Bava Basra 138b

בבא בתרא קל״ח ע״ב

Bava Batra 138b

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Topic

Wording in a שכיב מרע's instructions, writing an unverified deathbed claim and the worry about a mistaken בית דין, and the father's produce rights

Overview

The amud opens at the end of a ברייתא about a שכיב מרע who orders two hundred זוז for someone he already owes. A wife given the money as her כתובה may choose either the money or her כתובה. A creditor told 'כראוי לו' gets the gift and his debt too, but if the words were 'בחובו', the gift pays the debt. רב נחמן, quoting רב הונא, explains that this follows רבי עקיבא, who reads extra words as adding something, as in the משנה about a seller who keeps a path to his בור and דות. Next comes a ברייתא about a שכיב מרע who says someone owes him a מנה: may עדים write this down without knowing it is true? רבי מאיר and חכמים argue, and a second version reverses their views, giving the worry about a בית דין that makes mistakes as the reason. רב דימי rules that we do not worry about such a בית דין. The גמרא challenges this from רבא's rule about חליצה and מיאון, and answers that a בית דין checks עדים carefully but does not double-check another בית דין. Finally, a new משנה teaches that a father who kept the produce rights may pick and give away produce, and picked produce goes to all the heirs. The גמרא infers that produce still attached to the ground does not.

Opening lines

The steps (15)

1. StatementThe wife chooses between the gift and her כתובה
2. StatementThe creditor case: 'as is appropriate for him' versus 'for his debt'
3. ChallengeWhy should 'as is appropriate for him' mean an extra gift?
4. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי עקיבא, who reads meaning into extra words
5. ProofThe source: selling a house without the pit and cistern
6. ProofApplying the rule to 'as is appropriate for him'
7. StatementA dying man says someone owes him money: רבי מאיר's view
8. StatementThe view of חכמים: write only if you know
9. StatementA second ברייתא where the opinions are switched
10. StatementThe הלכה: no worry about a mistaken בית דין
11. ChallengeSetting up a challenge from רבא's rule about חליצה and מיאון
12. ChallengeIsn't רבא worried about a mistaken בית דין?
13. ResolutionA בית דין checks עדים but not another בית דין
14. StatementThe father may pick and give away produce, and picked produce goes to all heirs
15. StatementOnly picked produce goes to all heirs, not produce still attached