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Bava Basra 155a

בבא בתרא קנ״ה ע״א

Bava Batra 155a

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Topic

The מחלוקת between רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש about proving a deed in the בני ברק case, and the age from which an heir may sell his father's property

Overview

The גמרא first explains what רבי יוחנן meant when he challenged ריש לקיש. רבי יוחנן holds that proof comes from ratifying the deed (קיום השטר), while ריש לקיש requires witnesses. רבי יוחנן asks how, in ריש לקיש's view, the buyers in the בני ברק case could ever have held the land. ריש לקיש answers that a family's claim that the seller was a קטן is weak, because there is a חזקה that witnesses sign a deed only for an adult. The גמרא then brings a dispute about the age from which a young heir may sell his father's property. Both reports are in the name of רב נחמן: רבא reports 18, and רב הונא בר חיננא reports 20. The גמרא notes that רבא's report was only inferred, not said outright. Finally, רבי זירא challenges this from the בני ברק case, where רבי עקיבא would not allow the dead seller's body to be examined. He begins by showing that the case fits the 18 view, and his challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ:

This is what Rabbi Yochanan said to Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish:

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְדִידִי, דְּאָמֵינָא:

It works well according to me, since I say:

רְאָיָה בְּקִיּוּם הַשְּׁטָר –

proof is by ratifying the deed —

הַיְינוּ דְּמַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ

that is how you can find a case

The steps (6)

  1. Challengeרבי יוחנן's challenge from the בני ברק case
  2. Resolutionריש לקיש: a family's claim that the seller was a minor is weak
  3. StatementFrom what age may a young heir sell his father's property?
  4. Statementרבא's report was only inferred
  5. Challengeרבי זירא brings the בני ברק case
  6. Challengeרבי זירא begins: it works for the view of eighteen