hearts; after eating, one
15. ProofProof from a פסוק that נבוב means hollow
16. StatementWine opens even a closed mind
17. StatementA firstborn's two portions are given side by side
18. QuestionWhat about a יבם?
19. Responseאביי: a יבם is treated like a בכור
20. Responseרבא: a יבם inherits like a בכור but is not given joined portions
21. StatementA brother who owns neighboring land asks for his share next to it
22. Challengeרב יוסף: the brothers can value that piece more highly
23. ConclusionThe הלכה follows רב יוסף
24. StatementTwo plots on two channels: רבה says the court forces the brothers
25. Challengeרב יוסף objects: the two channels may not be equal
26. ConclusionThe הלכה follows רב יוסף in the two-channel case
27. StatementTwo plots on one channel: רב יוסף says the court forces the brothers
28. Challengeאביי objects: the other brother wants more sharecroppers around
29. ConclusionThe הלכה follows רב יוסף: more sharecroppers is not a real reason