Bava Basra 24b

בבא בתרא כ״ד ע״ב

Bava Batra 24b

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Topic

Found wine jugs; keeping trees and threshing floors away from a city and a neighbor's fields, and who pays when a tree is cut down.

Overview

The עמוד begins by finishing the law of wine jugs found on the road. Large jugs are assumed to be Jewish because most wine pourers are Jews. Small jugs are assumed to be from travelers, unless large jugs are found with them. Then a new משנה says a tree must be kept 25 אמות from a city, or 50 for a חרוב or שקמה. It also says the tree is always cut down, and its owner is paid only if the tree clearly came first. עולא explains that the rule protects the city's beauty, and the גמרא shows this reason is needed both for רבי אלעזר and for the רבנן. The גמרא then compares the payment rules with the case of a tree near a neighbor's בור, using רב כהנא's saying that a pot shared by partners is neither hot nor cold. A second משנה requires a permanent גורן to be fifty אמות from a city. אביי and רב אשי explain its last line differently, and a ברייתא supports רב אשי. The עמוד ends as the גמרא begins to explain why a גורן must be kept away from a plowed field; the answer continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. StatementMost wine pourers are Jews
2. StatementOnly large jugs are assumed to be Jewish
3. StatementSmall jugs found together with large ones
4. StatementHow far a tree must be kept from a city
5. StatementWho pays when the tree is cut down
6. QuestionWhy must a tree be kept away from a city?
7. Responseעולא: for the beauty of the city
8. ChallengeWhy not use the rule about the city's open area?
9. ResolutionThe beauty reason is needed for רבי אלעזר
10. ResolutionEven the רבנן need the city's beauty reason
11. QuestionHow do we know seeds and trees are different?
12. ProofProof from a large enclosure on שבת
13. StatementBack to the משנה: if the city came first
14. ChallengeWhy is the cistern case different?
15. ResolutionA pot shared by partners is neither hot nor cold
16. RejectionThe question itself was weak
17. StatementMoving רב כהנא's saying to the next clause
18. ChallengeWhy not pay first and cut later?
19. ResolutionPartners never get organized, so the cutting comes first
20. StatementWhen no one knows which came first
21. ChallengeWhy is a doubt near a city different from a doubt near a בור?
22. ResolutionWhy a doubtful tree is cut near a city but not near a pit
23. StatementNew משנה: how far to keep a threshing floor
24. ChallengeWhy a fixed number first and only 'enough' later?
25. Resolutionאביי: the last part is about a non-permanent threshing floor
26. QuestionWhat counts as a non-permanent threshing floor?
27. ResponseDefinition: grain not winnowed with a shovel
28. Resolutionרב אשי: 'Enough not to damage' is the reason for fifty אמות
29. ChallengeA ברייתא requires fifty אמות from a neighbor's crops
30. ConclusionThe גמרא agrees: אביי's answer remains difficult
31. QuestionWhy must a גורן be kept away from a plowed field?
32. Responseרבי אבא בר זבדא begins to explain the plowed field