Bava Basra 19b

בבא בתרא י״ט ע״ב

Bava Batra 19b

Learn Bava Basra 19b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Basra 19b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Keeping seeds and urine away from a neighbor's wall, and when items placed in a window count as blocking it for טומאה.

Overview

The גמרא first questions whether seeds harm a wall because their roots spread sideways, and רבי חגא explains that planting loosens the soil instead. Next, רבה בר בר חנה allows urinating beside a friend's wall, based on a פסוק. Two challenges are answered by saying those sources mean urine poured from a container. But a ברייתא that clearly forbids urinating near a wall refutes him, and the גמרא reads his פסוק as talking about a dog. Then שמואל teaches that a thin wafer placed in a window does not make the window smaller for the laws of טומאה, because the owner does not give it up for good. The גמרא defends this rule against a משנה about straw and dried figs in a window, explaining that those items are useless (rotten, thorny, wet straw and wormy figs). Finally the גמרא starts asking how the barrel of figs was positioned, and that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ChallengeDo roots really spread sideways?
2. ResolutionThe real damage: loosened soil
3. StatementThe משנה about urine near a wall
4. StatementUrinating next to a friend's wall is allowed
5. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה
6. ResolutionThe משנה means poured urine
7. ChallengeChallenge from a ברייתא about pouring water
8. ResolutionThe ברייתא also means pouring
9. ChallengeA ברייתא that clearly says 'urinate'
10. Conclusionרבה בר בר חנה is refuted
11. ChallengeBut he brought a פסוק
12. ResolutionThe פסוק is talking about a dog
13. Statementשמואל: a thin wafer does not make a window smaller
14. ChallengeWhy mention a thin wafer?
15. ResolutionNot only thick bread, but even a wafer
16. ChallengeWhy not use the simpler reason that food can become impure?
17. ResolutionThe wafer was kneaded with fruit juice
18. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה about straw and figs in a window
19. ResolutionThe straw is rotten
20. ChallengeRotten straw is still good for clay
21. ResolutionThe straw has thorns in it
22. ChallengeThe straw could still be used to start a fire
23. ResolutionThe straw is wet
24. ChallengeWet straw still burns in a big fire
25. ResolutionBig fires are not common
26. ChallengeDried figs are surely edible
27. Resolutionשמואל: the figs are wormy
28. Proofרבה בר אבוה teaches the same
29. QuestionHow exactly was the barrel positioned?