Bava Basra 32a

בבא בתרא ל״ב ע״א

Bava Batra 32a

Learn Bava Basra 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The argument of רבי אלעזר and רבן שמעון בן גמליאל about a כהן: an ערער, זילותא דבי דינא, or combining single witnesses (רב אשי); then a new land case with a שטר

Overview

The גמרא first tests the idea that רבי אלעזר and רבן שמעון בן גמליאל argue about how many witnesses make an ערער. It rejects that idea, because רבי יוחנן says everyone agrees an ערער needs two. Instead it builds a case in stages. A man whose father is a presumed כהן is brought down by a rumor and brought back up by one witness. Then two witnesses bring him down again, and one more witness says he is a valid כהן. The first answer says the two sides argue about זילותא דבי דינא, whether a court should avoid reversing itself again. רב אשי objects that this worry would apply even with two witnesses together. So he explains that the argument is really about whether separate single witnesses can be combined. That matches a ברייתא where תנאים, including רבי יהושע בן קרחה and רבי נתן, argue about this. The amud ends by opening a new case: a man on disputed land says he bought it and shows a שטר. The ruling comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (9)

1. ChallengeAn ערער cannot be one witness according to anyone
2. ResolutionA new case: a man brought down by a rumor and back up by one witness
3. ResolutionTwo witnesses bring him down, then another single witness supports him
4. ResolutionThe real argument: honor of the court, as רבי אלעזר sees it
5. Resolutionרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: no worry about the court's honor
6. Challengeרב אשי asks why the case needs single witnesses
7. Resolutionרב אשי says the argument is about combining witnesses
8. ProofThe ברייתא about combining witnesses
9. StatementA new case: a land claim and a sale document