Bava Basra 3b

בבא בתרא ג׳ ע״ב

Bava Batra 3b

Learn Bava Basra 3b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The partition in the second בית המקדש, plaster in wall measurements, רב חסדא's rule against tearing down a בית כנסת, and the story of הורדוס

Overview

The amud opens by closing an argument: the second בית המקדש was greater than the first both in height and in years. That leads to a question about why its partition was made only of curtains. The answer is that a very tall wall cannot stand without a ceiling, and אביי has a tradition that the partition must be all wall or all curtain. Next the גמרא asks whether the משנה's wall thicknesses include the plaster. Several proofs are brought, and each one is pushed off. Then רב חסדא rules that one may not tear down a בית כנסת before building a new one, and the גמרא discusses the reasons for the rule, its limits, and an exception for a cracked building. This raises the question of how בבא בן בוטא could advise הורדוס to tear down the בית המקדש. That leads into the story of how הורדוס, a former slave, seized the throne and killed the רבנן, sparing only בבא בן בוטא. The story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (35)

1. ConclusionThe second Temple was greater in both height and years
2. ChallengeWhy not build a thirty-cubit wall and add a curtain above?
3. ResolutionA thirty-cubit wall only stood thanks to the ceiling
4. ChallengeThen build as high a wall as possible and add a curtain
5. Resolutionאביי: the partition must be all wall or all curtain
6. QuestionDo the משנה's wall measurements include the plaster?
7. Proofרב נחמן בר יצחק: the measurements include the plaster
8. RejectionThe plaster is too thin to mention
9. ChallengeBut the משנה does list half-handbreadths
10. ResolutionThe halves combine into whole handbreadths
11. ProofProof from the beam over an alleyway
12. RejectionThat case speaks of large bricks
13. ProofThe wording in עירובין supports the large-brick answer
14. StatementDo not tear down a synagogue before building a new one
15. StatementTwo reasons for רב חסדא's rule
16. QuestionWhat is the difference between the two reasons?
17. ResponseThe difference: a town that has another בית כנסת
18. Statementמרימר and מר זוטרא built in the off-season
19. QuestionWhat if the money is already collected?
20. ResponseNo, the money might go to redeem captives
21. QuestionWhat if the building materials are ready?
22. ResponseNo, they might sell the materials for captives
23. ChallengeThen even a finished building could be sold!
24. ResolutionPeople do not sell a finished building
25. StatementException: a cracked building may be torn down first
26. Proofרב אשי tore down the cracked בית כנסת in מתא מחסיא
27. ChallengeHow could בבא בן בוטא tell הורדוס to tear down the בית המקדש?
28. ResolutionFirst answer: the Temple had cracks
29. ResolutionSecond answer: a king does not back down
30. Proofשמואל: a king will even uproot mountains
31. Statementהורדוס rebels and kills his masters
32. StatementThe Hasmonean girl's announcement from the roof
33. Statementהורדוס keeps her body in honey; two versions
34. StatementWhy הורדוס preserved the body, according to each view
35. Statementהורדוס kills the רבנן but spares בבא בן בוטא